Sizwe Dhlomo vs Unathi Nkayi: Experts Weigh in on Stars' Scandal Focusing on Toxic Work Environments

• Sizwe Dhlomo and Unathi Nkayi's fallout in 2021 highlighted toxic work environments
• Unathi was fired after filing a complaint against Sizwe, who claimed to have warned her against involving HR
• Experts emphasise the importance of prioritising mental health at work, addressing issues through open communication, seeking support, and practising self-care to combat toxic work environments

Sizwe Dlhomo and Unathi Nkayi's public fallout opened the lid on how people endure toxic work environments. The stars went back and forth with each other on social media in 2022, resulting in Unathi being axed by Kaya 959.

A brief explanation of how Sizwe and Unathi's beef started

Sizwe Dhlomo and Unathi Nkayi are established media personalities who have made their names in the South African entertainment industry. The two charted social media trends and hogged headlines after their public fallout in 2021.

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It all started when Unathi allegedly filed a formal complaint with the Kaya 959 HR department, accusing Sizwe of verbally abusing her and unprofessional conduct after he was late for his show.

Unathi was later fired with immediate effect after the ordeal, and Sizwe claimed during a heated Q and A on Twitter that he had warned Unathi not to escalate the case to HR.

The beef between the stars has divided Mzansi, with some saying Sizwe is arrogant and uses his connections with the powers at Kaya FM to abuse fellow artists. According to The Citizen, Unathi has since taken the matter to court and allegedly demanded R1.6 million from the station.

Unathi Nkayi asks for Sizwe's deleted tweets on social media

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The former Idols SA judge is trying to build a strong case against Sizwe Dhlomo and Kaya FM. She recently took to her social media pages to beg for screenshots of Sizwe Dhlomo's deleted tweets. She said:

"My attorneys and I need your help. If any of you screen-crabbed the Twitter rant that Sizwe Dhlomo went on from 17 November to December 2021 about my wrongful termination.

"There’s a Twitter rant he went on for two days he dedicated to a Q&A. He’s deleted everything but we are not surprised. If you guys screen crabbed all of that and still have it please can you do us a favour and help us continue building our very strong case.”

Experts weigh in on dealing with toxic work environments

Sizwe Dhlomo and Unathi Nkayi's fallout exposed how toxic some work environments can be. Many social media users spoke about how they have also experienced similar situations.

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Briefly News spoke to Certified Relationship Therapy Educator and founder of Engaged Humans Paula Quinsee about how people can deal with toxic work situations amicably. She said organisations and companies should prioritise mental health at work.

"Dealing with toxic work environments and prioritising mental health at work should be a priority for every organisation and should form part of the overall business, culture and people strategies and objectives.

"Why is this important? Your people are your business, and if your people are not well, your business is not well resulting in factors such as absenteeism, reduced productivity, low staff morale and high staff churn."

Speaking about how companies can combat mental health and toxic environments, Paula added that communication should be prioritised.

"Communication is key – it’s important to address any issues as soon as they arise amicably by encouraging open dialogue and active listening with all parties involved.

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"Seek Support – talking to trusted parties such as colleagues, friends, or family members provides a space for emotional support and different perspectives on the situation.

"Prioritize self-care outside of work to maintain your own emotional and physical well-being such as exercise and mindfulness practices to help you cope with life’s stressors. This helps to put boundaries in place that can be a buffer between work and home life."

What can employees do if they are in a toxic company?

Life and business coach Penny Holburn also touched on what employees can do if they realise they are in a toxic work environment. She noted that some of the coping mechanisms include:

"Finding supportive people at work. Focusing on your work and goals. Finding someone you can debrief with. Having fun outside of work and reminding yourself that it’s not you it’s the environment."

What are the signs of burnout?

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Penny said that some people may not realise they are in a toxic work environment until it's late. She added that some of the burnout signs include:

"Lack of motivation to work to the point of not being able to do anything. Sheer exhaustion. Crying a lot. Depression and anxiety. Unable to get out of bed. Lots of colds and flu from a compromised immune. Poor work performance and confusion and memory problems."

Unathi Nkayi to reveal all about legal battle with Kaya 959 in doccie

In more entertainment news, Briefly News reported that Unathi Nkayi has announced that she is working on a documentary where she will tell her side of the story on the legal battle against Kaya 959.

The former Kaya 959 presenter got sacked from the station following her public dispute with former colleague Sizwe Dhlomo.

Source: Briefly News