Ravhuhali steers the ship at Vhembe FM

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At the youthful age of 29, Mukhethwa Ravhuhali, the Vhembe FM station manager, may be one of the youngest radio station managers around, but he is quickly becoming a household name in radio.

His two years at the helm of the Thohoyandou-based community radio station have been marked by tremendous growth in listenership. Ravhuhali joined Vhembe FM in 2018 as an intern, working under the guidance of Jimmy Netshilulu and Phumudzo Siavhe, who provided him with invaluable support and encouragement.

He began by producing the late Martha Makhela’s programme while also providing sports analyses. His opportunity arose when he was asked to stand in for an unavailable sports presenter, and he handled the task impressively. This marked the start of his fruitful radio journey and fuelled his passion for achieving more.

Currently, he is living his dream as the station manager, sportscaster, and producer. “I never in my wildest dreams thought it would happen so quickly. Doors opened for me in 2021 when I joined the management team as head of production. A year later, I was asked to lead the station, but I initially declined because I thought I was not ready for the challenge. After careful consideration, I decided to accept,” he said.

Ravhuhali’s leadership skills and determination have elevated the station to new heights, with listenership rising significantly. “I’m not trying to boast, but I can proudly say we’ve become the number one community radio station. Our listenership currently stands at more than 135,000, which is an impressive feat in community radio ratings. I attribute this success to determination, a healthy working relationship with colleagues, and a collaborative approach that values shared success. Together with my colleagues, we can take this station very far. This is not a one-man show,” Ravhuhali said.

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.