Cape Town - Radio presenter Nigel Pierce has hit back at his former employers on social media, after he was fired from Good Hope FM on Friday.
His show was replaced on Friday afternoon.
In a series of videos posted to his @nigelpierce account on Instagram on Saturday, the veteran radio presenter claimed he was handed a letter terminating his contract in front of other SABC staff members when he arrived for work, and was denied access into the SABC building.
“Wednesday morning at 10am, I went in for contract negotiations. I was told my contract would not be renewed. It had been renewed for 15 years, so there was a high expectation of permanency within that particular environment.
“I went on air at five o’clock on Wednesday afternoon, told listeners my last show would be March 29. I again told them on Thursday, nothing malicious.
“On Friday I got a note in the foyer of the SABC, saying my services are no longer required for the remainder of my contract,” Pierce reveals in the videos.
He was allegedly told that he had breached his contract by telling the public the date of his final show.
“I do have a few questions for Good Hope FM. How can I be in so-called breach of contract if I didn’t sign the confidentiality letter, and why did Good Hope FM allow me on air when I told them before the meeting on Wednesday that I would not be signing the so-called confidentiality letter?” he said in another video.
In March 2018, Pierce was moved from the breakfast show to Good Hope FM’s afternoon show, after being replaced by a young, award-winning radio host, Dan Corder.
Pierce also claimed the station accused him of only giving 10% to the show after being moved from the morning slot to the afternoon, and that he was a “risk to the brand” of the radio station.
“When I was moved to the afternoon show, we showed double-digit growth,” said Pierce.
He further alleges that he was often belittled in front of other staff during meetings and that meetings were often “haphazard with no agenda and no pre-planning.”
SABC spokesperson, Neo Momodu, said the broadcaster was currently in the process of reviewing contracts of on-air talent.
Momodu said it was an annual process with decisions made around whether to award contracts made around revenue, audience performance of the specific programmes or shows, return on investment and the strategic direction of the various SABC platforms.
She said the SABC would not go into the details of individual on-air talent “at this stage”.
Pierce made his radio debut while he was still studying at UCT in 1990 and since then, has worked for some of the top radio stations in the city.
He hosted Cape Talk’s breakfast show between 2002 and 2004, and Kfm’s afternoon drive between 1999 and 2000.