Lesedi FM presenter Nonn Botha, who was taken off air two months ago, is gatvol of being paid for idling.

She was taken off air five days after joining the Sesotho station following a complaint by some listeners to the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) that she did not speak good Sotho.

Since then Botha, who has nine years of experience in radio, has been sitting around Lesedi FM studios doing nothing.

The former Kaya FM DJ said: "I am not a child where I will enjoy to work for free. I am tired of sitting around, I want to be utilised."

SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago said Botha was still an employee of the SABC. "The public broadcaster is currently busy attending to her matter. She will be found a slot soon within the institution," Kganyago promised.

Kganyago confirmed that Botha was not returning to Lesedi FM but said he couldn't comment further because the matter was still in discussion.

The furious Botha said she was tired of being taken from pillar to post when she wanted answers from the general manager of public radio, Zolisile Mapipa, and current Lesedi FM station manager Dirara Mokoena.

Botha confessed that she didn't receive a formal letter removing her from air. She said after she was verbally taken off air, she sent e-mails to her bosses but she was told to be "patient".

"I wrote an email [after being removed from air] to Puleng [Thulo], the former station manager, and she said there was a process that the SABC was following and that I must be patient."

Botha said recently, Mapipa told her that they could not give her a slot because of the PanSALB's complaint. She said Mapipa further gave her two options - to co-host a show with David Mashabela or produce Ernest Pillay's afternoon drive show.

Both shows are on Radio 2000.

"It does not make any creative sense to co-host a night show while I hosted the same night show on Kaya FM. It's like going backwards with my career," she said.

"...and I don't want to produce a show, I want to be on air, and my contract says so."