Bob Mabena

Bob Mabena (1969-2020) was a radio announcer, station manager and racing driver

Biography

Born West of Pretoria in 1969 he started his radio career in 1989 in the then Republic of Bophuthatswana with Radio Bop. He also raced professionally in the Group N series for Nissan South Africa.

He died of heart failure on Monday 10 August 2020.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

He spent three years in the North West Province, among other things venturing into television, before he was recruited by Koos Radebe, the station manager of Radio Metro.

His time at Radio Metro gave him national exposure, which included a variety of TV shows, such as Pick a Tune and Studio Mix.

In 1996, Mabena moved to 94.7 as a midmorning presenter and soon thereafter moved up to management, then later joined Kaya FM in 1999 as breakfast show host and programme manager, and later station manager.

For a while Mabena left radio to become business development manager at Primedia before he became executive manager of commercial radio stations Metro FM, 5FM and Good Hope FM for two years.

Soon after that, he was recruited by MRC Radio as director in charge of their radio stations, Gagasi FM and Heart FM.

When live radio bug bit again Mabena rejoined Kaya FM as breakfast show host and established his radio consultancy EndowMedia.

He next moved on to become station manager of Power 98.7 for MSG Afrika, among other things also hosting the Power Breakfast Show'] and serving as the Group Head of Programming at MSG.