Selbeyonce on her ‘sudden' Ukhozi FM departure: ‘Nothing happened, I resigned'

News24

8 hours ago

Selby Mkhize loved presenting so much that for two years she worked for free before being hired full time.
The drivetime co-host says it's time to move on after 13 years at the station.
She insists she was not fired and asked for the announcement to be delayed.
Ukhozi FM listeners and fans of Selby 'Selbeyonce' Mkhize were shocked on Tuesday to learn that she would be presenting her last show on the popular radio station on Wednesday afternoon.
Questions arose about why she was leaving, with some speculating that she might have been fired.
Mkhize told City Press that she was not fired and did not have any fights or disagreements with the station. She resigned early this month but asked that her departure be kept private until she was ready to announce it.
It was a mutual agreement. My managers were happy [for my growth] but, of course, sad that I was leaving. We are fine; there is nothing wrong. I was a member of the team, especially after serving for so many years. They said: 'You will always be one of us wherever you go.' Nothing bad happened. [Ukhozi FM] is home; I will come back one day. These things happen; it is just one of those.
Selby Mkhize
Asked why she did not make the announcement earlier to give people time to say goodbye, she said: 'They will say goodbye today [Wednesday]. I am still on social media; it is not like I am gone, gone. I am not dead. People will learn to live with it.'
Mkhize said she could not think straight, because the attention had been overwhelming since her departure was made public.
The presenter joined the station in 2012 as a volunteer contributor before becoming a full-time presenter in 2015. Mkhize said Ukhozi FM launched her career and the journey had been amazing.
The Woza Nabangani Bakho co-host said everything she had been part of came because of her Ukhozi FM fame. However, it was time to explore other avenues because she wanted to see what else the world had to offer.
Though she was excited to explore new opportunities, she admitted to having moments of fear.
'Of course, you will have moments like: 'Oh my goodness, are you sure?' I have those moments, especially yesterday when I was like 'this is real',' said Mkhize.
She added:
They say everything you want is on the other side of fear. Change is good; it's a new chapter in my life. I have been doing this for 13 years, I am scared, I might relax a lot. So, I said, let me make [some] changes. Ideally, I would have loved for this to happen in April.
Selby Mkhize
The broadcaster thanked everyone who showed her love and supported her on Ukhozi FM. She said she did this for them and appreciated their support.
Ukhozi FM said it made the announcement with mixed emotions. The station said Mkhize was vibrant and an influential voice on the station. The station thanked Mkhize and said it looked forward to celebrating her future endeavours.
'Selby has been an invaluable member of our family. Her commitment and enthusiasm have significantly contributed to the success of the station.
'She has represented the Ukhozi FM brand with pride and professionalism, winning awards and touching the hearts of many. We are immensely proud of her growth and hard work in building her brand and we wholeheartedly support her as she embarks on this exciting new chapter,' said Ukhozi FM business manager, Lwazi Mthabela.
Mkhize, who joined Uzalo in February this year, said people would soon find out about her next chapter.