Online Reporter
Veteran Zimbabwean broadcaster and media executive, John Raphael Masuku has died. He was 70. His family confirmed that Mr Masuku passed away at his home in Mabelreign on the morning of Friday, February 13 2026.
In a statement, the Masuku family said his death was sudden and unexpected.
“The Masuku family confirms with profound sadness the passing of Mr John Masuku, who passed away at his home in Mabelreign on the morning of Friday, February 13 2026,” the statement read.
“Though he had a known heart condition, Mr Masuku was in good health and going about his normal activities. His passing has come as a complete shock to the family, and we are still trying to process this sudden and unexpected loss.”
Mourners are gathered at his residence at Number 1 Pat Palmer Owen Drive, Cotswold Hills, Mabelreign.
Mr Masuku was the executive director of Radio Voice of the People (VOP) and a respected columnist. Over a broadcasting career spanning more than four decades, he became one of Zimbabwe’s most recognisable radio voices and media administrators.
He began his career at the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) in 1974 as a radio announcer and producer. Rising through the ranks, he later became General Manager of Radio Services, overseeing four national radio stations. He left ZBC in 2002 to join Radio VOP.
During his tenure at ZBC, Mr Masuku received continental recognition for his work. He won the Union of Radio and Television Organisations in Africa (URTNA) Nelson Mandela Prize for his radio documentary Beira Corridor, Zimbabwe’s Eastern Trade Passage. He also earned a joint Prix Futura award for the radio drama Changes, which explored the challenges faced by professional women in Africa.
Beyond broadcasting, Mr Masuku was a CMDS Fellow and served as spokesperson for the Motlanthe Commission of Inquiry.
Academically, he held a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Politics and Administration from the University of Zimbabwe and a Master of Philosophy in Journalism from Stellenbosch University in South Africa. He also undertook professional training in radio broadcasting and broadcast management at the BBC in London and Deutsche Welle in Cologne, Germany.
In 2017, he attended Central European University summer courses on Media Capture and later completed a course on Funding Journalism at the Centre for Media, Data and Society in Budapest.
Mr Masuku’s death marks the end of a distinguished career in Zimbabwean broadcasting and media development. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in due course.
