Radio personality and activist Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has been shown the door by Vuma FM, a station she’s called home for the past six years. The shock announcement was made by Ngobese-Zuma herself via her social media pages on Sunday. The move has left both fans and critics buzzing with speculation.
Ngobese-Zuma, who also founded the contentious March in March movement earlier this year, hinted that her activism may have cost her the radio gig she once described as her “second home.”
The movement, which campaigns against illegal immigration, has been met with a fierce backlash from various quarters, including political figures, NGOs like the Helen Suzman Foundation, and certain government officials.
No word from above
While Vuma FM has remained tight-lipped about the reasons behind her dismissal, Ngobese-Zuma revealed that she received a termination letter on 15 July 2025.
“It has come to my attention that a complaint was brought by an external entity and/or individual. I shall not deal with the details of that complaint at this stage,” she said, in a statement that leaves little doubt that her activism ruffled powerful feathers.
Sources close to the station, who spoke to Sunday World on condition of anonymity, claim that Vuma FM came under increasing pressure from political and civil society groups to distance itself from Ngobese-Zuma. A senior insider alleged that sponsors were uncomfortable with the March in March campaign’s messaging, labelling it xenophobic and divisive, a characterisation Ngobese-Zuma and her supporters fiercely reject.
High-flying jock
Ngobese-Zuma joined Vuma FM in 2019, rising swiftly through the ranks from hosting the midday show to being at the helm of the flagship ‘Drive’ slot and later, ‘The Cruise.’ During her tenure, the station garnered multiple awards and saw a notable increase in listenership.
“We broke new ground, created a platform for topical issues, helped many of our people,” she reflected in her statement.
“My last day at work is the 31st of July 2025. Until then, let’s continue making great radio,” she wrote, adding a heartfelt thanks to her listeners, family, and supporters of the March in March movement. She also issued a rallying cry to her movement, vowing not to be silenced.
Vuma FM has yet to release an official statement on her exit.
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