Radio is said to embody immediacy, and radio listeners worldwide always prefer presenters who are ahead of their time in current affairs and soothing music. One such presenter is Takalani Jeffrey Thabo, a former herd boy from the rural village of Tshaulu in the Vhembe District.
Many radio listeners are curious about the whereabouts of the former Phalaphala FM presenter, who used to captivate them with music on the airwaves. Recently, Limpopo Mirror encountered him in Thohoyandou and inquired about the activities of the man with the golden voice.
T-Squared, as he is affectionately known by his fans, was born Takalani Jeffrey Thabo in Alexandra, north of Johannesburg, and grew up in the rural village of Buluni in Tshaulu. Raised by his grandmother, he started school at Manzemba Primary School and continued to Ntsedzeni Secondary School for Grade 10. He later completed his matric at Tondalushaka Secondary School. In 1999, he pursued a bachelor of journalism degree at Rhodes University in Grahamstown.
His radio broadcasting career began during his time at Rhodes, where he worked alongside figures such as former Idols judge Unathi Nkayi and TV anchor Thulasizwe Simelane at Rhodes Music Radio. Takalani also excelled at sports and was a member of Rhodes University’s inaugural soccer team.
In 2001, he joined Univen FM, hosting the breakfast show and earning the moniker T-Squared. In 2003, he moved to the University of the Free State for a bachelor of arts in media studies and corporate communication. During this time, he became Kovsie FM’s first Venda presenter, gaining fame as Takalani, the Venda Boy.
After completing his degree, he returned to Univen FM as a broadcaster. In April 2006, he joined SABC’s Phalaphala FM, presenting a weekly slot and “Reliable Music Warehouse,” a Sunday show, from 09:00 to 12:00. The following year, he left Phalaphala FM and rejoined Univen FM as deputy station manager in 2008. By July 2010, he was appointed administration officer, and in 2016, he joined Choice FM under Ashifa Shabba as a freelancer. There, he hosted the “T-Junction” show on Saturdays from 05:00 to 09:00 and the “Weekend Breakfast” show on Sundays from 10:00 to 14:00.
In 2020, he left Choice FM because of a conflict of interest with the University of Venda, where he remains a board member of Univen FM. Currently, Takalani is a permanent staff member at the University of Venda and is nearing completion of his honours degree in media studies.
