What a Boykie: The John Berks Story
Publish date: 19 September 2016
Issue Number: 695
Diary: IBA Legalbrief Africa
Category: Corruption
What a Boykie: The John Berks Story
By Robin Binckes
30 Degrees South Publishers. R281
A story of determination and guts of a boy 'born with a wooden spoon' in his mouth, who managed through perseverance and sheer will power to turn that into one of silver. Born the third child of hardworking Jewish parents in Krugersdorp in 1941, he was a nervy, hypochondriac who broke into a nervous rash whenever he felt uncomfortable or stressed.Through a series of coincidences, his break came when he was employed by the fledgling commercial station LM Radio in Lourenco Marques (Maputo). From a stammering, stuttering insecure young announcer, he quickly blossomed and began to make his mark on the station. His radio career spanned 40 years. Pioneering modern radio in South Africa, he broke new ground and developed 'Theatre of the mind'.
