By Adam Wakefield

“There was something magical about how radio presenters could be part of the family. The reality of having someone in your space that you've never met or seen but having the feeling of knowing who they are was the attraction,” Bolani says. “I loved radio - sometimes, I still do. But my start at East Coast Radio happened to be by chance. I stumbled across an advertisement for an intern. I applied and got the job.”

Bolani went from being an intern to a journalist, but her first paid job was as a service centre operator for Edgars. A student at the time, Bolani says that while retail is different from the world of journalism, it offered a foundation to hone skills she relies on as a radio journalist. 

“Working in retail taught me the social skills needed to survive working environments. Dealing with customers teaches how to be patient, considerate and understanding,” Bolani says. “It taught me how to solve problems that had nothing to do with me. I learnt how to deal with different personalities. All those lessons were critical for my survival in the newsroom and in the field.”

The SABC is the largest broadcaster in South Africa, reaching millions of people over different platforms, including 18 radio stations countrywide every day. It was the SABC who offered Bolani the chance to move up to Johannesburg to further her news career.

“I moved up to Johannesburg to grow and to be able to tell stories that changed people lives. Sadly, in Durban, most radio stations do not focus on news or current affairs. Most of the stations are commercial and their format doesn't allow for detailed reports,” she says. 

“The SABC gives you that opportunity to produce detailed features that will have a wide reach. The SABC is a big organisation. News alone reaches 23 million listeners. That's almost the entire bulk of market share. Lately, it seems radio is such an undermined medium by those who celebrate the advances of digital innovation but the reality of our country is that radio is the most accessible to the majority. That fact alone excites me.”

Bolani reports in both Zulu and English. She says SABC encourages its journalists to work in two languages to allow for stories to reach a wider audience, with African language radio stations such as Ukhozi FM having the largest audience in South Africa.

“Delivering stories in your own voice and own home language creates a stronger relationship with the public. Being bilingual is advantageous in the fact that potential subjects may know your name and offer stories,” Bolani explains. “In addition, sometimes subjects are only comfortable speaking an African language and if as a journalist you can only speak English, this might cost you your story. Having someone translate for you may also be a disadvantage as context and meaning can be lost in translation.”

Bolani understands this problem, as she can’t speak non-Nguni languages such as Xitsonga or Setswana. She is always thinking about whether the message being relayed to her is the correct one. 

“Reporting in two languages also adds more pressure. Covering the Oscar Pistorius trial, I was filing for news bulletins in English. However, I also had at least seven live interviews with the African language stations for their lunchtime current affairs,” she says.

“That experience revealed that more journalists should be trained or encouraged to work in two languages.”

Five years from now, Bolani hopes to be a mother with it being “family that keeps you grounded and sane” and have two books published, with one being an in-depth feature on one of the stories she’s covered. 

“I also hope my travel blog will be a household name by then - if the rand allows. Forex is killing my travel dreams,” Bolani says tongue-in-cheek. 

For more information, you can connect with Bolani on Twitter.