Mbombela’s legendary sports presenter lays the mic down

Veteran sports journalist Arthur ‘Shushu Baby’ Lukhele will close the final chapter of his 40-year broadcasting career.
Lukhele’s radio career started in 1982 at Ligwalagwala FM, formerly known as Radio Swazi, and he officially hung up the microphone on RISE fm on Wednesday.

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 2021.
RISE fm declared Wednesday Decemeber 15 as “Shushu Day”, dedicating the whole day to celebrating the radio legend through reflections of his career.

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This saw all the daytime shows featuring interviews with people he had 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 goodbye on their terms,” said Lance Claasen, RISE fm’s general manager.
Shushu Baby’s fans were afforded the opportunity to meet and interact with him at RISE fm’s studios at The Grove Shopping Centre in Mbombela any time during Wednesday.

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“We have also asked our listeners to come to the studio to try their hand at doing a 30-second sports bulletin in his style,” Claasen added.
If they cannot make it to the studio, they have been asked to record their best efforts on the myRISEfm app.

Shushu retires with a lifetime achievement accolade awarded by the Mpumalanga Department of Culture, Sports and Recreation in September.
Claasen went onto say, “Shushu has been both a legend on air 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.”