NEW HIGH FOR MABENA
Radio personality gets set to host TV show
VERY few individuals in the entertainment industry can claim the heights that radio DJ Bob Mabena has reached.
He released Get Funky in the 1990s, a hit track featuring Kaizer Chiefs star Doctor Khumalo, hosted the country ’ s biggest television music show, Studio Mix and established himself as one of the coolest voices on radio since his days at Radio Bop. Mabena clearly is no regular Bob.
He is now one of the three hosts of interactive live music television show Pls Call Me on Mzansi Magic starting from tomorrow. “I can ’ t be excited to host a television show, I ’ ve done it before. What I like is the leverage for the Bob Mabena brand. My wife and I love the show and we loved how Vinolia [Mashego] hosted it.”
The channel approached Mabena when they heard his favourable comments about the show on his Kaya FM breakfast slot.
Pls Call Me is popular for dedications and on-air live requests from viewers.
Now Mabena will co-host the revamped version with a new set, on a new channel and with a team of new presenters; veteran
singer and dancer Thembi Seete and Big
Brother Mzansi winner and reality star Mandla Hlatshwayo.
Mabena says the best thing about his deal with Mzansi Magic is that he ’ ll use the channel to market his other endeavours.
Victor Koaho the channel ’ s head of marketing waxed lyrical over Mabena too. “It ’ s two good brands coming together, in terms of him bringing musical know-how on a channel that ’ s doing well. It ’ s going to be a great thing.”
With over 25 years experience Mabena is passing the knowledge he has acquired in his illustrious career on stations such as Radio Bop, Metro FM and Highveld Stereo.
He ’ ll do this through his radio workshops, which will be hosted in different parts of the country later this year.
It ’ s no surprise that he is seen as one of the custodians of the medium in the country. Saying Mabena is passionate about radio is an understatement. It ’ s something he breathes, but he says he ’ s still hungry to learn more everyday.
“Radio has morphed into a creative space, that ’ s why I ’ m still in it. When people hear a bad DJ on radio they look to us as the guardians to do something about it.”
With that sort of responsibility on his shoulders, in 2010 Mabena jotted down tips and basics one needs in order to crack it in the radio industry and packaged it as a booklet.
“I recently found 10 copies of the book at home and gave them away to people who want to learn more.
“Radio has changed over the years. It used to be just on FM but now we ’ re hearing of online radio and we ’ re seeing radio coming together with other media like television and social media.”
He says the consumption and the listeners have changed profiles. “People don ’ t consume it as they use to in the past.
I have a listener who listens to me, John Robbie and Tim Modise. He also follows us on social networks and keeps up with topics ”
Mabena was recently caught up in a smash and grab incident while driving in Johannesburg. He has cuts on his head from the smashed window as reminders.
“It all happened so fast. But I survived. I didn ’ t need any therapy. It was the first time a chiskop was a disadvantage, ” he quips. “But I still use the same route, I will not now use a different one because of this.”
Mabena also walked down the aisle a few weeks ago, for the second time. “Of course, marriage feels different now. I ’ m older, wiser and I can make sober decisions. I ’ m not a celebrity drunk anymore.”
But the tone of his voice changes into a warmer and much calmer one when he talks about his wife Eucharist Hadebe.
“She ’ s deeply, deeply spiritual. But also very humane and equally understands that other human beings make mistakes. She ’ s a very easy person to embrace, the kids love her,” he gushes.