Rowena Baird dies

LONG CAREER: GOT CANCER IN 2016

Worked for various radio stations before joining SAfm and also had TV experience.

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) confirmed yesterday that former SAfm radio presenter Rowena Baird, pictured, has died.

SAfm news tweeted that her sister, Michelle Baird, had confirmed the former Morning Talk presenter died yesterday morning.

Details of the cause of death are unclear.

In 2016, she was diagnosed with colon cancer and became an unofficial ambassador as she shared her journey through the airwaves and on social media.

According to a biography on the SAfm website, Baird started her broadcasting career in the mid-1980s.

She worked for various SABC radio stations, including Radio 2000, Channel Africa and Metro FM before joining SAfm.

“She’s read the news, presented magazine programmes, presented current affairs programmes, hosted music programmes, presented features and inserts and, of course, talk shows. Rowena also has television experience, presenting a series of voter education programmes and was a copresenter of The Breakfast Club on SABC television in the late ’90s. “Having been part of the media for most of her professional life, Rowena has had the privilege and the honour of interviewing a wide range of people, the scope of which spans from politicians, to musicians, actors, princes, princesses, poets, social commentators, ... and ordinary men and women of SA, the biography read.” –

Talked to a wide range of people during her career