Robert Marawa: My little black book

'I hope 2010 will bring excitement, mixed with raw emotion, and a sense of reality that will knock our soccer into shape'

I am ... the kind of person who likes to focus on things that mean a lot to me as opposed to things that mean a lot to other people.

Where were you born? Vryheid in KwaZulu-Natal.

Where do you live? In Fourways.

Who do you share your house with? I live alone.

How did you get into your career? I was studying at Wits University when I heard about auditions at the SABC. I was interested in broadcasting so I decided to take a chance and pitched up for an audition. Continuity presenting was not for me and after about a year I got bored. I went to the sports department to tell them I wanted to join them.

Sport commentating is for people who ... love the game and are in tune with the crazy world of sport and the addiction that comes with it.

What sport do you play? I play basketball and soccer. Unfortunately, I can't play in the media soccer league because whenever they play I'm on air.

Which sports do you prefer commentating on? I enjoy boxing and basketball. I admire tennis commentators for the level of restraint and calmness they have about them.

Which game do you wish you had commentated on? The local derby between Chiefs and Pirates in 2007 in Durban. I was set to commentate on it but at the same time there was the preliminary draw for the FIFA World Cup and I had to do that. It turned out to be one of the best derby games we've had in a long time.

Soccer babes are? Brave.

What do you hope 2010 will bring for South Africa? I hope it brings excitement, mixed with raw emotion, and a sense of reality that will knock our soccer into shape.

If you could put together the perfect soccer player, who would you pick? I would cut and paste Jomo Sono for his ability, Ace Ntsoelengoe for his brain, Jerry Sadike for his pace, Doc Khumalo for his skill and Shaun Bartlett to score goals.

Your team for life? Liverpool. I can't comment on which one I support locally.

I'm predisposed to ... driving. I'm always on the road and I think our traffic officers should give me an exemption certificate from being fined because of how much I'm on the road.

What's your favourite building in Joburg? The Hillbrow Tower. It has saved me from getting lost many times. This was way before the days of navigators.

What's the ugliest thing about Joburg? The fact that the drivers forget the rule of keep left, pass right. These days it seems like it's keep right, pass left.

What is the most memorable moment you've had in Joburg? When all our presidents since 1994 came onto my radio show to discuss sports. President Nelson Mandela came into the studio and the others were telephonic discussions.

How do you get around? In a BMW.

I can't go a day without ... wearing a cap.

If you inherited R100-million what would you do with it? I would spoil my parents and family. I would invest some of it and with the rest I'd start a proper soccer team in KwaZulu-Natal that would challenge all the teams without buying a single overseas player.

What CDs are you playing in your car? Alicia Keys The Element of Freedom and David Foster's Hit Man: David Foster and friends.

What are you reading? Rose of Soweto: The Dingaan Thobela story by Deon Potgieter.

When I go out at night ... a cap, jeans and takkies are musts.

I always collect ... everything. I think I'm actually a hoarder. One of the thing I keep are magazines, so if anyone needs a copy of Thandi or Bona I can help.

My friends and I like ... to argue and debate. One of the most recent debates we've had has been about how during the 9/11 terror attack in the US we never saw the bodies of those who died and yet in Haiti there isn't a shortage of them.

Everything in moderation but ...uphuthu (a version of pap). They try to make sophisticated versions at restaurants but nothing beats the original home-cooked style.

Perfect happiness is: Family and the ability to interact and get support from them.

If money could buy happiness ... then I would only want the small change.