ALFRED NZO COMMUNITY RADIO PRESENTER WINS TRU TALENT SEARCH

It was a dream come true for a 31-year-old radio star, Bongumsa Makaba, as he was announced as the Tru Talent Search winner in sport category. Dj Bobo, as he is affectionately known, was all smiles as he took to the stage to receive his winnings, in an event tha was held at Bluewater bay, Sunrise hotel in Gqeberha,taking photos with the programming manager, Sakhikhaya Makapela and Eastern Cape Combo business manager, Loyiso Bala. It is clear that Makaba has new bosses as it was announced that the winners will be sign a one-year contract with the SABC’s regional radio station.

Makaba, hailing from Hlwahlwazi kick started his career at Inkonjane Community radio, in Flagstaff in 2014 and two years later he joined Alfred Nzo Community Radio. He says passion for sport started at a very young age and he knew this is fulfilled as he was given a sport show at Nzo FM in 2017. On 18 March he explained how winning this competition would change his life, when he was talking to Coastal Herald, begging for people to vote for him.

“My dream would have come true and I will realize why I was in a community radio for such a long time” he said when he was still in top 5”.

Makaba says his life has changed the time his name was announced as winner of a competition, saying that he will forever be grateful to everyone who kept supporting him throughout the journey that started in January when he was shortlisted as the top 12 finalist.

Reflecting on the three months of campaign, Dj Bobo says it was draining and energizing at the same time because the support he was getting from people around him was unwavering, but at the same time it was tiring as he had to be nervous for the whole three months, not knowing how far he will go with the competition

“I would get some money for food but along the way to buy food I would think, no what if these votes would take me far in this competition”, then I would just go and buy airtime to vote for myself” he added.

He emphasized how grateful for the support he got from his colleagues, led by the station manager, Zanele Langa, all the government officials from Alfred Nzo district Umzimvubu local municipality and everyone who voted for him.

“Without their support I would have not made it this far, but they were close to me all the way and I will never forget them, everyone who supported me will never fade away in my mind” he said.