Radio legend Shushu Baby puts down his mic

After a broadcasting career spanning 40 years, veteran sports reporter Arthur “Shushu Baby’’ Lukhele will retire on Wednesday with his last show on RISE FM.

Lukhele’s radio career started in 1982 at Ligwalagwala FM, formerly known as Radio Swazi. He joined Mpumalanga’s commercial radio station as a sports presenter on the afternoon drive show in 2018. In addition, he co-hosted the RISE FM sports show every Friday, until December last year.

Station manager Lance Claasen said RISE FM has declared December 14 as “Shushu Day,’’ dedicating the whole day to celebrating the radio legend through reflections of his career span.

“This will see all the day time shows featuring interviews with people he has worked with over the past four decades. Retiring on air is a rare occasion in broadcasting. In my entire career, this is my first retirement of an on-air personality. The brutal efficiency of broadcasting, often limits veterans to say good bye on their terms” said Classen.

Shushu Baby’s fans will also be afforded the opportunity to meet and interact with him at RISE FM’s studios at the Grove Shopping Centre in Mbombela any time during the day.

“We have also asked our listeners to come to the studio to try their hand at doing a 30 seconds sports bulletin in his style. If they cannot make it into the studio, they have been asked to record their best efforts on the MyRISE fm app,’’ said Claasen.

Shushu retires with a lifetime achievement accolade awarded by the Mpumalanga department of culture, sports and recreation in September.

Claasen said “Shushu’’ has been both a legend on and off air.

“He is kind, unassuming and more than ready to help the younger journalists. It has been a privilege to have him at the station and we wish him well in his well-deserved retirement.”

kokam@sowetan.co.za