5FM

Formerly dem know am as "Radio 5", de station develop from commercial station, LM Radio, wey na e dey broadcast to South African youth audience from Lourenço Marques (now Maputo) insyd neighbouring Mozambique. Wen LM Radio shut down by de incoming Frelimo government after Mozambique gain ein independence, de South African government instruct SABC make e take over de staff den de service. Dem rename de station Radio 5, den former LM Radio presenter Nick Megans present de first live show wey start for 05:00 on 13 October 1975 from SABC Broadcast House insyd Commissioner Street. Radio 5 broadcast insyd de medium wave band from transmitters for Welgedacht, Maraisburg, Pietersburg, Durban, Bloemfontein, Brackenfell, Port Elizabeth den Grahamstown. Later dem move de broadcasting go de basement of de Broadcast Centre, Auckland Park insyd Johannesburg.

De name Radio 5 indicate say na e be de SABC ein fifth national radio channel for dat time, after Radio Suid-Afrika, Radio South Africa, Springbok Radio den Radio Bantu.

Initially de government-controlled SABC require Radio 5 make e be bilingual plus equal weighting of English den Afrikaans. Dem strictly control den censor music content. Radio 5 compete plus de independent Channel 702 (later dem rename am to Radio 702) wey dey broadcast from Bophuthatswana den Capital 604 from de Transkei. Radio 702 change ein music format to Top 40 format, for de advice of American consultant, Bob Hennaberry, den head hunt de former Radio LM presenter John Berks from Radio 5. Within a year 702 claim nearly a million listeners from de PWV area (now Gauteng) while de nationwide Radio 5 get less than 150,000.

Malcolm Russell, former Rhodesian TV den radio host, wey host de new Radio 5 Breakfast Show, dem appoint am Programme Director den he initiate mandate make e improve de station, plus de support of Riaan Eksteen wey become Director General of de SABC for 1984. English become de primary broadcast language den dem overhaul commercial scheduling make e be less intrusive. Dem re-engage presenters on annual freelance contract plus shows wey dem name for dem den design by dem.

Dem launch new evening shows make dem compete plus television, one of dem be Chris Prior - de "Rock Professor". Dem introduce FM stereo nationally, den dem extend broadcasts to 24/7. Dem introduce The Chuckle and Chat, live phone-in show wey dem intersperse plus music, as de first talk show for South African music station, wey David Blood den Tony Sanderson present. E become de most popular programme plus listenership wey peak around 1 million nightly.

Russell make de presenters responsible for dema own success or failure plus de promise say, wen dema year ein contract expire, dem go free make dem renegotiate based on de audience wey de shows deliver. However, Russell remain on salary den he seek make dem negotiate de same performance-based contract for himself. Senior management reject de proposal den Russell resign make he start ein own company, de Broadcast Development Group, den later dem contract am make e assist Radio 702 plus ein repositioning den transition to 702 Talk Radio.

Former Presenters

• Mark Gillman
• Alex Jay
• Kevin Savage
• Brian Oxley
• Martin Bailey
• Rafe Lavine
• Tony Blewitt
• Tich Mataz
• Ian F (Also Hosted the 5fm Top 40 with Sasha Martinengo)
• Darren Scott (Drive time with John Walland, Ray White and Leigh-Ann Mol (née Van der Stadt))
• Mark Pilgrim with Ray White (Weekend Breakfast Show)
• Rob Vega
• Tony Murrell
• Cleone Cassidy
• Ursula Stapelfeldt (Host of the World Chart Show)
• Sami Sabiti (Host of the World Chart Show)
• Koula (Host of the World Chart Show)
• Nicole Fox
• Sasha Martinengo
• Zuraida Jardine
• Gareth Cliff
• Derek the Bandit
• Keith Lindsay
• Barney Simon
• Phil Wright
• Christina Knight (Knight School The Really Early Morning Show on Weekends)
• Thando Thabethe
• Ms Cosmo
• DJ Fresh
• Minnie Ntuli