Veteran South African radio broadcaster Darren Scott has passed away. Scott had been battling an aggressive form of skin cancer, which had resurfaced several times over the years.
Scott was first diagnosed with melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer, in 1986.
Recently, the disease has resurfaced multiple times, including in the form of tumours near his lungs, which have impacted his breathing.
Scott had been receiving treatment in the US, but returned to South Africa to work and raise funds to continue treatment.
Over the course of four decades, he made his mark at some of the country’s most recognisable stations – from Radio Bop and 5FM to Jacaranda, East Coast Radio, and eventually HOT 102.7FM.
His HOT 102.7FM family paid a moving tribute to him on their website, saying he fought cancer with ”grit, humour, and determination for years.”
“No matter where he went, Darren brought a sense of fun, professionalism, and total commitment to the craft.”
HOT 102.7FM Founder Lloyd Madurai recalls that from the earliest days of HOT 102.7FM, Darren’s energy was foundational.
“When we started the original HOT brand, Darren was the first person I called. And he said, ‘I’m in. Let’s go.” “And I saw the happiness in Darren again.”
Last year, Darren marked 40 years in radio and was inducted into the Radio Awards Hall of Fame.
The station expressed its condolences to Scott’s family, especially his sons Mark and Matthew.
“The pain of this loss is raw, and the void left behind is impossible to measure.”
