MPUMI MLAMBO CHATS TO US ABOUT RADIO, FAMILY & THE FUTURE
This is the story of a message coming full circle. Of a young, working class girl from the Vaal, listening to the nation’s biggest radio station then growing up to become one of its stars.
Today, Mpumi Mlambo hosts Metro FM’s The Hustler Fix and it is her grounding in the basics of family and community life with which she’s built a huge audience appeal.
We caught up with her at her mother’s home. It was her mother, Margaret Mlambo, who saw to it that her older daughter graduated and that Mpumi followed the example.
“I started noticing her ambitions when she was at Zonkizizwe primary school, she was always an active child, always doing something like acting or entering beauty contests,” explains her mother.
Mpumi owes many of her star qualities to her mom, who raised her to be an independent woman. Seeing her mother’s dedication to her work truly inspired Mpumi to work hard in her life and she believes that she wouldn’t be who she is today if it wasn’t for her mother.
She also owes it to her family for lighting the entertainment spark in her as she would often come home to her father listening to the radio in their kitchen. Unfortunately, Mpumi lost her family while in her final year of high school.
While visiting her community, we also stopped by Zonkizizwe primary school, where it all began. During her time at the school, Mpumi was involved in numerous sports and extramural activities.
True to her father’s final wishes that she go to varsity and follow her dreams, her DJ journey began on campus radio, graduated to a commercial station then one the biggest in the country, Metro FM. But what does it take to make the best radion?
“Although I’ve been in radio for nine years, I learn so much each and every day and most importantly, learn what you listeners want.”
And what can we expect from Mpumi in the future? She plans on tapping into the music industry and she’s coming back on TV. Stay tuned for more.
