DJ Fresh and news anchor Relebogile Mabotja were among the winners at the 10th annual Radio Awards, held in a virtual ceremony on Friday, April 17.
In this annual event, which pays homage for South Africa’s radio industry, DJ Fresh bagged the honours for Best Afternoon Drive Presenter while Mabotja won the Best News Reader accolade.
DJ Fresh joined 947 in August last year. His appointment was on the back of his dismissal by Metro FM. This came after he was taken off-air after a complaint about him using “foul language” on-air was lodged with the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of SA (BCCSA).
Thankfully, the controversy is behind him now as he has made himself at home on the 947 airwaves between 3pm and 7pm, weekdays.
947 Station Manager, Thando Makhunga said: “DJ Fresh and the team on ‘Fresh On 947’ have been an exciting addition to the 947 lineup. Having launched in August last year the show has already established itself as part of many of our listeners’ lives. With features such as ‘Fresh Deeds’ and ‘Kids Vice’ and everyone’s favourite ‘947 Mix @ 6’ the Fresh on 947 show lifts the spirits of the city.”
DJ Fresh commented: “The butterflies never get old. I am earnestly grateful for the award, a true reminder of the smiles, laughs, tears, heartfelt moments and music we experience on air. My work wouldn’t be possible without my phenomenal team and the amazing listeners we are blessed with daily, I am because they are.”
Mabotja joined Metro FM in April 2019 on The Fresh Breakfast Show. Following DJ Fresh's axing, Mabotja moved to the afternoon drive show, “The Kings Suite, with Siphesihle "Sphectacula" Ngwenya and Lebogang "DJ Naves" Naves.
Following DJ Fresh's axing, Mabotja then later moved to the afternoon drive show “The Kings Suite with Siphesihle "Sphectacula" Ngwenya and Lebogang "DJ Naves" Naves.
Taking to Instagram after hearing the exciting news, an elated Mabotja said: “I’m so exceptionally proud. Part of me has that feeling of ‘Ya, but you didn’t want to be a newsreader. Now you are winning for it. Other people should be more deserving.’ But the other part of me is like, I worked so damn hard. I took my work do seriously and to everybody who helped me.
"All the newsreaders that I spoke to from other radio stations as well that were just helping me, training me and giving me feedback and building my confidence.
She added in her caption:"It was never my dream but the opportunity presented itself and I took it on with everything in me."
A post shared by Relebogile Mabotja(@relebogile) on Apr 17, 2020 at 6:04am PDT
Other winners include HOT 91.9 FM’s Jeremy Mansfield who won the Best Presenter for Community Radio station, KFM 94.5’s Darren Simpson took home the Best Presenter for Commercial Radio Stations.
This year’s Station of the Year Awards went to Kaya 95.9 FM (Commercial), Hot 91.9 FM (Community), Radio 2000 (PBS), and Tuks 107.2 FM (Campus).
See the full list on winners here.