Four Incredible Local Podcasts To Check Out This International Podcast Day

Podcasts have revolutionised the way we consume information, tell stories, and engage with the world around us. In today’s society, they serve as a dynamic platform for diverse voices, ideas, and conversations.

With topics spanning from entertainment to education, politics to personal growth, podcasts have democratised knowledge and connected communities on a global scale.

International Podcast Day, which takes place globally on 30 September, is a celebration of the engaging and diverse world of podcasts. To celebrate, it’s the perfect opportunity to explore some of the most intriguing and informative South African podcasts across various genres.

F1: Track This

In Formula One anything can happen, and it usually does. As the new season officially kicks off, radio and TV personality and motorsport commentator Kriya Gangiah is joined weekly by South African racing experts Avon Middleton, Matthew Kanniah and Richard Nwamba to bring listeners the latest Formula One news, debates about the biggest topics and comprehensive analysis before and after each Grand Prix.

Each episode is a high-octane adventure, delving deep into the adrenaline-fueled world of Formula 1 racing. “Formula 1 is more than just a sport; it’s a lifestyle, a culture, and a passion. ‘F1: Track This’ is here to celebrate that passion and connect fans with the incredible world of Formula 1,” Kriya says of the podcast. “With ‘F1: Track This’, I wanted to create a place where people feel safe talking and interacting with Formula One. Getting into a sport can often be quite hard, especially when a sport which people feel passionate about. I want this podcast to be one that is easy for people to digest the information that they are taking in and not be too complicated or to intense to understand.”

‘F1: Track This’ has become a must-listen podcast for all Formula 1 aficionados, from seasoned racing veterans to newcomers looking to dive into the fast-paced action of the sport.

Listen to new episodes of ‘F1: Track This’ before and after every race on iono fm, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and anywhere else podcasts are consumed.

The Carol Ofori Podcast

Local television and radio personality Carol Ofori has made a career for herself thanks to her dynamic interview skills. “I started this podcast because I felt like I wanted to explore so many conversations that I can’t explore on my normal music radio format,” Carol shares about the idea behind this new podcast. “I feel like there are so many unanswered questions and so many questions that people google that I can answer on a platform like this.”

So, Carol teamed up with East Coast Radio to create a podcast where she speaks to seasoned professionals who are handpicked especially for their experience and insight or ordinary people who have interesting stories or lived experiences to share. The podcast was met with acclaim from listeners and peers and was nominated in the Best Podcast category at the 2023 DStv Content Creator Awards.

Listen to new episodes of ‘The Carol Ofori Podcast’ every Thursday on the East Coast Radio website, iono fm, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and anywhere else podcasts are consumed.

Thumb Stopper Podcast

Content creation become a lucrative industry around the world – and the South African landscape is growing exponentially. One branch of content creation that has exploded is podcasts, with Spotify reportedly recording over 500 million active users. Staying on trend, The DStv Content Creator Awards, in association with Samsung Galaxy, have just launched their new Thumb Stopper Podcast. Omar Morto, who has been involved with the awards since last year, hosts the show, and he digs deeper into the lives of the people, brands and agencies that create the content you can’t stop watching.

The podcast aims to give fans candid, intimate and behind-the-scenes access to some of their favourite content creators and influencers across South Africa. Conversations will include guests like Manuela Dias de Deus, founder and CEO of the awards; DStv Content Creator Awards winner, Lemii LoCo; rapper and TV presenter, Nomuzi ‘Moozlie’ Mabena; award nominee, Zethu Gqola; and talented creators Tadéus and Yuzriq Meyer. 

Omar is excited to host the podcast. “I’ve been a content creator for three years now, and with my time in the eco-system. I’ve learned that every creator approaches what they do in very different ways because none of us are the same. I get to sit down with amazing people from all walks of life; those whom you know from your timelines, and most importantly, those who are beginning to pop up.”

The Thumb Stopper Podcast, presented by DStv Content Creator Awards, in association with Samsung Galaxy, is available to stream exclusively on Spotify Podcasts for now, with new episodes dropping on Thursdays.

Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp’s Baby Brunch

Need support as a parent? It takes a village to raise a child, and having empowering conversations where moms, dads, and parents-to-be can unpack certain topics around children has proven to be extremely helpful. For Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp, creating a safe and educational space for parents to ask questions and get advice from professionals was the core reason she created the popular Baby Brunch podcast. After welcoming her first daughter into the world in 2015, the beloved Jacaranda FM presenter discovered a need for support from other moms and experts on parenting, and eight years later, her podcast remains one of South Africa’s most popular parenting podcasts.

“Children are my passion and it’s wonderful to know that we are helping so many parents with the Baby Brunch podcast,” Elana says. “What started out as a community for new moms has grown into a network for parents of babies, toddlers and teens. Dads and dads, moms and moms, black and white, all are part of the Parent + Baby Brunch community!”

Catch new episodes of Elana Afrika’s Baby Brunch podcast every second Tuesday on Jacpod, Jacaranda FM’s podcast hub.