Veteran broadcaster DJ Fresh has bid an emotional farewell to staff at Johannesburg community radio station 938 FM following his appointment as the new breakfast show host at Kaya 959.
Fresh, whose real name is Thato Sikwane, shared a heartfelt message with colleagues this week, confirming that he would be stepping away from the station he helped build after citing personal and financial reasons for his departure.
The move comes days after Kaya 959 announced that Fresh would replace Sizwe Dhlomo on its flagship weekday breakfast show following Dhlomo’s exit from the station. Fresh is expected to take over the coveted morning slot from July.
In his farewell message he sent to the team on their WhatsApp group, Fresh reflected on his time at 938 FM, saying the people he worked with were the highlight of his journey.
“I came here because I believed in a dream. And honestly, the best part of that dream was the people in this group and on 938 nje,” reads the message which Africa Daily has seen.
Fresh also said he was joining Kaya 959 for personal and financial reasons.
“I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from 938. The reasons are personal and financial and I won’t burden this group with the details,” he wrote.
The radio personality thanked his colleagues for their commitment and resilience, describing the experience as one of the most fulfilling chapters of his broadcasting career.
“Working with this team has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my career. Every single one of you showed up, gave your best and made magic under circumstances that were not always easy,” he said.
Fresh also reminisced about the everyday moments that made the station special, from pre-show banter and live broadcast chaos to post-show debriefs, voice notes and WhatsApp exchanges.
“I will miss the laughs before the show. The chaos during the show. The debriefs after. The voice notes. The WhatsApp stickers. All of it. That was real and I’ll carry it with me.”
He paid special tribute to the team behind the station’s breakfast show, assuring them that he would continue supporting them regardless of where their careers take them.
“To the team that built the breakfast show with me, thank you. And wherever each of you ends up next, know that you have someone in your corner.”
Fresh concluded his message by suggesting that his departure was not necessarily permanent.
“This isn’t goodbye forever. It’s just goodbye for now.”
His exit marks the end of an era at 938 FM and the beginning of a new chapter at Kaya 959, where he will once again wake up Gauteng listeners as host of one of the country’s most influential breakfast radio shows.