Miss Madume Moreetsi: News by day, beats by night

Being unemployed after completing your studies can be devastating, emotionally draining, and filled with uncertainty.

That was the reality for Bahedile Selogilwe after completing her marketing management studies in Bloemfontein in 2003.

Armed with a qualification but no job, she faced the harsh weight of unemployment head-on.

Growing up in Nogaspost village in Thaba Nchu in the Free State, Bahedile never imagined herself behind the microphone of a national radio station under the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). The spotlight wasn’t part of her childhood dream.

Everything changed with a single bus ride.

Selogilwe said her journey into radio began when she heard an advert for auditions at Mosupatsela FM, a community radio station in Botshabelo.

“One day, I was in a bus travelling to school when I heard an advert that a community radio station in Botshabelo is looking for presenters and newsreaders. It wasn’t something I was hoping for, but because of being unemployed, I just decided that I am attending newsreading auditions. I was just taking my chances because I was no longer able to handle being unemployed.”

What started as a desperate attempt to escape unemployment turned into a life-changing breakthrough.

Selogilwe says she was stunned when her name appeared on the final list of selected newsreaders.

“When I went for the auditions, I wasn’t expecting to be on the final list. “It just happened, and from that emotional moment, I just took the opportunity and went on to search for more opportunities,” said Selogilwe.

That unexpected victory lit a fire in her. In 2007, she joined the news team at Motsweding FM, where she continues to deliver the news with authority and grace.

Affectionately known as “Miss Madume Moreetsi”, Selogilwe has built a reputation as one of the country’s finest newsreaders, her powerful, polished voice keeping listeners glued to their radios at news time.

But her talent doesn’t end with headlines. Beyond the newsroom, Selogilwe is a sought-after music selector, spinning soul, R&B, and Afro-pop at events across the country. Just like her radio breakthrough, music was never part of the original plan.

“Just like radio, being a music selector was something far away from my mind. It was something I never dreamed of. I was actually recruited by a friend who is also a music selector. From the beginning, I doubted myself because it was something new and something that was not within my circle of what I wanted to become. But here I am, and also, just like radio, it is something that I enjoy doing.”

From commanding the newsroom to commanding dance floors, Selogilwe has shared stages with artists such as DJ Douglas Mosadi, Mzambiya, and Thibos Mokwele.

She has travelled extensively, especially across the North West province, building a loyal following wherever she performs.

And she’s not done yet; Selogilwe said her next goal was to take her voice and her music beyond South Africa.