In November 2016, host of the morning show on Talk Radio 702 John Robbieannounced his retirement from the station after 30 years on the air. The presenter is no stranger to controversy and known for his brutal honesty and standing by comments on air that have landed him in hot water in the past. Most recently, he was accused of racism after saying: "I've seen braids which are fantastic and I have seen braids which have been over-the-top show biz", in August when pupils at Pretoria Girls' High School spoke out about the school's racist rules about how they should style their hair.
But as he wrapped up his final show on Talk Radio 702 on Thursday morning, tributes to the Irish former rugby player poured in from political leaders to sports personalities who tweeted their well wishes.
In his final words to the Primedia team, Robbie said that it has been "a very, very special place and it has a very special role to play".
According to Talk Radio 702, Robbie will be replaced by current afternoon host Xolani Gwala and mid-morning host Redi Tlhabi will host the afternoon drive show between 3pm and 6pm.