CapeTalk, a Western Cape leading talk radio station in South Africa, has marked its 25th birthday with lineup changes. This includes a fond farewell to Refilwe Moloto, who swaps her daytime slot, a new show for Lester Kiewit and the addition of radio veteran Clarence Ford.
The station revealed, Refilwe Moloto’s creativity and bravery to initiate and sustain authentic discussions in the region have earned her praise.
Moloto has exited her radio slot to expand her career by creating business-related content for a range of PMB platforms for audio, online and visual platforms.
“My nearly four years at CapeTalk and Primedia Broadcasting have been the surprising journey of a lifetime,” Moloto says. “I have truly embraced my experience and have been bowled over by how warmly audiences have embraced me back — in Cape Town and beyond.”
“While I will miss my morning audience dearly, I am thrilled about my new role and can’t wait to tackle the challenge of curating world-class content for the diverse audiences that Primedia serves across the group.”
Lester Kiewit, who is currently hosting the mid-morning show, will move to the breakfast program on Monday, 3 October.
Cape Talk’s station manager, Tessa van Staden said the new show billed Good Morning Cape, Town with Lester Kiewit covers everything you need to know to start your day while also helping you stay as close to the story as possible.
“I’m looking forward to the new show and hope to bring something fresh and dynamic. Early mornings may be a challenge for my body clock but I’m relishing the opportunity to unpack the news,” says Kiewit. “We want to create memorable moments that our audiences will re-share with others,” Staden said.
Kiewit adds that his history with the station dates back to the 1990s when he would listen to CapeTalk in the car on the way to school. He has had various stints at CapeTalk with a long time in between spent at eNCA, where he worked as a parliamentary reporter. He has also been the Cape Town bureau chief at the Mail & Guardian and has a passion for children’s radio.
Clarence Ford will be behind the mic of the mid-morning show (09:00 to midday) from October. Ford brings 32 years of experience in radio along with many special memories.
He started on Radio Namibia and later ended up at Good Hope FM, which was the foundation of his career in Cape Town. Ford says that while he has, throughout his career, kept his feet firmly on the ground, his love affair with aviation has seen him take to the skies in a Jabiru two-seater plane which he was trained to fly.
“I’m energized by the challenge and hope I can continue the spirit of transformation and influence real change in the radio medium by bringing open discussions that raise uncomfortable topics that people remember long after the show has ended for the day,” Ford said.
“We’re looking forward to these changes and it fits well with our quarter of a century in radio. Turning 25 is a milestone and in the broadcast media that has seen many fly-by-nights, it is something we are incredibly proud of.”