“Radio is such a special space to work in. Sharing in people’s moments and helping them make memories through music, really motivates me to want to touch the lives and reach into homes across Bloemfontein and the OFM region. Most importantly, the kindness shown by others inspires me to also want to be better because showing kindness does not cost a thing.”
Moving from campus radio to commercial radio, Yolanda Maartens Brown shares the journey that brought her to radio in Bloemfontein, a city that she describes as the hidden gem many in South Africa don’t know about.
“I joined the campus radio station PUKfm at the North West University in my honours year. At first, I joined because I thought it would be a perfect past time because I enjoy talking, coupled with an interest in music. Then two years flew by and I learnt a lot about myself – I managed to find my voice through it.”
The perfect opportunity for her to switch stations presented itself in 2009 when she won OFM’s popular talent search competition, The Radio Voice, which afforded her the chance to broadcast from Potchefstroom over weekends for two years.
“In 2011, I moved to Bloemfontein to join Huistoe with Johrné van Huyssteen as his producer and traffic presenter. I basically did a bit of everything – read sport, traffic, and weather, attended festivals across the region, did traffic from the Eye in the Sky, and interviewed a variety of artists and celebrities from South Africa and around the world.”
After taking a break from radio in 2015, Yolanda returned on-air in 2020.
“For those 5 years, I worked as the regional manager at the Reach for a Dream Foundation, which truly changed my life. Working with children with life-threatening illnesses put a lot of things into perspective for me. In 2020, the timing for me to return to radio was right and although the world was on its head with the pandemic, this offered me the chance to settle back in behind the microphone and it is good to be back.”
Three years back in the industry, Yolanda has managed to meet a few milestones of her own that she treasures dearly. “I am super honoured to recently have been voted the Best Radio Personality and presenter of the Best Radio Show in the Bloemfontein Courant Best of Bloemfontein Readers’ Choice Awards. I don’t think I will stop celebrating soon.”
On a personal level, she has reached a few other big achievements and continues to celebrate them as she has grown accustom.
“Owning a house is something I truly cherish and don’t ever want to take for granted. Completing my master’s degree was also a moment I won’t ever forget, receiving it cum laude was the cherry on top. Also being selected as a Rotary Exchange Student out of many applicants in KZN was an honour – representing my country in every aspect of my life for an entire year, what a privilege.”
Radio may have brought her to Bloemfontein but it has been the people that have kept her here. “My husband, Charlie Brown, and I are both from Potchefstroom and we have two border collies that keep us on our toes, and a passion for the outdoors whether that involves off-roading in our little 4×4’s, fishing, going for a game drive or watching the sun set.”
This festive season, Yolanda has her house filled with a variety of sentimental Christmas decorations that she collected during her year in Berlin, Germany, as a Rotary Exchange Student.
“I enjoy surrounding myself with these items, lighting my special candles, and obviously having fruit cake as often as possible. My hubby plans to roast a gammon for the two of us as we can’t be with family this year and then we plan to eat gammon into the New Year, LOL,” she ends off.
Text: BONOLO MOLOI Photography: GYPSEENIA LION
