‘I want people to feel heard, loved’

KWAZULU-NATAL’S new voice on radio, Vic Naidoo, said Durban is already feeling like home.

Naidoo recently joined East Coast Radio’s weekday afternoon show from 1pm to 4pm.

ECR was always on his list of dream radio stations to work at.

“I was offered an opportunity I couldn’t refuse and the time felt right. And now I am here and excited about this new chapter.

“East Coast Radio has been growing tremendously and has a bigger listenership and is more profitable than my previous station if you look at the ram (internet radio audience measurement) figures. I work with such a great team and I feel I’ve learnt so much more about my abilities and myself. My skills have been growing here,” he said.

Naidoo, who started on campus radio, grew up in Port Elizabeth and has lived in Durban and Johannesburg. His first paying job was as a sport presenter on Safm.

He also worked at Radio 2000 and Metro FM. Before moving to KZN Naidoo was at 5FM, where “I am probably most known”.

Naidoo, who is single, said the opportunity to share stories and create connections with people is what he enjoys most about radio.

“I also learn a lot about myself by sharing myself this way,” he said.

Naidoo said when he is on air his aim is to make people feel like they’re not alone.

“I also want to provide a platform for people to share stories and for everyone who listens to feel seen, heard and loved. I hope we can build a connection together and share good stories,” he said.

Among his pet hates are people who talk very early in the morning, people who chew loudly, drivers who don’t use indicators and paying for shipping.

Naidoo, who describes himself as honest, curious and sometimes outspoken, said a moment he would never forget was having a Brazilian wax live on air.

“It was the first time that I was introduced to that sort of grooming and it was quite overwhelming. It was a moment of being honest and authentic and was the beginning of me learning how to be honest and authentic, which is my kind of style of radio,” he said.

When not on radio, Naidoo is a voice artist on a football lifestyle show on Supersport.

He also has his own sport leisure brand and an online clothing and lifestyle store called Bombass Shorts.

“I wanted something different to what I was seeing in stores, something that expressed my taste, was fun to wear and quirky like my personality. Leisure wear should not just be about sportswear and clothes to wear to the gym.

“It’s about being versatile in what you’re wearing, to go from the gym to somewhere else and still feel good, like you’re not in gym clothes.”

HAVING started swimming as a toddler, a Durban teen has now made the national open water swimming youth squad.

Trevin Reddhi, 15, was selected to be part of Swimming South Africa National Open Water Swimming junior youth squad for the 20202021 season.

The grade 10 Northwood School pupil said although he was more of a pool swimmer, he decided to give open water swimming a try.

“It’s a different feeling swimming laps in a pool to swimming in the sea. In the ocean you are swimming to somewhere and have a goal to reach. I was surprised to make the squad, but I am very happy to have made it,” said Trevin, from Phoenix.

He said he was getting closer to his dream of one day making the Olympic and Commonwealth team.

Trevin, who started swimming at the age of 3, trains daily in the morning and afternoon.

Among the events he has participated in competitively are the Dolphin Mile, Midmar Mile and Capital K.

Trevin’s dad, Anand Reddhi, said the training was paying off.

“Trevin works very hard and does well academically and in sport. He is making his own waves. Open water swimming is very different to swimming in a pool because of the waves and breakers,” said Anand.

Alisdair Hatfield, Trevin’s coach at Action Swim Academy, described him as an all-rounder.

“He tries hard and gives his best. To make that team you have to work harder than your average pool swimmer. He is young and has talent and could, in a few years, make the junior world championships,” said Hatfield. Also making the junior squad from Northwood School is Dhilan Govender.