Described by those who know him as passionate, driven, ambitious, bold and audacious, Bloemfonteiner Smash Afrika could have been a cricketer (he got his moniker “Smash” from his cricketing days) or a bookkeeper (I shit you not) but instead it was radio that drew him in.
I met this vivacious loud mouth while working at Kovsie FM, a radio station housed at the University of the Free State’s Bloemfontein campus, and even then there was always something that stood out about him. Whether it was his bright green skinny jeans, alligator like haircut (don’t ask) or his loud “I’m Afrika Smash” exclamations…the guy knew how to grab your attention and as annoying as he was you just couldn’t help but be sold.
A former bookkeeping student Smash Afrika, as he is know known, it didn’t take him long to swiftly move up the ranks at Kovsie FM eventually hosting the weekend drive show with yours truly…let me tell you our show “Unrestricted Weekend Radio” was F.I.R.E. Nonetheless, bitten by the radio bug, he literally packed his shit and moved to the city of Gold. While working in retail he hosted shows at Voice of Wits (VOW FM) before an opportunity to cohost alongside Tholi B on YFM arose and I guess, as the old cliché would have it…the rest is history.
Today, Smash Africa is the fireball that kickstarts your weekday mornings on YFM’s Smash and Grab (06:00 – 09:00). He’s loud. He’s full of life. He speaks his mind. He’s unapologetic. He’s all about good food and “stupid awesome” vibes. His name is “Smash” Afrika Kaya Similo Mdutyulwa and he’s my Man Crush Monday.
Facebook: Smash Afrika
Twitter: @SmashAfrika
Instagram: @SmashAfrika