Thebe Mabanga
IN YOUR EAR
Surviving the weekend on South African radio is a pleasant but sometimes frustrating act. In search of something entertaining to listen to, one can sometimes find oneself listening to astrology on a Saturday night or receiving soccer commentary in a very entertaining but incomprehensible language.
Here then is a guide to help you get through the weekend on most of Gauteng’s English stations. It’s a guide that places importance on presentation style, format and lastly music. So here are some tips on how you can best allocate your time to maximise returns.
Before going out on a Friday night warm up with 5fm’s evergreen Sasha Martinengo (7pm to 10pm) or Yfm’s Rudeboy Paul. To find out the latest trends in kwaito, Metro fm’s Sammy T presents the local Top 20 (7pm to 10pm). The fact that this is Metro’s only dedicated local music slot is the only reason you should listen really.
If you are cash-strapped and staying home, catch Derek the Bandit on 5fm’s Ministry of Sound (10pm to 2am) and World of Dance (on Saturday from 7pm to 11pm). This week he will wet your appetite for the upcoming Freedom Dance Festival (see Happenings).
If you catch the Bandit on Friday then you probably do not have a hangover and can wake up to Kaya Fm 95.9 with Collin Kgari or Metro fm’s likeable but under- used Ben Dikobe. Besides Dikobe, only Glen Lewis (12pm to 3pm) is worth listening to on Saturdays. If you wake up at a normal time (circa 10am) check out Yfm’s Khabzela – a primary reason to get out of bed the morning after the night before. The rough edges from his unsophisticated listenership make him all the more enjoyable.
The rest of the day is filled with advice slots on 702 and chart shows. 5fm’s Fanta World Chart Show (10am to 2pm) with Ursula Stapelfeldt and the 5fm Top 40 (Sunday 10am to 2pm) with Ian F and Martinengo are your best bet. Also on 5fm, don’t miss Mark Pilgrim’s Eighties Hour (Saturday 5.30pm to 6.30pm). Eleanor Moore’s Saturday Night Band Stand on 702 and dedications on Highveld with Ian Logan can ease you into the big night.
Most of Saturday night is filled with house music. Here Yfm’s Playground, with Bad Boy T and MC Ready D and their posse, have an edge because of their team format. The problem here is that the trend is heading for a plateau and it needs someone to innovate. Watch this space.
Sundays would be off to a good start if you steer clear of Wilson B Nkosi at Metro fm. The man is on a crusade to revive the Dead Poets Society. But then his correspondents are plagiarists, with Maya Angelou and Iyanla van Zant being the greatest victims. Add to this Nkosi’s obsessive rantings about basketball star Sir Charles Barkeley and you have a good reason to go back to bed.
Barry Ronge on 702, Lloyd Madurai on Highveld 94.7 and the specialist gospel shows on African language stations are the best options.
After that check out the jazz across the dial, throughout the day, before running off to impress your mates at the jazz club. Brenda Sisana on Metro (12pm to 3pm) will help you enjoy your Sunday lunch.
Whatever you do in the evenings, do not miss Nikki Blumenfeld’s World Music Show (95.9 fm, 6pm to 9pm). Then hop between Justice Ramohlola (Metro) and Msizi Shembe (Yfm) to round off your weekend’s listening.