Cape Talk presenter Koketso Sachane’s love affair with radio stretches back to his childhood.
He passionately recalled the “radio dramas of the 1980s”.
“Then came the revolution that was the early days of Radio Metro with guys like Grant Shakoane and his GS Connection Show where he would say phrases like ‘for the time of your life and life of your time’ or ‘if it’s good, its Grant’; I was sold,” Sachane told Weekend Argus.
“If I were to be honest, my radio career started in the shower at home during my high school days. It was in the shower in the morning before school where I would imitate Mark Gillman, Bongani Njoli, Clarence Ford and Rob Vega during their days at Radio Good Hope.
“I was fortunate enough during that time to be given the opportunity to sit in the studio with Gillman, Njoli and Vega as a ‘laaitie’ wanting to know how radio works. I have a vivid memory of hanging out with Ford on his show packing away his cassettes.
“I chuckle at times at how I went from packing away Clarence’s cassettes at Good Hope to being his colleague at Heart FM 10 years later. I value the opportunity and time given by these legends at a time when I was developing a passion for what I truly consider to be my calling.”
Since bursting onto the broadcasting scene in 1998, Sachane has racked up an impressive amount of on-air miles.
Bush Radio in Salt River was his first stop. “I was part of the Friday evening hip hop show co-hosting with DJ Big Dre and Shameema Williams of Godessa fame,” he said.
“The show was home to legends like DJ Ready D and Shaheen Ariefdien of Prophets of the City, DJ Hamma and the late Mr Fat of Brasse Vannie Kaap, as well as Emile Jansen of Black Noise.”
His big break came in 2000 when he joined P4 Radio, now Heart FM.
“It was there that I was blessed to work with mentors such as Rowena Baird, Dmitri Jagels, Dave Subkleve and Selwyn Bartlett,” he recalled.
Sachane spent eight years hosting different shows on the station before taking a break from radio to work in government communications in 2008. By 2011 he was back behind the mic, this time at Kaya FM.
“I worked in the newsroom and also did stand-ins on the John Perlman Show.
"My People of the Light lunchtime show on Heart always included talk elements in between the music. I have, from my days at Bush Radio, always loved dialogue with listeners over a variety of subjects. That has always been the core or substance to my radio career, the ability to be in conversation over things that matter.
“I had always known that my return to radio must be talk and eventually Primedia called as I was about to move back to Cape Town in 2014,” he said.
And so it was that Sachane became
the newest addition to the Cape Talk family.
His time at their Green Point studios started with the early breakfast show, weekdays from 4-6am.
After a line-up change in September last year, Sachane was moved to the evening show, 8-11pm Monday to Thursdays and Sunday nights between 9pm and midnight.
Sachane said he was thrilled to be a part of Cape Talk amid the station’s birthday celebrations.
“With Cape Talk turning 20, I am reminded of how afternoon and late-night drives criss-crossing the city would be with Cape Talk as my companion. It was through Cape Talk I would get another sense of the city through issues discussed by the listener."
Sachane believes the station is every bit as relevant as it was on this
day two decades ago and
that the AM station will continue driving important conversations.
“Personally, I feel blessed that I am given the opportunity with my position on radio to be in conversation with fellow residents of this city and country on issues that matter.
"My first break in radio allowed me to sit at the feet of the late Zane Ibrahim of Bush Radio, who drove home the message that being behind the microphone means that you have been entrusted with a responsibility to use the platform, not for your ego, but for good.
"I carry that with me
every time I go on air,” he
said.