THE FINE MUSIC RADIO TEAM
Eon de Vos
Station Manager
In a previous life Eon worked in TV and radio. He managed PR and advertising companies and commercial radio stations, and led the original team to start Classic FM (SA). He also raced cars and flew aerobatic aircraft, helicopters, and airliners. After retiring as an airline Captain, Eon became a volunteer presenter at FMR. It seemed a logical choice – after all, he’d been a FMR member for many years and listened to the station at all hours while driving to and from the airport. Not being one to slow down, station manager at FMR was the next logical (if unplanned) step.
Debbie Hadley
Traffic and Marketing Manager
Debbie studied dancing, singing and acting and then taught dancing in the industry from 2000 to 2014. She was one of the choreographers for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2013 Opening Ceremony and also choreographed for corporate functions. She completed a graphic design course and is also a keen photographer. Every year Debbie stage manages Dancers Love Dogs, a dance show which raises money for mass sterilisation of animals in underprivileged communities. After studying the violin at school and, with her love for Classical music, it was a great fit to work for Cape Town’s only classical music radio station.
Wesley Lewies
Programme Manager
Originally from Johannesburg, he came to Cape Town in his early 20’s for what should have been three months and, like many people who visit this city, he never left. Wesley embarked on a lifestyle of exploration and adventure. He started at Fine Music Radio in March 2004, knowing nothing about community radio or classical music. He’d like to think that, over nearly two decades, he’s learned much about both. “I’ve witnessed the growth of our little radio station, its ups and downs, and am always amazed by our achievements – long may they continue.”
Désirée Slabber
Sales Strategist
Teaching is a noble profession, but one day, while watching crashing waves, Désirée decided she wanted more out of life than teaching. Mentors guided her through the world of advertising into the boardroom. Years later, in Cape Town, again watching crashing waves, FMR came calling. This time round, there was a glass of wine in the one hand and a cup of coffee in the other! The FMR value of giving appealed to Désirée’s heart and soul and FMR has become her new home. TS Elliot said “Every moment is a new beginning”. With age, a quote that Désirée treasures.
Gavin Beck
Sales Consultant
Gavin started his working career in publishing sales and soon moved to media sales at a leading commercial media group. During his time there he successfully sold inventory for all media platforms and engaged with multiple clients from different industries. Gavin is a sporty person and enjoys most sports. His move to FMR has been seamless and enjoyable. “It is a privilege to be a brand ambassador of this unique station and I am looking forward to being of service to our clients.”
Ida Durie
Bookkeeper
Ida began her career as a teacher. She then owned, with her husband, two successful businesses and progressed into the arena of procurement and finances. She obtained her BA and HDE from Pretoria University and a diploma in Financial Management and Investments from UNISA. She started at FMR in October 2014 and also does financials for two churches. Happily married, Ida’s husband is a predikant and she plays the organ and piano at their church. She has three daughters and a grandson. She likes reading, music and animals.
Jean-Pierre Mohd
Production Engineer
Jean-Pierre (JP) Mohd graduated with a diploma in Sound Technology and Production from the Cape Audio College in 2022. After a short internship at Fine Music Radio he was invited to join the team on a permanent basis. JP believes in the vital role music plays in our lives, “Music doesn’t discriminate and can be thought of as a language that is universally understood, communicating feelings from joyfulness to sorrow. It is a great pleasure to work in an environment where we get to connect and bring people together every day through the wonder of music.”
Marné Joubert
Music Compiler
Radio is in Marné’s blood, so it was quite a natural evolution for her to end up in this industry. She earned her stripes, bumps and bruises at the SABC in the 1980s and 1990s, and then plunged into the private sector. After 11 years at Classic FM, and a few detours, she returned to FMR where she is now doing what she loves most, compiling music. Marné has played the piano since she was three, and her great loves include chocolates, dogs, cats and rainy days with a good book. Oh and listening to Fine Music Radio of course!
Mawande Lobi
Production Coordinator
What Mawande thought would be just a two-month job-shadowing internship at FMR turned out to be the first of many good things that happened in his life. Mawande moved from the Eastern Cape to complete his studies and planned on returning home when it was completed. In 2009 he was offered a full time position at FMR. His portfolio includes working over weekends, overseeing most pre-recorded shows, and recording captains of industries for the business show. He is proud of his contribution to the station’s growth. His philosophy is that, “working for FMR plus watching sport equals a good life”.
Mzukisi Maketa
Production Engineer
Mzukisi Maketa joined FMR as an intern in 2013. He now presents In the Mood and Sunday Scene. In 2022 he enrolled at the Cape Audio College to study Sound Engineering and he is now a sound engineer at FMR. After working at Musica for a number of years, Mzukisi quit to follow his childhood dream, which led him to Fine Music Radio. He is also a chairperson of the non-profit organisation, Inkwenkwezi Foundation. Mzukisi has a varied musical taste and delights in African, Asian and Italian cuisine and enjoys tending his small veggie garden and watching sport.
Otto van der Walt
Trainer and IT Specialist
Otto van der Walt presents the English and Afrikaans news, Matinee, Saturday Classic Breakfast, and The Choral Life. He has a passion for choirs and choir music. He believes music – and specifically choral/group singing – bridges all divides and brings people together. He also believes that South African choirs, with their rich diversity, do not get enough recognition in South Africa, even though outside of its borders, they are rated some of the world’s best. He continues to promote South African choirs globally. Otto contributes to the operations of the station using his years of experience in the IT sector.
Pamela Atkins
Reception and Administration
Pam loves listening to all sorts of music and what better way to experience this than to work at a radio station. “I’ve been at FMR for a long time, since 2001, and have learned lots about how things work behind the scenes.” Occasionally, Pam even gets opportunities to do a bit of work in one of the studios. Interacting with FMR’s listeners and guests is one of the reasons why she enjoys working at FMR. It’s so much fun and hardly ever a dull moment at FMR’s perfectly situated offices in the Marble Foyer of the Artscape Theatre Centre.
Saan Mahomed
Music Compiler
Saan presents Saturday Scene and The Blue Room Sessions on Thursdays from 9 to 11 pm. It was in the late 80’s, after moving to Johannesburg, that he showed an active interest in broadcasting. In 1988, Clive Smith, on then-Radio 5, asked Saan to produce his Saturday evening show. Thereafter, upon moving to Cape Town in 1995, Saan joined P4 Radio as a production manager – presenter in Cape Town and later in Durban until 2008, when he returned to Cape Town. In 2009 he became the late-night presenter of FMR’s A Jazz Odyssey. In 2015 he joined FMR full-time as Music Compiler.
Vanessa Levenstein
Copywriter and Opus Editor
Vanessa has a drama background and a Psychology and English degree from Unisa. She worked as a copywriter at e.tv (where she won a Promax Gold for radio) and at Primedia Broadcasting. She also freelanced extensively. No matter which radio station she worked for she (secretly) listened to FMR. Her father once told her that radio was the superior medium, and she wholeheartedly agrees. She also reviews for FMR’s Book Choice. Can this job get any better? Vanessa believes in the transformative power of music, books and art, and qualified as a community arts counsellor through Lefika La Phodiso.