Familiar to listeners as ‘the friendliest voice in Central SA’, Yolanda Maartens returned to OFM permanently in 2020 after successfully heading up the regional Reach Fora Dream office in Bloemfontein.
Born on 19 November 1985 in Potchefstroom and raised in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, this bright, bubbly beauty was often in trouble for chatting in class. A love for people and the performing arts paved the way for public speaking and a confidence for taking on the world. This she did when after matric, she spent a year in Berlin, Germany as a Rotary Exchange Student. Back home, she enrolled at the North West University, Potchefstroom campus and obtained a BCom degree in Communication Management, an honours degree in Development Communication and a Master’s degree in Disaster Management and Sustainable Development.
It was during Yolanda’s honours year at varsity that she was introduced to the inner workings of radio, loving the freedom of expression, ability to share emotions through music, and interaction. After presenting various shows at PUKfm, she progressed to the weekday breakfast presenter. Also, during that time, OFM held an on-air talent scouting content, which she won and joined the on-air team as the All Request Sunday presenter from the then Potchefstroom studio.
She moved to Bloemfontein in 2011 to producer “Huistoe” for Johrné van Huyssteen. A year later, she presented her own show and co-hosted “The Breakfast Special” with Andre Kunz in 2015. She decided to take a break from radio and move on to one of her other passions, community development. Now she says she’s‘coming back home’ to OFM and all the listeners.
What Yolanda loves most about radio is that she gets to showcase what it’s like to live in Central SA, share in people’s emotions and tie it all together with great music. Music makes everything better! She also enjoys sharing her ‘built in’happiness and positivity with others. The fact that listeners note that they can hear the smile in her voice is what motivates her because ‘life is hard and we all need to share in the lighter moments’.
When she’s not behind the mic or organising a fundraiser, Yolanda loves to spend time in the great outdoors, especially exploring roads less travelled in their 4x4, with hubby Charlie Brown and their two border collies. She’s also still very fond of Germany and relishes the opportunity to converse, read and enjoy traditional cuisine.
A quick round of rapid fire questions reveal that there is a whole lot more bubbling under this passionate individual’s surface. Her favourite quote is that of Helen Keller-“Keep your face to the sun and you will never see the shadows.”
In her downtime she catches up on social media, loves reading books and walking her dogs. And,of course, she is a dog person. For travel, she chooses four wheels mostly because of the bugs but is happy if the road she’s travelling on is not tarred.But don’t let that fool you,this stylish lady is mostly seen in heels and only dons tekkies when it’s time to jog. When asked if she preferred a beach house or cabin in the woods,Yolanda is adamant on having a beach house beside a mountain!
Down to earth,loving life, living to the fullest and infecting everyone with her positivity, that is what you are in store for when tuning in to Yolanda Maartens.
Catch Yolanda on Mid-Morning Magic, weekdays, 09:00 - 12:00.
