Broadcast journalist and presenter Aldrin Sampear is making his return to radio, nearly three years after stepping away from the medium that helped establish his name in South African broadcasting.
Sampear announced his comeback with an enthusiastic social media post, revealing that he will be joining SAfm as the co-host of The Full Circle alongside Bridget Masinga.
“After a nearly three-year hiatus, I’m pleased to announce that I’m back behind the mic. Radio. My first love,” Sampear said.
He added: “I’ll be co-hosting The Full Circle with Bridget Masinga on SAfmRadio as we celebrate 90 years of SAfm. See you on the radio.”
The return marks an important homecoming for Sampear, who has built a career across radio, television and current affairs journalism.
From community radio to national broadcasting
Sampear’s broadcasting career began in community radio, with his voice first heard on Kasie FM in 2008. He subsequently worked at Jozi FM, YFM and 702 before moving into more prominent national broadcasting roles.
His career developed particularly strongly in news and political journalism. In 2012, he joined Jacaranda FM, where he expanded his experience in political and in-depth reporting. He later became one of the journalists who helped shape the news operation at Power FM.
Sampear moved to the SABC in 2014 as a senior political journalist before joining eNCA in 2017, where he presented Polit Bureau. His work has included covering major national stories and interviewing some of the country’s most prominent political figures.
His return to radio is therefore not simply a return to broadcasting, but a return to a medium that has been central to his career from the beginning.
His SAfm chapter
Sampear previously joined SAfm in 2021 as the host of Beyond The Headline, the station’s afternoon current-affairs programme.
During his time at the station, he became familiar to listeners for his interviews and conversations with newsmakers, politicians and other influential voices. SAfm described him as an experienced broadcaster who brought a warm sound to afternoon talk radio.
He left the station in 2024 to pursue other opportunities, thanking management, colleagues, listeners and guests for contributing to his growth as a journalist and broadcaster.
His career later took him to Newzroom Afrika, where he was one of the anchors of AM Report. In 2025, he announced his departure from the channel and said he would be taking a break from broadcasting. He subsequently joined the Department of Tourism.
Back alongside Bridget Masinga
Sampear will now reunite with SAfm and join Masinga on The Full Circle.
Masinga is an established broadcaster who has been part of SAfm’s programming for several years. The station previously described The Full Circle as a lifestyle and current-affairs-driven programme, with Masinga moving into the weekday slot as part of its programming line-up.
The combination brings together two experienced broadcasters with strong backgrounds in news, current affairs, interviews and talk radio.
For Sampear, however, the significance appears to go beyond simply taking up another broadcasting position. His announcement makes clear that radio remains particularly close to his heart.
“Radio. My first love,” he wrote.
SAfm celebrates 90 years
Sampear’s return comes as SAfm celebrates its 90th anniversary, adding another layer of significance to his comeback.
SAfm traces its history to the SABC’s earliest radio broadcasting operations and has been known by its current name since 1995. The station describes itself as the SABC’s national talk radio station, with programming centred on news, current affairs, analysis, sport, lifestyle and conversations about issues affecting South Africans.
The anniversary forms part of the broader 90-year milestone of the SABC, which was established in 1936. The public broadcaster marked the milestone on 1 August 2026, celebrating nine decades of informing, educating and entertaining South African audiences across radio, television and digital platforms.
For Sampear, returning to the microphone at such a moment represents a full-circle moment of its own.
After years of moving between radio, television, journalism and public-sector work, the broadcaster is once again where his career began to take shape.
And judging by his announcement, he is more than ready to get back behind the mic.
