BONNIE DINTWA

RADIO PRESENTER

IN THREE WORDS, I AM...

Honest, trustworthy and a sex symbol

IF I’M FRIGHTENED OF ANYTHING, IT’S...

Failure.

IF I COULD TRAVEL BACK IN TIME I’D SET THE DIALS FOR...

June 16, 1995 for personal reasons.

MY FAVOURITE PERSON IN THE UNIVERSE IS...

Jesus Christ.

MY LEAST FAVOURITE PERSON IN THE UNIVERSE IS...

Haters.

THE LAST TIME I LOOKED IN THE MIRROR I THOUGHT...

I’m fat and I need to do lose weight A.S.A.P.

IF I HAD TO LEAVE A BODY PART TO SCIENCE, IT WOULD BE...

My mouth; it’s the only mouth in the country that says something worth listening.

MY DEFINITION OF LOVE IS...

Honesty, respect and unbridled passion.


THE LAST TIME I VOMITED, IT WAS BECAUSE OF...

When I looked at my bank balance. Ha-ha!



THE GREATEST LESSON LIFE HAS TAUGHT ME IS...

You’re better than you think you are.

IF I KNEW THE WORLD WAS ENDING TOMORROW, THEN TODAY I’D...

I’d live. Everyday is actually the last day.

THE SONG I WANT PLAYED AT MY FUNERAL IS...

Human Nature by Michael Jackson; it’s my favourite song in the entire world.

I WANT MY TOMBSTONE TO READ...

Here lies Bonnie; he loved life and he probably loves death.

IN PURELY MONETARY TERMS, I AM WORTH ROUGHLY...

P26.5 million for the sheer number of phrases I’ve coined in my nine years of radio which mother*&%$#^ keep stealing from me.


NEED-TO-KNOW

1). Born and bred in the mining town of Selibe-Phikwe on March 5 1979, Bonnie Dintwa is a no-nonsense, gifted and eloquent communicator whose voice has been booming across the local FM (Frequency Modulation) spectrum for the past nine years. He first cut his teeth in radio at the government-owned commercial broadcaster; RB2, after giving the then station manager, Mma Gasennelwe a copy of his audition CD. 
"This woman is the best station manager I’ve ever had. She was impressed with my talent and I was hired straight away.” A couple of months whilst on RB2, an opening to try his hand at TV presenting surfaced at BTV where the chubby young man made unexpected visits into our lounges co-hosting the Friday music magazine programme dubbed ‘Flavour Dome’ together with the now Studio 53 presenter, Sithandwa Mmopi. After a year hosting the popular TV show, Bonnie resigned his post and focused his energy on radio; a thing which catapulted him into stardom.
He moved to the private side, and in the last few years he has worked for Yarona FM and Duma FM.

2). Quizzed whether he fancied ever making a come-back to TV, the all-star radio presenter with an ego the size of an elephant said, “I’m 30-years-old and if I ever want to return to TV, it will have to be under the right circumstances. I would want to have a right producer and programmer and ultimately the right pay cheque.’”
He believes that everything at BTV, besides Sedibeng, is crap. “I also believe Sedibeng can even be made into a better programme.”
Careful not to sound as if he was blowing his own trumpet, Bonnie noted that there was nothing in respect to radio that he cannot do. “I remember when I first joined Yarona FM to get into Robin Chivazve’s overinflated boots, many doubting Thomases said I would not last a week but I proved them wrong. The same thing happened when I took over from the legend; Otis Fraser at RB2. I’m happy that I kicked some a@# and proved my hecklers wrong. All these scenarios were a great experience for me.”

3). Asked to explain his controversial move to Duma FM from Yarona FM last year, Bonnie said he joined his current employer because he had matured more than the youth-oriented radio station. “I took a break from radio for two months and went on vacation with my girlfriend. I wanted to clear my head and come back as a newer person thirsty to learn again. I had reached a point of maturity and that’s one of the primary reasons why I left Yarona FM.”
Bonnie took a scornful swipe at some of his colleagues stating that most of the local presenters think radio is primarily about them. 
”Our presenters need to learn one thing; radio isn’t about them. It’s about the listener. I’m afraid there is a certain group of people who in their own little confused world think radio is all about them. This is bull&^%. You don’t broadcast for yourself. Everything you do should all be about the listener.:
Is there was any beef (hatred) between local presenters? Yes, says Bonnie, adding that the beef is so thick it can be cut with a large steak knife.
 “Radio stations don’t have a problem with each other but presenters working for these mediums go about hating each other. Why, it beats me. I always say we have to be a community and love each other. We can’t afford to beef.”

4). On his greatest highlights as an entertainer, Bonnie mentioned his days when he co-hosted BTV’s Flavour Dome with Sithandwa Mmopi and another great moment when the two shared the stage co-Mciing Miss Botswana.
 He spoke highly of DJ O’Neal (Zibanani Madumo) whom he considers a friend and a brother adding that the great thing about their union is that the two want the same things in life. 
”We have the same focus. He’s like a brother to me.”
On a lighter note, Bonnie enjoys a stir-fry dish cooked by his lovely girlfriend and spinach-wrapped chicken courtesy of her mom. He’s currently reading a book titled Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.
 His message to Batswana is listed on point form: a). Why is Shaggy here? b). Why do we live in a country where we’re so self-destructive that government has to take such drastic measures to save us from ourselves? c). Can employers please pay their employees what they’re worth; starting with Rudeboy Necta?