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John Berks (24 September 1941 - 4 June 2022) was a well known South African radio presenter. Known for his role as a breakfast present on Radio 702 in Johannesburg, his broadcast career covered many parts of Southern Africa and stretched from the 1964 until 2001.

Early life
Berks was born in Krugersdorp to Jewish parents Louis Berkowitz and Hennie Nochimowitz. He grew up in Klerksdorp, the youngest of three siblings. His father died when he was fourteen. He dropped out of Milner High School before finishing standard eight. He found work at Dandy Polish and on the production line of a soap factory in Rosettenville owned by a family member. He worked as a delivery boy for the Klerksdorp Rekord and then at the Germiston Advocate as a sports journalist. He then completed his national service in the SADF.

Broadcast career
As a child, Berks had strong interest in radio, imitating his favourite stars and sport presenters. As an adult he took elocution lessons with Colin du Plessis, a SABC English language service broadcaster, to remove his Afrikaans accent and make himself more sellable in broadcasting. He would audition for LM Radio, first with Rob Vickers and then with Gerry Wilmot before being offered a position in 1964 with the broadcaster. He would became a programme manager for them in 1969 in Johannesburg before leaving them in 1970. While at LM Radio, he was sent by David Davies to Australia to study technique's for commercial radio.

After LM Radio, he would work for Springbok Radio, Swazi Music Radio out of Johannesburg, Radio 5 and Capital Radio 604 in the Transkei. He then joined the independent radio station Channel 702 on the 1 October 1981 taking over the breakfast show from Clackie McKay. The music station had started broadcasting in June 1980 in competition with Radio 5, also on medium wave. By 1983, Berks was the highest paid DJ on radio in South Africa. In 1988, Berks took a years sabbatical from the station.

In January 2001, John Berks retired and was replaced by Gareth Cliff.

Death
Berks died in June 2022 after a long illness. He was survived by his partner of 16 years, Manda Wessels and two children from a previous relationship, Lance and Sherise and grandchildren Joshua, Tia, Benjamin, Mia, and Jesse. He was buried in the Jewish section of West Park Cemetery on 7 June 2022.

Honours
In 2010, he was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in radio in South Africa and was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame.

He also had a laneway in Klerksdorp named in honour of him, John Berks Road.

Films

 * Nipagesh Basivuv (1987)
 * Deadly Passion (1985)
 * Those Naughty Angels (1974)