03 Sep 2026

 The voice that once woke up the nation every morning on Radio Botswana belongs to this quiet village. Veteran broadcaster Mr Phillip Moshotle, popularly known as “Mokgankgara”, was born and raised in Kubung ward, Matsiloje.  

Three Fridays back on August 14, Radio Botswana took to the airwaves in Matsiloje in celebration of the radio station’s 60th anniversary and as part of preparations for this year Independence Day celebrations, and for a few hours the village felt like the centre of the nation’s living room.

For decades Batswana tuned to their beloved radio station, which they christened RB1, just to hear “Mokgankgara”. With a deep, warm and commanding voice, he had a way of making listeners feel he was speaking directly to them in their homes. He mixed news, greetings and music with humour and authority, and many grew to love RB1 because of him.  

“He made radio feel like family,” said one elder who attended the broadcast. “When Mokgankgara spoke, you listened. He gave RB a soul.”

For the Matsiloje live broadcast, villagers gathered in numbers to witness the rare occasion. RB1 presenters engaged the community on culture, history and national pride ahead of the upcoming independence celebrations. Presenters of the day, Ms Georginah Selome and Ms Kgalalelo Osenkeng brought Mokgankgara back to life by playing some of his most loved songs, including those from the Mbaqanga genre.

The duo also played the liberation song Take Cover, a track the late Mokgankgara would often use during good moods; a reminder of the Zimbabwean liberation struggle.

He was also known for his signature gospel song Ke moeti ke le tseleng, a song that speaks to the momentary nature of life. 

The villagers could not have enough of the two presenters’ work. Their skill behind the microphone did not only evoke joy, it reminded the locals of their own son in his prime.

His younger brother, Mr Thebe Moshotle, vividly remembers the day Mokgankgara first came live on Radio Botswana on Christmas Day with his overnight programme, Rakoto le a kgwetlha. 

That night, many villagers were surprised to hear the voice of a man who had left home to work as a messenger at Radio Botswana. 

“They wondered how he had switched poles,” Mr Moshotle said.

That one night on air was the beginning of Mokgankgara’s heart-to-heart relationship with the listenership of Radio Botswana. He became the nation’ source of joy, cementing himself as one of the best presenters the radio station ever had. 

According to Mr Moshotle, the late Mokgankgara, who died in 1995 at the age of 49, brought joy not only to the family, but to Matsiloje and Botswana as a whole.

At home he was a simple man who liked spending nights with friends, and perhaps that is why the overnight slot suited him so well. Surprisingly, Mokgankgara had been a quiet boy in his early years, and today the family still wonders where he got the skill to attract and enchant listeners and repeatedly have them eating out of the palm of his hand.  

The late Mokgankgara’s path to the microphone was not ordinary. He finished Form 3 at Mater Spei College and started at Radio Botswana as a messenger. He left Matsiloje as a messenger and returned as a brand. He left as a quiet boy and became the voice that taught a nation how to listen. 

And even in death, Phillip “Mokgankgara” Moshotle is still doing what he did best, gathering people, making them feel at home, and reminding Botswana that greatness can rise from the smallest ward in a village and then echo for generations.

The fanfare around this year’s Independence Day celebration is by no means confined to just Radio Botswana and the country itself. Countless Batswana are also celebrating their 60th birthdays, and the pleasure of them marching in unison with the country and its oldest radio station is indescribable. 

Mr Tshireletso Monyere is one such citizen.   

As Radio Botswana clocks 60 years on air and Botswana celebrates 60 years as an independent state, the Maun resident also counts his blessings of 60 years of existence.

He is not only grateful for his life, but is appreciative of the journey both Radio Botswana and the country have been through; a journey marked by great strides in growth and development.  

To Mr Monyere, him and Radio Botswana reaching six-decade mark is testament to their lifelong companionship. He appreciates the station for keeping Batswana abreast with current affairs, and often reminding them of how far they have come as a nation by keeping the nation’s history alive through its programmes.

Seasoned presenters whom the station has produced over time such the late Mr Moshotle, Messrs Michael Kaote and Mogatusi Kwapa grew to become household names and Mr Monyere particularly credits them for having constantly strived to bring history to life for a new generation of listeners. 

Mr Monyere deeply enjoys “Dipina le Maboko,” a programme that renowned presenter, Mr Kwapa presented with great flair.

Featuring indigenous folk songs and spoken word poetry from various communities across the country, he feels the programme helps communities to understand their place in the world and appreciate the diversity of the people who make up the rich tapestry of the nation.

“As the radio station commemorates this significant milestone, it is not only celebrating six decades of broadcasting but also reaffirms its commitment to preserving and honouring its rich legacy,” he said.

He wishes for Radio Botswana to continue with its rich broadcasting legacy of connecting communities, sharing local stories, playing good music and becoming an archive of local history. ENDS