Hard work paves the way for local DJ

Bafana Dludla, known as ‘DJ Fistos the Master Blaster’ to his listeners, was born and raised in Thembisa.

He started his career as a pantsula dancer with the group Via Tembisa Pantsulas in the early 1990s. He said it was during this time that he fell in love with music.

“Back in the day, there was this music show on TV called Lapologa, which featured dancers, and by God’s grace, I got a chance to perform on the show with Via Tembisa Pantsulas, marking my first appearance on TV,” he said.

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From that day on, he knew he wanted to be in the entertainment industry.

As time went by, fantastic things began happening for Dludla.

He was featured in music videos with the likes of Black Moses from the Soul Brothers, Killer Dog, and the Ipi Tombi musical movie alongside Henry Cele, who played the main character of Shaka Zulu in the 1980s series.

DJ Fistos also acted in the SABC educational drama series Kenako, marking his groundbreaking move as an actor.
In 2002, he switched from the screens to DJing, using cassettes and later upgrading to playing vinyls.

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He made a name for himself in the township with hard work and determination.

Through his hard work, Dludla found himself booked every weekend.

He soon developed a passion for radio and landed his first job as a radio presenter and DJ at The Voice of Tembisa community radio station, a position he held from 2008 to 2020.

During this time, he hosted various shows, including the breakfast show, the afternoon drive, the midday shows and weekend shows.

Dludla currently works for Alex FM, which he joined in 2023, and hosts the classic house party on Saturday nights from 21:00 to 24:00.

He is also a brand ambassador for Jabu Atchar.

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Dludla said his journey was not an easy one.

“I managed to find a space for myself, but this industry has much jealousy. I had to build my brand to be strong, and managed to do that.

“Through my hard work, I got the recognition I deserved. That built a great personality in me – to work hard and push.

“I have learnt to give others a platform to build their career, as well as advice and motivation.

To support our youth, we must educate them about the industry and provide them with the support they need. Help them with the resources if possible so they can help elevate their careers.

“My plans for the remaining months of the calendar are to take my radio show to the highest level and for the listeners to win prizes on my show.

“I wish to continue giving the upcoming DJs a platform on my show on Alex FM and also do the talent search shows around the township to give back to the community. I will also work hard to push myself to get to the mainstream radio stations,” said Dludla.