HOT 102.7FM listeners show their heart and their muscle

HOT 102.7FM’s annual Teddython smashed expectations in 2025, raising an extraordinary R31.5 million in just 12 hours for its charity arm, Hot Cares. Broadcast live from Papachinos Broadacres, the day-long fundraiser outstripped the station’s R20 million target and set a new record for the campaign. HOT 102.7FM

The day’s giving arrived as a steady build — small individual pledges, corporate gifts, donated goods and in-kind professional services — culminating in two headline contributions that pushed the total skywards. Antonio Iozzo, Group CEO at Alpha Group, made a R1 million cash donation; later, Ecomed Medical’s General Manager, Ettiene Venter, pledged R5 million, a commitment announced in the final hour that took the running total above R31 million and sealed the largest Teddython in the station’s history.

“The community response has been overwhelming,” HOT 102.7FM Managing Director Lloyd Madurai said following the fundraiser. “Every rand represents someone who chose kindness, from individuals giving R100 to corporates pledging millions. It’s a reminder that giving is not about how much you have, but how much you care.”

How the funds will be used

Hot Cares directs Teddython proceeds across four operational pillars — Humanitarian & Welfare, Healthcare & Medical, Education, and Animal Welfare — supporting everything from urgent medical treatment and school supplies to food security projects and improvements for animal shelters. The station also highlighted the importance of monthly recurring donations starting from as little as R100, emphasising that steady, small contributions sustain Hot Cares programmes year-round.

Beyond the headline cash figure, organisers reported a sizeable volume of goods and services donated on the day — food, clothing, medical procedures and professional trade services — all to be assessed and matched to identified beneficiaries across Gauteng and beyond. HOT 102.7FM said the next operational phase is to process donations and allocate them to individuals and organisations most in need. HOT 102.7FM

Context and continuity

Teddython is HOT 102.7FM’s flagship community fundraising event and has incrementally grown in scope and totals. The station and media coverage cited last year’s Teddython and prior caps as benchmarks the 2025 drive surpassed — underlining both rising listener engagement and corporate support.