AS Metro FM is celebrating its 40th anniversary, the SABC will honor the pioneer of this radio station, Wilson Bafana Nkosi.
And this expert, broadcasting the Sunday program iSounds And Stuff Like That between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m., marking 40 years since September 1, 1986.
Wilson B (58), who was born in Piet Retief, Mpumalanga but grew up in Swat. He will be honored to have the history of his life broadcast. He said that this milestone will reveal a lot that was unknown about him.
“Many people have always wanted to know about me such as whether I have children, a wife and parents.”
Wilson B said that he started having a love for broadcasting at a young age so much so that he started applying for a job at the SABC when he was 17 years old. He said in 1985 when he was in Grade 12 he applied to the SABC to work for the now closed Radio Springbok.
He said that the former General Manager of the SABC at the time, Tess Louwe, said that they are listening to his request but he is not going to wait because there is a radio they are going to open, Radio Metro. Of course, the following year he was called for an interview.
It is history that Wilson B was then hired to work for this radio station owned by Koos Radebe who broadcast football matches on Radio Zulu (now Khozi FM). He said he met the likes of Lucky Ntuli, Shado Twala, Sheila D, Lawrence Dube, Tim Modise, Mesh Mapetla, Grant Shakoane, Tom Mphatsoe and Treasure Tshabalala.
“I started broadcasting a midnight to 5am show with Tim Modise called All Night Flight. I was panicking, scared and sweating profusely even though it was freezing cold in the studio. The first song I played was by the Commodores United In Love.”
He said he is very grateful to the managers of this radio station for believing in him even though he had no broadcasting background and no experience. Since he was just out of school, he had never worked anywhere. Everything was new to him.
Although all the broadcasters welcomed him with warm arms, the one who ended up being his friend was Grant Shakoane because they were born on the same day. Wilson B said that with Grant they ended up visiting each other’s villages.
Explaining his relationship with former Radio Zulu presenter, Cyril Bongani “Kansas City” Mchunu, Wilson B, said he was shocked and almost had a heart attack when he heard a call from Kansas around 2 am, while he was busy broadcasting. He described Kansas as the broadcaster he grew up listening to and who inspired him to become a broadcaster. “I disappointed many by wanting to become a broadcaster because some expected me to become a Chartered Accountant or an Economist.”
“He said this is Kansas City.” He said they talked, and finally Kansas told him that he was in Johannesburg to record the showTV Saturday/Mokibelo.
“When I hit 5 o’clock I was still sleeping. I went to where they were filming, and I was met by the late Bobby Dlikilili. Kansas was told that someone had come to him. When he saw me, he came running and hugged me and held me for a long time.”
He said that from then on they became true friends and he started being taken on a plane by Kansas because he wanted to visit him at his home in Durban.
“He put me up at his brother’s 5 Star hotel,” said Nkosi. He said he rejected Kansas because he wanted her to stop him getting married in 1988.
“I ended up agreeing to be the master of ceremonies at his wedding in Camperdown,” she said. He said that before Kansas passed away, he sat down with him and told him everything about his life and gave him his autographed photo.
“That was the last day I saw him alive.”
Wilson B not only broadcast but also presented television programs including iWe play for Youth/Youth in 1987, with Nomawethu Dingiswayo. He went on toJam Alley enoVinolia Mashego and Leon Mazibuko in 1992Studio Mix. He said that people will see a lot of things for the first time in the historical record that talks about his life.