Tune into Sasha Martinengo's 5000th show

Sasha Martinengo

He is a man of many firsts: he was the first DJ in South Africa with a personal website and the first DJ to have an on-air email account for listeners to interact with during his shows [I recall him on IRC (Internet relay chat/channel) during the mid-1990s, too, so he's been making use of social media for a long time - managing ed].

"I've been in radio for 17 years. This is something I'm very proud of and it's still something I look forward to every day." Asked about his secret to his endearing success, he says, "I'm a normal person. I try to stay humble and approachable. You do not have to be controversial. You have to care about the people you're speaking to."

"Because he absolutely loves it"

"Nobody knows radio quite like Sasha. What you may not realise is that he does it because he absolutely loves it. He lives radio. He still preps his shows meticulously. He's here two hours before we start," adds Kim Schulze, contributor and newsreader on his show.

To mark the milestone, his latest CD, Sasha Martinengo vs DJ Decks, a three-disc album will be on shelves later this month.

"I'll be touring around the country until Christmas," he adds.

In addition, 5FM and Sasha are throwing a bash at Manhattans in Jozi on November 4 where fans can meet him and hit the dance floor to his sets and some of his DJ mates. 5FM has a surprise planned for the event that even he isn't aware of.