5FM frequency & live stream
5FM is a top 40 / contemporary hit radio radio station from South Africa, owned by SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation), on air since 1975. How to listen:
- Johannesburg 98.0 FM
- Pretoria 103.6 FM
- Cape Town 89.0 FM
- Durban 89.9 FM
- Bloemfontein 91.6 FM
- Online live stream
| Format | Top 40 / Contemporary hit radio |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1975 |
| Owner | SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) |
| Headquarters | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Website | www.5fm.co.za |
| Language | English |
| Country | South Africa |
5FM frequency & how to listen
5FM’s frequency depends on your city: 98.0 FM in Johannesburg, 103.6 FM in Pretoria, 89.0 FM in Cape Town, 89.9 FM in Durban, 91.6 FM in Bloemfontein, 89.2 FM in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and 88.5 FM in East London. It also streams live online.
Listen to 5FM live
Live radio from South Africa, filtered to 5FM. Press play to start the stream — or clear the search to browse every South Africa station.
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5FM is the South African Broadcasting Corporation’s national youth station, built around Top 40 music. Its main FM frequencies are 98.0 FM in Johannesburg, 89.0 FM in Cape Town and 89.9 FM in Durban, with 91.6 FM in Bloemfontein, 89.2 FM in Gqeberha and 88.5 FM in East London. Outside its transmitter areas you can stream it live online.
History
5FM traces its roots to LM Radio, the commercial station that had broadcast to young South African listeners from Lourenço Marques (now Maputo) in Mozambique. After Mozambique’s independence, the new Frelimo government closed LM Radio, and on 13 October 1975, the day it went silent, the South African government had the SABC take over its staff and service as Radio 5. Nick Megans presented the first live show from the SABC’s Broadcast House on Commissioner Street.
Radio 5 later moved to FM stereo and took the name 5FM, which it has used ever since. The station is still owned and run by the SABC.
Format and programming
5FM plays a Top 40 format aimed at a young audience: current hits and new releases, with news and sports coverage alongside the music. Programmes come from Johannesburg and are relayed nationally through a network of FM repeaters in the main cities.
Where its sister station Metro FM focuses on urban music for listeners in their mid-twenties to mid-thirties, 5FM plays chart pop for a younger crowd. If you want a mix of the two, use the South Africa page to switch between South African stations in one player.
Frequencies and how to listen
5FM uses different frequencies in each region. These figures come from the station’s own frequency finder and independent transmitter listings:
| Province | City or transmitter | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Gauteng | Johannesburg (Sentech Tower) | 98.0 FM |
| Gauteng | Pretoria (Lukasrand) | 103.6 FM |
| Western Cape | Cape Town | 89.0 FM |
| Western Cape | Cape Town – Table Mountain | 89.9 FM |
| KwaZulu-Natal | Durban (Alverstone) | 89.9 FM |
| KwaZulu-Natal | Durban North | 103.8 FM |
| Eastern Cape | Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) | 89.2 FM |
| Eastern Cape | East London | 88.5 FM |
| Free State | Bloemfontein | 91.6 FM |
| Northern Cape | Alexander Bay | 92.2 FM |
The Johannesburg transmitter on 98.0 FM is also listed for Pretoria, and Durban’s 89.9 FM covers Pietermaritzburg as well. We could not confirm 5FM frequencies for Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West or the rest of the Northern Cape, so they are not listed.
The station’s FAQ says that, as an SABC service, it is allocated transmitters in certain areas only. If you are outside the cities above, or the signal is poor, the online stream is the reliable option. Press play in the player on this page, or use the 5FM mobile app.
Significance
5FM is a direct line from LM Radio to today’s SABC. Taking over LM Radio’s staff and service in 1975 gave the public broadcaster its own station for young listeners, and 5FM has kept that role for more than five decades. Alongside Metro FM, it lets the SABC reach younger audiences nationally with two distinct sounds: chart pop on 5FM and urban music on Metro FM.
Sources
- Official site: https://www.5fm.co.za
- 5FM FAQ, on transmitter coverage: 5fm.co.za/5fm/faq
- World Radio Map, Johannesburg transmitter listings: worldradiomap.com/za/johannesburg
- Wikipedia: 5FM
5FM: frequently asked questions
What frequency is 5FM on?
5FM’s frequency depends on your city: 98.0 FM in Johannesburg, 103.6 FM in Pretoria, 89.0 FM in Cape Town, 89.9 FM in Durban, 91.6 FM in Bloemfontein, 89.2 FM in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and 88.5 FM in East London. It also streams live online.
What is 5FM’s frequency in Cape Town?
5FM is on 89.0 FM in Cape Town. The Table Mountain transmitter also carries it on 89.9 FM, so try that if 89.0 is weak where you are.
What is 5FM’s frequency in Durban?
In Durban 5FM is on 89.9 FM from the Alverstone transmitter, which also reaches Pietermaritzburg. Durban North has its own frequency of 103.8 FM.
Why can’t I get 5FM on the radio where I live?
As an SABC station, 5FM is allocated transmitters in certain areas only, so FM coverage is limited outside the main centres. The station suggests using its mobile app, and you can also stream 5FM live online.
Which country is 5FM from?
5FM is a radio station from South Africa, headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa. It broadcasts in English.
Who owns 5FM?
5FM is owned by SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation).
How can I listen to 5FM online?
You can stream 5FM live in your browser with the player on this page or on the official website, www.5fm.co.za — free, with no app or sign-up needed.
Similar stations
Explore more radio from South Africa, or go straight to 5FM’s official site.