His ‘sign off’ on his phone messages reads #HistoryIsBeingWrittenAsWeSpeak and he is right. Mdantsane-born Brian Ndevu will be making history in 2017 as the first East London-born presenter at the helm of Algoa FM’s Drive show to the Border area.
Ndevu will be taking over the mic from popular presenter Gordon Graham who after 20 years is leaving Algoa FM to follow his other passion, sports presenting.
He and Ndevu share their love of sport and radio. “I'm an all-round sports commentator (except for netball, polo, chess and such),” says Ndevu, who has been the breakfast showhost on Tru FM since his return to the Eastern Cape in 2014.
“Brian is one of the young lions who have returned to the Eastern Cape to make a difference after making a name for themselves in Johannesburg,” says Algoa FM operations director Alfie Jay.
“I realised that you do not have to be in a big city to make it. I think it’s critical that we come back and impart what we have learned so that our province can compete with the primary markets on the same level,” adds Ndevu.
In Johannesburg he worked as a continuity presenter and sports commentator on SABC television. He also had a successful career in public relations which included a stint as the head of public relations and communications for the Premier Boxing League.
“Our East London based Drive show anchor has to be much more than the voice behind the mic. He needs to be the face of Algoa FM in the Border region, and Brian’s background in public relations combined with his ability to network easily with anyone from the man on the street to business and government leaders is a real asset to the station,” says Jay.
According to Ndevu he “fell in love with radio in my teens listening to stations like CKI, Radio Metro and Radio 5.
“I loved television growing up, and watching movies (at Empolweni - a movie house in Mdantsane back in the 80's) was my favourite escape.
“My passion for media became real around 14/15 years old when I'd accompany Dicksy Ngqula to his show at CKI on weekends. I ended up meeting radio icons like Ian Sigola, Putco Mafani, Sharmi Naidoo and Bob Mabena, and to be honest, they sparked the fire!
“I ended up spending my holiday weekends ‘watching’ radio being done”.
Gordon Graham says “Brian is a great guy who totally gets radio. I’ve listened to his show on a number of occasions and I love the way he interacts with his audience. He is personable and I am confident that our listeners will warm to him very quickly.”
Ndevu joins the team in January and will start co-presenting with Gordon Graham soon after. Gordon is leaving Algoa FM at the end of March.
