Well-known radio personality and beauty queen Manani Botes has announced her departure from Jacaranda FM, closing a memorable chapter with the Midrand-based commercial station.

Botes famously broke into the commercial radio space after winning the highly contested Jacaranda FM Limpopo Presenter Search campaign.

Her warm demeanor, rich cultural diversity, and natural storytelling ability quickly endeared her to regional audiences.

During her tenure at the station, she was a vital anchor of the station’s regional daytime programming, co-hosting the weekday midday slot between 12:00 and 16:00 alongside industry legend Barney Simon and Sascha van Gelder.

While Simon and Van Gelder kept listeners entertained across Mpumalanga, Botes drove the broadcast for the Limpopo region, navigating local news, community events, and listener engagement.

Beyond her success behind the microphone, Botes has made significant waves on the South African pageant circuit.

She was crowned Mrs Limpopo Province 2024 and successfully advanced to the semi-finals of the prestigious Mrs South Africa 2025 competition.

Reflecting on her entry into radio, Botes previously shared how surreal the journey had been, describing her presenter search victory as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” that proved her dreams were valid.

Jacaranda FM has not yet named a permanent successor for the Limpopo regional slot, and Botes is yet to reveal the next step in her evolving career.

Listener response to the announcement highlights the deep connection she forged with the station’s regional footprint during her time on air.

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