By Sandile Memela
When black urban radio was first launched to play a pivotal role to promote English as a medium of communication, Bob Mabena was in the heart of it.
He was the youngest person to hold a powerful and influential role as a broadcaster. He had risen from the school of club DJing in entertainment hot spots such as Motswako in Pretoria and surrounding townships.
After more than 30 years of single-minded focus and dedication to the life of a DJ, it is no surprise that Mabena grew to be a national icon and legend. He was an institution.
When Mabena started in 1989, black urban radio was a novelty that was calibrated to attract talent and to promote English public speaking and the Americanisation of township culture through music.
Someone of Mabena’s calibre was an automatic hit with his flair for the language. He played an enormous role in nourishing the soul of the audiences of black English radio.
Over three decades, Mabena left footprints in almost all major black radio stations that have defined the history and heritage of black urban culture. He was a pioneer of black urban radio broadcasting.
Many relatively young radio personalities that have come across him have testified that “The Jammer”, as he was affectionately known, was an inspirational role model and mentor.
Above all, they give him credit for opening doors of opportunity and providing them with guidance.
Much as night club DJing gave him his first taste of the fast life, it was his slot at Radio Bop in 1989 that opened his eyes to the heights he could reach.
He was urged by his friend and colleague, the late Aldrin “The Master Jammer” Mogotsi to explore radio.
Soon he was in the ranks of legends at Radio Bop. The medium saw him bask in the limelight and endeared him to the heart and soul of his audiences.
Wherever he went, The Jammer, inevitably, became the life of the party, including at all-night gigs at university campuses, corporate events and private homes.
Noteworthy, Radio Bop was in a repressive Bantustan where apartheid authorities kept tight control on what a broadcaster like Mabena had to say on air.
The good thing was that the musical artists of the 1980s had a lot to say through their lyrics. This would include Bill Withers, Marvin Gaye, Teddy Pendergrass and Michael Jackson, among others.
There were also indigenous legends like Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Letta Mbulu, Harare, Stimela, Ray Phiri, Chicco Twala and Brenda Fassie who politicised the airwaves.
But as a broadcaster, Mabena was, essentially, a sought-after disc spinner. He was into American House music to promote cross-cultural pollination with his peers.
The late 1980s was a politically turgid time that was characterised by brutal political repression and frustration.
Mabena’s house music and song selections provided an outlet for the black rage through easy dancing and hard living.
After only three years at Radio Bop, he was lured to join Radio Metro which was launched as part of apartheid social engineering. The latter was founded and launched to undermine Radio Bop.
Mabena could not resist the temptation to ply his craft as a breakfast show host in the heart of Jozi. He was given an opportunity to become a social influencer that set the daily tone for the station and shape the consciousness of the growing black middle class.
It was while at Metro FM, working with Shado Twala, Lawrence Dube, Tim Modise, Wilson B Nkosi, Ernest Pillay and others that Mabena’s status as an icon and legend was confirmed.
There are very few radio DJs who have not been touched by his life. His power of vision was, again, recognised when he was recruited to found and launch another urban black radio channel, Kaya FM in 1997.
It was anticipated his presence would weave a magical wand at the station and turn into a high-quality centre of excellence.
Mabena was embraced and invited to join the team to launch Power FM. Just like Metro FM and Kaya FM, Power FM soon became a voice of black urban culture.
He was a pioneer of the black urban radio culture. His role as a founding father of the genre may have been surpassed by his status as a DJ.
But he had, from the beginning, helped define the standard for what constitutes black radio.
His life was a lengthened shadow of the history of contemporary black radio.
In fact, the growth and development of black urban radio is testament to the focus, discipline, passion and commitment of the likes of Mabena and his contemporaries.
His legacy lives in the countless young men and women he provided with opportunities to use radio to nourish the soul of the nation.
The urban black radio channels would not be what they are without his focus, passion and commitment.
Memela is a writer, cultural critic and public servant.
The Star