John Berks grew up in Klerksdorp, the youngest of three siblings.
15 Facts About John Berks
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2.
John Berks dropped out of Milner High School before finishing standard eight.
3.
John Berks found work at Dandy Polish and on the production line of a soap factory in Rosettenville owned by a family member.
4.
John Berks worked as a delivery boy for the Klerksdorp Rekord and then at the Germiston Advocate as a sports journalist.
5.
John Berks then completed his national service in the SADF.
6.
John Berks would become a programme manager for them in 1969 in Johannesburg before leaving them in 1970.
7.
John Berks then joined the independent radio station Channel 702 on the 1 October 1981 taking over the breakfast show from Clackie McKay.
8.
In 1988, John Berks took a year's sabbatical from the station.
9.
John Berks was one of the key staff members that changed the direction of the station in 1988 to talk and entertainment and finally rebranding it as Talk 702, talk-news station.
10.
John Berks investigated talk radio in America when Radio 5 rebranded as 5FM broadcasting nationwide in 1985 and 702 found it could not compete for audience as a medium wave channel.
11.
John Berks would retire from 702 several times before returning one last time on the channel as John and Gary.
12.
In January 2001, John Berks retired and was replaced by Gareth Cliff.
13.
John Berks was survived by his partner of 16 years, Manda Wessels and two children from his ex wife, "Celeste Greenblatt" Lance and Sherise and grandchildren Joshua, Tia, Benjamin, Mia, and Jesse.
14.
John Berks was buried in the Jewish section of West Park Cemetery on 7 June 2022.
15.
John Berks had a laneway in Klerksdorp named in honour of him, John Berks Road.