Radio is my passion! It always has been.

I was born in East London, South Africa in 1965. There was no Television back then and from an early age I fell in love with ‘Radio’. This was largely due to my Ouma – Mrs Vallery Branders. She was a very ‘well-to-do’ woman. Very well spoken, always immaculately dressed and I remember – always smelt nice! She worked as a beautician at a local Pharmacy – Kirkmann & Wessels. She loved Radio as well. Her and my Oupa met during the early years of Broadcasting at the SABC in Durban. She often used to tell the story of how my Oupa (Charles Branders) and her acted in an Afrikaans Radio Drama called ‘Die See’. During the credits they mentioned “Die Branders het in ‘Die See’ gespeel”.  She also took part in many musical broadcasts at the SABC. Here she is (the lady leaning against the piano 2nd from the right).

Her portable Radio was always positioned next to her portable Cassette Recorder in her bedroom and she was forever recording programs from Springbok Radio when she was not able to listen. Very often this was because she had either entered a competition or written a letter to a request program and she did not want to miss hearing her name on ‘The Radio’. I used to spend a lot of time at their home when I was a young boy and her love for Radio rubbed off on me in a big way. This is a photo of the actual radio she used – and the radio that transported me to many magical places as a young boy.

By the time I was in my teens, my Mom, Dad, Brother & I had moved to Pretoria. My love for Radio grew stronger with each passing year and I decided that ‘when I was big’, I wanted to be a Radio Presenter. As a young boy I particularly enjoyed listening to David Gresham on Springbok Radio and when everyone was out at home and I was alone, I would ‘play Radio’. I would sit on my bed with my little portable orange Record Player, my Cassette Deck (which contained Adverts I had recorded off of the Radio), a notebook with lists of made up names of prize winners and piles of my Mom & Dad’s old vinyl LP’s and 7 Singles – and I would become David Gresham presenting to my imaginary listeners! David Gresham is the main reason I am in Radio today. He inspired me the most when I was a young boy. He showed me that the pictures are always better on Radio. He never knew it. We’ve never met.

While in Pretoria, I visited the Rand Easter Show in Johannesburg as a 16 year old (around 1982) and visited the Springbok Radio Caravan where David Gresham was broadcasting. It was there that I met Tinus Esterhuizen, who invited me to visit the SABC the next week. That would be the first of many visits over the next two years where I helped out in the Record Library meeting a number of the Presenters from the heyday of Springbok. The Radio Bug continued to bite. Here I am (on the left) with Tinus Esterhuizen & Richard Jon-Smith at the Springbok Radio Caravan.

I would need to wait until the age of 30 before breaking into the Radio Industry though – when I joined a new Community Station in East London called Link FM – in 1997. I have been involved with the Station ever since and currently present ‘The Afternoon Drive’ Weekdays from 3PM on 97.1FM in East London (It can be also be heard on DSTV Audio Channel 875). Down through the years I have served as Production Manager, Sales (Admin), Station Manager (2000 to 2003) and of course Presenter. Throughout the years, I’ve hosted a diverse selection of programs, including the morning and afternoon drive shows, The Top 30, a Youth Program called ‘The Gap’ (I often get adults today telling me that they remember never missing the program when they were in their teens), request programs and many more. My deep-seated passion for radio stems from its immediacy and the unique connection established with that ‘one listener’.

Here is a selection of photos of some of my highlights through the years

RADIO AWARDS

 In 2015 I was very humbled to win the MTN Radio Award for ‘Best Presenter, Afternoon Drive, Community Radio’ and have been nominated 12 times in various Presenter & Program categories since 2013.

2013 – MTN Radio Award Nomination for ‘The LunchBox’ on Link FM
2015 – WINNER : MTN Radio Award –  “Best Presenter Afternoon Drive, Community Radio” on Link FM
2015 – MTN Radio Award Nomination for ‘The Afternoon Drive’ on Link FM
2017 – Liberty Radio Award Nomination for ‘Best Presenter Afternoon Drive’ on Link FM
2017 – Liberty Radio Award Nomination for ‘The Afternoon Drive’ on Link FM
2018 – Liberty Radio Award Nomination for ‘Best Presenter Afternoon Drive’ on Link FM
2018 – Liberty Radio Award Nomination for ‘The Afternoon Drive’ on Link FM
2019 – Liberty Radio Award Nomination for ‘Best Presenter Afternoon Drive’ on Link FM
2019 – Liberty Radio Award Nomination for ‘The Afternoon Drive’ on Link FM
2020 – Radio Awards Nomination for ‘Best Presenter Afternoon Drive’ on Link FM
2020 – Radio Awards Nomination for ‘The Afternoon Drive’ on Link FM
2023 – Telkom Radio Awards Nomination for ‘Best Presenter Afternoon Drive’ on Link FM

RADIO DRAMA

I have a special love for the medium of Radio Drama having grown up listening to the many Radio Drama’s broadcast on Springbok Radio. A few years back I was approached by the headmaster of a local school who told me about a 16 year old boy, Troy Pike, who is living with autism. He had written a radio drama and was wondering whether I would produce it for him. It was an absolute joy to work with him over the following months. “The Case Of Cape Town” was duly recorded using the voices of his family, teachers & friends and I produced it under his meticulous direction. It was broadcast on Link FM and he was interviewed. It was such a privilege to help him make his dream come true. It worked so well that we undertook a second project the following year – “The Case Of The Death Race”. Both Drama’s can be heard here by clicking on the posters.

RADIO TRAINING

Between 2004 & 2010 I lectured in Versatile Broadcasting (Radio Theory & Basic Sound Engineering) in East London – first at Border Technikon and then at Walter Sisulu University under contract to ‘The Radio Academy’, along with my on-air Radio responsibilities.

To the right is a collection of sound files demonstrating my On-Air experience.

Enjoy!