Lesedi FM’s Thuso Motaung is a once-in-a-generation radio phenomenon and a South African radio broadcasting treasure.
What makes Thuso Motaung an incredibly consequential and impactful broadcaster is his ability to connect in almost all the emotional touch points of the human experience.
As a result, an enduring influential psyche develops within the minds of his listeners. This may sound almost messianic in some ways but Ntate Thuso’s power has delivered a broadcasting career spanning over four decades. Like others whose careers have such longevity, he’s not been without his very public controversies, but has emerged stronger than ever.
Ntate Thuso, as he is affectionately known as, achieves his radio success, I would say, by sheer talent which was discovered by a public broadcaster official literally by chance. It apparently happened at a soccer field many years ago when a young Thuso Motaung was tasked with doing live commentary during local soccer matches.
Today Ntate Thuso reaches close to a million listeners every Sunday, according to Lesedi FM’s website, on his moral regeneration Sunday programme, ‘Makgulong a matala’.
A comforting take on life
Walking through the streets of Soweto, Botshabelo and other areas, many homes tune into Thuso Motaung’s Sunday programme at 9am while preparing their Sunday meals, getting ready for church or seeking solace from his message of the day – it is this solace, this comforting take on life’s trials and tribulations, that works on the heartstrings of his audience, with whom he has developed deeply significant relationships.
Ntate Thuso also has a relatively influential weekday lunchtime slot on Lesedi FM, which has been his benchmark radio show for many years.
I can still remember back in 2004 walking to the SABC in Bloemfontein after school, curious to get close to what was at the time a mysterious platform, dominated by voices whose faces we rarely ever saw.
I made the two-kilometre walk, wearing my school blazer on a dry hot Free State summer day, burdened by heavy school bag on my shoulders. And finally saw him through this small, tinted glass window positioned outside the SABC building. There he was in his prime.
So, even as a young boy, I was captivated by and drawn to radio because of him and many other great broadcasters of the time.
Top-of-mind content
Ntate Thuso uses reinforcements of the same on-air DNA personality – a radio programme manager’s (my previous role) way of saying that he developed a coherent radio personality, and maintains it by being authentic and consistent in his delivery. Honing an on air personality is a skill radio producers, as well as programme managers, are tasked with in order to assist radio presenters to discover, evolve and maintain a solid their presence in a way that is memorable as well as endearing to the listeners.
Ntate Thuso’s radio content is usually a mix of newsworthy current affairs and topics top-of-mind for his audience. A key driver of any successful radio programme is top-of-mind content. But what is magical about him is that he also sets an agenda and influences his audience on what should be top of their minds.
A great example of what I mean is how he asked his listeners during his lunch show a few weeks ago about an incident that took place, then would give subtle perspectives of his own but draw listeners in as a type of hook to have them engage further by giving eyewitness accounts etc.
This call-to-action for feedback from listeners was related to ‘moral regeneration’ subject matter, where observation was made by the community of a certain area of young people behaving in inappropriate ways. He then uses this opportunity to impress upon parents to do better in their parenting and for children to also do better, but not in a preachy, talking-down-to-you way.
Personally invested
He does so by being personally invested in the subject matter and thus coming across as genuinely concerned. He uses his tone to meet the moment, as if he is speaking to his own family members at home. And that is how he presents himself to his listeners, not as an inaccessible celebrity but as an uncle around the corner you can feel free to call about any burden you may have, emphasis on any burden.
His Sunday show is laced with links where he points out a prevalent social issue then expands this topic by citing experiences familiar to his audience while touching their heartstrings throughout. The emotional touchpoint spectrum on his Sunday programme spans from upsetting some listeners, agitating a few, embarrassing some, uplifting many, encouraging etc. but generally all listeners stick it out and later discuss over dinner tables, taxi rides, braais saying to one another ‘o utlwile Thuso we tseng tsatseng lena’ basically discussing the stirring topic that Thuso addressed that morning.
Ntate Thuso has found the balance between coming across as a reputable broadcaster and morality champion, but also an entertainer. His morality messages and many links have the presence of the kind of humour only he can get away with on air. This humour laced with motivation as well as hard talk, has evolved into punchy video bytes on TikTok as well as other social media platforms.
Staying power
Thousands of users repost his videos, which are taken from his studio broadcasts at Lesedi FM. One of his famous videos is one where he says (paraphrase) “…mfanaka ha o na chelate, empa dintho tse o di yetsang, ke tsa batho ba nang le tjelete…” which directly means, young man you don’t have the kind of money to be living a lifestyle suited for the rich.
What makes Ntate Thuso more potent is that the younger generation who listened to him because their parents had the radio on at the time, have become the parents who are now listening to him for their own spiritual and personal upliftment, showing his incredible staying power.
Perhaps his most effective tool is his sense of civic duty. For him, making a call to relevant public officials isn’t an issue when community members call to express frustration over service delivery matters.
This is why Ntate Thuso is so beloved. His name, Thuso, means ‘help’ in Sesotho. He had a singing jingle, back in the late 2000s with the words ‘Re Tshepile Thuso Fela, Thuso, Re Tshepile Wena Fela Thuso’ which directly means, we have our trust and hope in you Thuso.
Thrives on storytelling
Ntate Thuso has had his fair share of controversy but what can never be denied is his effective marketing skills on air, where he generally thrives on storytelling. An effective tool that he uses in general but is exceptional at employing it for commercial outcomes.
I saw a video of him selling a product on his Facebook page which looked like a type of nutritional immune booster shake. In the video, he has the packet opened, it seems like he is already consuming it and encourages his viewers to consider marketing the product, highlighting how it has benefited his life.
Hearing stories from Thuso himself on the effectiveness of a product, and then have that reinforced by listeners, is a compelling sell, because any listener who buys into that narrative has already decided that the product works, which is half the job won.
I once had the privilege of working with Ntate Thuso many years ago at Motheo FM, a community radio station in Bloemfontein, during a short time when he was not on Lesedi FM. I realised then, that this man lives and breathes radio. He used his vast experience to help mentor young broadcasters at the radio station.
For him to still be on top of his game at a time when he may consider retiring from radio, is nothing short of inspiring. To top it all off, radio has become a multimedia platform, and Ntate Thuso has done more than rise to the occasion. He is known beyond just Sesotho radio consuming audiences, but is also famous throughout the country cutting across generations and language groups.
I think the big lesson broadcasters can learn from Ntate Thuso is that a long career in broadcasting is possible, but will require grit, always improving your talent, consistency, putting your listeners first and taking some notes from the radio legend himself.
Kabelo Mekoa is a dynamic marketing creative with a radio programming and television content background. He has over 10 years of experience in the media sector, largely as a producer and programme manager. He holds an Advanced Radio Certificate from Wits University and a BA degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. He is currently the development and creative associate at Media Beat – a boutique marketing agency based in Cape Town and Johannesburg, which specialises in integrated marketing campaigns in relation to radio, television and digital channels, as well as a host of other offerings.
