HOT 102.7FM wins Station of the Year at the 2025 Telkom Radio Awards

HOT 102.7FM showed its muscle at the 2025 Telkom Radio Awards. Held at the Sandton Convention Centre on Saturday, 6 December, the Awards honoured South Africa’s leading radio talent - and the station reaffirmed its position as the growing force in the industry with a standout win in the hotly contended and highly prized ‘Commercial Station of the Year’ category.

Winning the much-coveted accolade reflects the station’s continued growth and  expanding influence, synonymous with their commitment to delivering high-impact, high-quality content.

“At HOT 102.7FM we’re driven by our audience,” says Lloyd Madurai, Managing Director of HOT 102.7FM. “This award is for all our listeners. By tuning in they have turned the station into a powerful voice, one that is growing every day and making an increasingly meaningful impact across music, news, sport and entertainment, for our listeners, advertisers and commercial partners alike.”

The evening also saw two HOT 102.7FM presenters - Rob Vega and Steve Bishop - inducted into the Hall of Fame, recognising their decades-long contribution to South African radio.

Adding to the station’s momentum, Tara Penny secured a win in the ‘News Bulletin Reader’ category, highlighting the station’s strength in authoritative, trusted news delivery. The night also included an emotional moment as Darren Scott was honoured posthumously with the top ‘Afternoon Drive Presenter’ award, reflecting the enduring impact he made on audiences and colleagues alike.

“These awards celebrate creativity, connection and the relentless hard work our team brings to every broadcast,” says Madurai. “Being recognised at this level shows that HOT 102.7FM continues to resonate with audiences, and that our growth story is only getting stronger.”

The station has always prided itself on giving back. One of the ways it does so is by nurturing the next generation of talent. “HOT 102.7FM offers a free radio academy and it was very rewarding to see some of our students nominated and winning at the Telkom Radio Awards,” says Madurai. 

The 2025 Telkom Radio Awards mark the 15th edition of South Africa’s premier celebration of radio excellence, spotlighting talent across Campus, Community, Public Broadcast, Commercial, Podcast and Internet radio.

For HOT 102.7FM, the night’s wins underscore a superb year. The station has notched up multiple accolades including the ‘Best of Joburg’, ‘Best of Ekurhuleni’ and ‘Best of Pretoria’ awards. It also – through the generosity of listeners – raised R31.5 million in cash, kind and services at its recent Teddython fundraiser allowing it to continue the life-changing work it does through various HOT Cares initiatives during the course of the year.

As 2025 draws to a close, all signs point to a radio station in its ascendency with rising audience numbers and continued investment in content that entertains, informs and inspires Johannesburg and beyond.