After more than three decades behind the microphone, DJ Fresh has little left to prove. He has dominated radio ratings, collected dozens of industry awards, launched careers, built businesses and become one of the most recognisable voices in South African broadcasting.
Yet as he prepares to begin a new chapter at Kaya 959, Thato Sikwane says he is motivated by something far more meaningful than fame or accolades.
For the veteran broadcaster, this move feels less like a career shift and more like a destination he was always meant to reach.
‘It was literally a toss-up’
“I’ve had offers from Kaya before, including in 2019 when I left Metro FM,” he tells Sunday World. “It was literally a toss-up between 947 and Kaya 959. I remember telling Greg at the time that I couldn’t do Kaya before I did 947. I had to go to 947 first and then wrap up my career at Kaya.”
Years later, he believes the timing has finally aligned. “The timing is perfect. The alignment is perfect. The fact that this isn’t the first offer tells me this was always going to be home at some stage.”
The move comes at a point in Fresh’s life where he says he has settled into who he is, both personally and professionally. “I’m at a stage in my career where I have nothing to prove to anyone,” he says.
That confidence is rooted in a broadcasting journey that spans more than 30 years and includes influential stints at YFM, 5FM, Metro FM and 947. Through changing media landscapes, evolving audience habits and the rise of digital platforms, Fresh has remained a constant presence in South African popular culture.
‘Longevity built on empathy’
What makes him most proud, however, is not the longevity itself. “It would have to be longevity built on empathy, the quest to change lives and reinvention,” he says. “The industry doesn’t owe me anything. The fact that I’ve been relevant across three decades isn’t luck. It’s work, adaptability and making impactful radio that outlasts your voice on air.”
Even during the years he spent away from mainstream radio, Fresh’s connection with audiences remained remarkably strong. He points to the awards he continued to receive during that period as proof that impact cannot always be measured by airtime.
Yet when reflecting on his achievements, it is the lives he has touched that matter most. From mentoring producers and DJs to helping students access tertiary education, Fresh says the real reward has come from opening doors for others.
“I built my career building other people’s careers. The listeners who tell me that a conversation on my show changed how they thought about themselves, or that it gave them hope during a difficult time, those are the things that outlast ratings and awards.”
Quality time
Away from radio, the past few years have also given him something he rarely had during the busiest years of his career: time. Time to travel. Time to focus on business ventures. Time to spend with his parents. Most importantly, time to be present for his children.
“My youngest son had never had me drop him off at school because I was always on air, I was finally able to do that. My children have kept me going, no matter how bad things are, there is always something good in your life. Sometimes we just take those things for granted.”
‘Life is bigger than a career’
DJ Fresh admits there were moments when he questioned whether he would ever return to mainstream radio. But stepping away also helped him rediscover parts of himself beyond broadcasting. It reinforced a lesson he now carries into this next chapter: life is bigger than a career. That perspective also informs how he views accountability. For a public figure who has faced intense scrutiny over the years, the concept has taken on a deeply personal meaning.
“It means owning your life, all of it. Not selectively and not performatively,” he says. “Real accountability is private. It’s daily. It’s not glamorous and sometimes it’s ugly.”
As he returns to one of radio’s most influential time slots, Fresh remains passionate about the role broadcasters play in shaping society. He believes radio has a responsibility to challenge misinformation, create meaningful dialogue and provide a platform for conversations many people are afraid to have publicly.
“We need to normalise conversations around mental health, fatherhood, grief, money, failure and divorce. If we can bring those conversations into the open without sensationalising them, then we are genuinely helping shape culture.”
Reunion of YFM team
At Kaya 959, he will be joined by Thato Mataboge and Mpho Maboi, reuniting a team that first worked together during the YFM years more than two decades ago. For Fresh, the reunion represents another opportunity for growth.
“There are conversations I probably wouldn’t have had before because of the audience or the station environment. I don’t like being boxed. I love finding myself in spaces that allow me to peel back my own layers and share.”
It is a sentiment that captures where he finds himself today – older, wiser and less concerned with proving people wrong and more focused on meaningful connection.
After decades spent helping South Africans navigate their mornings, DJ Fresh still believes radio can change lives. And as he prepares to take his seat behind the microphone at Kaya 959, he is not approaching it as a man seeking redemption or reinvention. Instead, he sounds like someone who has finally arrived exactly where he was meant to be.
- DJ Fresh, after over 30 years in South African radio, is moving to Kaya 959, a decision he sees as a long-awaited homecoming rather than a career shift.
- He emphasizes that his success stems from empathy, adaptability, and a commitment to impacting lives, not just ratings or awards.
- Beyond his career, Fresh values the time he’s spent with family and personal growth, highlighting the importance of life beyond broadcasting.
- Fresh aims to use his platform to normalize difficult conversations on topics like mental health, fatherhood, and grief, fostering meaningful societal dialogue.
- At Kaya 959, he reunites with longtime colleagues from YFM, embracing new opportunities for open, authentic conversations and deeper audience connection.
After more than three decades behind the microphone, DJ
Yet as he prepares to begin a new chapter at Kaya 959,
For the veteran broadcaster, this move feels less like a career shift and more like a destination he was always meant to reach.
"I've had offers from Kaya before, including in 2019 when I left Metro FM," he tells
Years later, he believes the timing has finally aligned. "
What makes him most proud, however, is not the longevity itself. "It would have to be longevity built on empathy, the quest to change lives and reinvention," he says. "
Even during the years he spent away from mainstream radio,
Yet when reflecting on his achievements, it is the lives he has touched that matter most. From mentoring producers and DJs to helping students access tertiary education,
"I built my career building other people's careers.
Away from radio, the past few years have also given him something he rarely had during the busiest years of his career: time. Time to travel. Time to focus on business ventures. Time to spend with his parents. Most importantly, time to be present for his children.
"My youngest son had never had me drop him off at school because I was always on air, I was finally able to do that. My children have kept me going, no matter how bad things are, there is always something good in your life. Sometimes we just take those things for granted."
DJ
"It means owning your life, all of it. Not selectively and not performatively," he says. “Real accountability is private. It's daily. It's not glamorous and sometimes it's ugly."
As he returns to one of radio's most influential time slots,
"We need to normalise conversations around mental health, fatherhood, grief, money, failure and divorce. If we can bring those conversations into the open without sensationalising them, then we are genuinely helping shape culture."
At Kaya 959, he will be joined by
"
It is a sentiment that captures where he finds himself today – older, wiser and less concerned with proving people wrong and more focused on meaningful connection.
After decades spent helping
