Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
‘Humbled’ Wastie eyes Liberty award
KFM presenter Carl Wastie has been nominated for a Liberty Radio award.
He is the only radio presenter in the Western Cape nominated in the Commercial Afternoon Drive category.
Wastie brings energy, creativity and personality to The Flash Drive, KFM’s afternoon drive show.
“I live my best life every day on the show,” Wastie said, adding he was humbled by the nomination.
He has a psychology degree from UCT and uses his training in his weekly Psy-Carlogy segment.
“I think if you have a platform, it’s important that you work for the youth and the disadvantaged,” said Wastie when asked about which section of his audience he worked the hardest for.
The 31-year-old plays soccer for Clyde Pinelands and is also a Fifa 18 enthusiast.
Wastie is up against East Coast Radio’s Bongani Mtolo, Gagasi FM’s Sphesihle Ngwenya, OFM’s Darren Scott and Power FM’s Thabo Mdluli.
He will also be inducted to the Liberty Radio Awards Bright Stars category at the ceremony on April 12.
“Carl Wastie has taken KFM 94.5 by storm since he joined the station in October 2016,” said KFM programme manager, Stephen Werner.
“He is a passionate, creative, driven radio talent who not only understands the on-air space, but also has a deep understanding of how to maximise social and digital platforms to drive content across platforms.”
Wastie built his rapport with listeners of all ages and backgrounds in a short space of time with his first KFM show, The Switch.
This, and his many other attributes and talents, saw him promoted to a prime-time drive show slot within a year of arriving at the station.
In addition to his weekday slot, Wastie hosts the Coca-Cola Top40 SA with the energetic presenting style he is known for.
“My happiness comes from the people I interact with,” said Wastie.
Before joining KFM, he had already built a career on TV with the youth show Hectic Nine and the Expresso Morning Show, and also worked in various roles at Good Hope FM.
Wastie loves to cook – Asian cuisine is his speciality.
He also describes himself as a “braai master”.
“I am the guy you want to invite to your braai because someone needs to cook the food. I think my friends put my name right on top of the list when they are planning a braai,” Wastie said.
Other local nominees are UCT Radio’s Naushaad Maharaj who was nominated in the Afternoon Drive Presenter – Campus category, and Cape Talk’s afternoon drive presenter, John Maytham, who was nominated in the Afternoon Drive Talk-Show category.