Pretoria - As has become the norm for many, a weekday afternoon is not complete without listening to Pheli FM’s Capital Lunch, anchored by Mfana Magriza.
So popular is the show that it is streamed way outside the borders of Tshwane - as far as Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North West.
And there is no doubt that all this is thanks to the unique broadcasting style of the presenter known to his large support base as Mfana Magriza.
His government name is Mahlatsi Maroga, and being born and raised in Atteridgeville, or Pheli, means he is as Pretorian as the jacaranda trees, Church Square and the Union Buildings.
“I’m a Pheli kid. I was born in Kalafong, not too far from the Pheli FM studios. I’m 21 years old, now living in Pretoria West,” he said.
He first thanked the Pretoria News for the interview, and once pleasantries were out of the way, the charm that makes him the darling of the airwaves oozed through.
Explaining his rise to the top of the airwaves, Maroga said it all came down to willingness to learn. “I learn every day and find areas for improvement. Preparation and practice are also key.
“Although my show is considered one of the best radio shows in the country today, I still feel we can take it to the next level so we can compete with international standards. I am driven by passion; that’s how I do it.
“When you are passionate about something, it becomes your life. I eat, sleep and breathe radio. Even when I try not to think about my show, it always comes to my mind at any given time. I’d be up at 1am, planning how I want the listener to receive my show.
“I’m always game to do a radio show – I love it. The listener keeps me going. Knowing there’s at least one person listening to me and my craziness gives me great satisfaction."
He laughed out loud before answering the next question – on whether the show was a reflection of the person he was or just a job. “It’s a reflection of my personality. I’m naturally a very outspoken person,” he explained.
“I love music and crack a lot of jokes, which comes across when I present my shows. Radio is more than just a job for me. I believe there’s a great purpose behind me being on radio.”
He described radio as his first love, but only as a listener at the time. While he consumed a lot of radio while growing up, “I never imagined myself as a radio presenter until it happened”.
It happened in November 2020. He joined Pheli FM following auditions, having been picked as number one out of 104 candidates. And thus a star was born.
Mfana Magriza started out as a trainee, and was subsequently offered a slot on Capital Lunch.
“It’s a midday show between 11am and 3pm. We have lunch together on weekdays, and discuss topics that affect our daily lives.
“Now, the rule is that my listener has to let me know what’s for lunch, which song goes well with the meal and what they think about the topic of the day. “I’m not your traditional radio presenter. I bring a lot of energy on-air. I use Spitori mixed with English when I present my show. I engage with the listener and make it feel like we’re hanging out together, enjoying the music and conversations. My listener is the most important person to me when I’m hosting a show."
Before Mfana Magriza the radio presenter, he used to be a rapper. “Ha ha, yes, I used to spit bars. That’s where I learnt about mic technique, voice projection, story telling and music, among a lot of other qualities I’m still able to use as a radio presenter.”
Regarding his nickname, he said it came from the fact that he was raised by his granny, who was a huge part of his life and shaped him into the young man he is today.
“When she passed away, I wanted to have something that could still connect me to her even though she was not around. That’s what inspired the name Mfana Magriza (granny’s boy).”
His best moment on-air “has to be” doing an interview with 25K, the biggest rapper in Pheli. “I got to speak to him a week after he released his debut album, so you can imagine how many radio stations wanted him at the time. What a moment!
“My worst moment on-air was when I was still new on radio. I fumbled the announcement of the time and got the song wrong. I was so mad at myself, but I got to understand that mistakes are lessons in disguise. I learnt from my mistake and kept it moving.”
He singled out “staying true to your personality, creativity and preparation” as the key to having a good radio show.
He added: “Don’t try to be like somebody else because you’ll never get to reach your full potential. You’ll always be a reminder of someone else. There’s something special about all of us. “Be creative about how you present your show and prepare it well because when a radio show is not well prepared, it won’t sound smooth on the listener’s ear.”
His plans for the future are clearly mapped: “I look forward to growing within the broadcasting and radio industry. I want to continue learning and practising. “You never know when an opportunity will present itself, so I want to be ready when it comes. I want to get into TV presenting, too.”
Before his parting shot, he brought up another side of Mfana Magriza, the DJ and podcaster. “Yes, I fell in love with the art of DJing because I come from a family of music lovers, so naturally I fell in love with music from a young age.
“I have good taste in music too. You can definitely trust me with the aux in your car. Being a DJ is the coolest thing. We get to make people move and feel good about themselves.”
The podcasting role is the most recent project he has taken on. He has a YouTube podcast called Str8 Talk. He said: “This has offered me an opportunity to discover my talents. “I’m learning new things in this space .”
On that note, he had to cut short the interview; it was time for Capital Lunch.
His granny, or “magriza”, is smiling from the grave, knowing that she raised a young man who is determined to change the world one radio show, podcast and DJ set at a time.
Pretoria News