Gagasi FM The Big Two-Oh: Two Decades Strong

Iconic milestones are not only a chance to celebrate but also an opportunity to reflect on growth, influence and impact. 2026 is such a milestone for Gagasi FM as they celebrate twenty years of being the Sound of KZN.

Start-Up Mode

Alex Mthiyane, HOD: Audience Experience Hub, has been with Gagasi FM since its inception in 2006 and describes the early days as pure start-up energy, fuelled by belief rather than resources. He recalls that before going live, the station ran for two weeks playing music only, building anticipation before officially launching on 13 March 2006.

Mthiyane presented the first live morning show, opening with Sweetie, My Baby, a track that went on to become part of Gagasi FM’s early soundtrack. The operational realities were modest. The newsroom, presenters and producers shared a single desktop computer, yet news bulletins were delivered every hour from 6am to 6pm. What the station lacked in equipment, it made up for in spirit, pride and collective commitment.

In its earliest phase, Gagasi FM’s broadcast reach was limited, covering Durban and surrounding areas through a single transmitter. Students and listeners returning to smaller towns across KZN often complained about losing the signal, a challenge that reinforced the appetite for a station that truly reflected their lives. Over time, those limitations were overcome, but the start-up mindset, resourcefulness and hunger to serve the audience became part of the station’s DNA.

A Station that Belongs to Its People

Minenhle Dlamini, Managing Director of Gagasi FM, says the station transitioned at a time when no one was paying attention to regional youth audiences. The birth of Gagasi FM filled that void and became a brand that embraced code-switching, cultural fluidity and modern KZN identity. Gagasi FM is a space where listeners can be their full, authentic selves.

This deep rootedness has been central to the station’s success. Mimi Kesaris, HOD: Consumer Insights and Technology, says from its inception the brand was built by KZN talent, speaking to KZN people, about KZN life. It is why the audience celebrates Gagasi FM with unmatched loyalty. It is why activations fill up, why Beach Fest sells out and why listeners say the station makes them feel seen and gives audiences a sense of belonging.

Understanding the Audience

Gagasi has always been structured around a “people first” philosophy which as a strategic foundation has shaped two decades of growth. Kesaris says putting the audience at the core of everything Gagasi FM does has delivered a powerful, measurable result with remarkable audience consistency.

The station’s average listener age has remained 31 for nearly twenty years, signalling continuous renewal and youth relevance in a media landscape where ageing audiences are common. The modern Gagasi FM listener is digitally savvy, mobile, interactive and engaged across audio, visual and social platforms.

Rene Schutte, CEO of the Gagasi Heart Media Group, adds that the energy, ambition and sense of identity in the audience is strong. She describes them as deeply rooted in KZN culture, yet confidently future-focused, shaping what is next in music, business, fashion and lifestyle. The Gagasi FM listener is active, responsive and participatory, making them influential not only in size, but in how they move markets and shape trends.

Gagasi FM understands what this audience values most because they ask. It is not accidental. It is curated, monitored, researched and refined. The station is always trying to understand the “glocalist”, a young KZN adult who is proudly local while actively plugged into global culture.

Mthiyane explains that human-interest stories from smaller towns across KZN often outperform national news in engagement, particularly on digital platforms. This has reinforced the station’s commitment to telling stories about people who sound like, live like and think like its audience.

Gagasi FM The Big Two-Oh: Two Decades Strong

Dlamini adds that the audience is upwardly mobile, ambitious, resilient and they  constantly looking to improve themselves,. They do not sit around and wait for handouts. They are a generation of entrepreneurs, thinkers and doers.

A Commercial Powerhouse

Gagasi FM’s growth story is one of the most compelling in South African radio. The station reached one million listeners within its first year.

Kesaris remarks that even as the media landscape has become increasingly fragmented, Gagasi FM has remained in the top ten stations nationally in cumulative audience reach.

Its digital footprint is equally impressive. It has more than 1,3 million Facebook followers, one of the largest digital communities for a regional station, and more than 200 000 mobile app downloads with a strong adoption of on-demand audio. A fast-growing TikTok presence fuelled by authentic, real-life storytelling from KZN creators ensures the brand is where the audience is.

Experiential impact has been just as significant. The Annual Gagasi FM Beach Fest now attracts 12 000 people and has become one of the province’s most iconic music events, and a platform that merges brand visibility with deep cultural resonance.

This combination of broadcast influence, digital reach and experiential scale, positions Gagasi as a unique marketing partner with a hyper-local identity and national impact.

Authentic Connections

Twenty years of success does not happen without people who live the brand and carry the station. Behind the scenes the station is supported by a powerhouse team that looks after the operational elements of the business. This includes the commercial team, technical support, digital creators and content innovators. Young presenters continue to push the brand forward, reflecting a culture where talent is nurtured and platforms for growth are constantly being expanded.

Why Advertisers Choose Gagasi FM

The commercial conversation is clear.

Advertisers who understand the audience and speak to their needs are winning. They are hustlers, entrepreneurs, dreamers, professionals and culture-setters. And Gagasi FM has become the most powerful channel to reach them authentically, where they live and do business.

Schutte says in a province like KZN, trust is built locally and that listeners do not simply consume content, they form relationships with voices, stories and brands that consistently show up in their world. Regional media works because it delivers relevance at scale.

Brands that partner with Gagasi FM benefit from decades of authentic market insight powered by internal research and time on the ground. With radio and digital being the perfect amplifier, cross platform integration as well as personalities who truly move audiences are a non-negotiable for clients, and Gagasi FM delivers. The station’s ability to zoom in on localised messaging is complemented by its ability to convert feet on the ground at activations.

As Dlamini notes, malls, major retailers and national brands have already recognised this economic power and Gagasi FM is there to add their voice. For advertisers, celebrating twenty years of Gagasi FM is not just acknowledging a milestone. It is recognising a partner with unmatched insight into one of South Africa’s most powerful and resilient consumer groups.

What’s Next?

As the station enters its twentieth year, its ambition is clear, continue to expand beyond radio while doubling down on community.

What does this look like?

With people being a central theme to their success, it is no surprise that creating more pathways for young KZN talent to grow within the Gagasi FM ecosystem is key. From musicians, DJs, creators and creatives, talent incubation has a home in KZN. With more talent comes more content and audiences and advertisers can expect more digital engagement and on-demand audio.

Gagasi FM’s Big Two-Oh is about a journey of cultural relevance, commercial strength and emotional connection. Gagasi FM has created a home for an influential, aspirational and proudly Zulu audience. It has shaped careers, ignited genres, built communities and driven the township and regional economy.

Twenty years in, Gagasi FM continues to grow, continues to lead and continues to belong to KZN, to its people and to the brands that choose to grow with it.