Thendo Mudzuli (23) is fast becoming one of the queens of the airwaves as she establishes a name for herself on Makhado FM.
She is a producer and co-host of the Bridge Show, which airs Mondays to Fridays from 12:00 to 15:00.
Mudzuli, who hails from Luvhalani village in Nzhelele, is determined to realise her dreams. She says that, when she joined Makhado FM, things were a bit challenging at first. "When you do something you love and feel passionate about, though, you start to enjoy everything about it. My goal is to end up working at bigger radio stations and become the best presenter I can possibly be, but I realise that I have to put in the hard work for that to happen," she says.
Mudzuli always makes sure that she does her homework by researching topics in order to improve the quality of her work. "I find radio work to be very interesting and challenging at the same time, especially when it comes to interacting with the listeners. The most important thing is to engage with your listeners on issues that affect them on a daily basis. You must come up with something unique that will compel your listeners to not change the dial. My recipe for more listenership is to give them unique local content that they will not find anywhere else."
She says that, to be in the radio industry, you need to be driven by passion. "You must be creative and know how to manage time. The hardest challenge is controlling your mood. As a radio presenter, you must leave your bad mood behind before you go on air. If you can overcome challenges, then you will make it to the top. I always push myself to do my best, and I am not afraid to face new challenges in life. I also accept constructive criticism, and this makes me popular with my listeners. Be authentic. People love to listen to presenters who are genuine. Be proud of who you are and where you come from," she advised.
For Mudzuli, this is the beginning of great things in her radio career. "Radio is in my blood, and I will not leave it until my last day on earth."