Radio Mthwakazi launches on internet

Radio Mthwakazi FM, the brainchild of a group of Johannesburg based Zimbabweans from especially the countrys western region of Matabeleland, was officially launched in Hillbrow towards the end of March this year. We are concerned about the erosion of the history, arts and culture especially in the region of Matabeleland and this radio station aims to revive that and promote our region, said Gerald Ngulube, the stations Global Director, who is also its South African chairman.

The station is currently lining up a series of fundraising shows that have featured various Zimbabwean artists, who include Johannesburg-based Ndolwane Super Sounds, Ndux Malax Junior, Omkhula Arts and Chase Skuza, among others. The shows have been held in Hillbrow, which is believed to have a largest number of Zimbabweans in South Africa.

We want to see this station grow in leaps and bounds within the shortest possible time, in readiness for when the government begins to accept applications for new radio stations back home. We do not want to be found wanting when such a time comes and that is why we are working so hard, said Ngulube.

To boost its manpower, the station this month began to audition presenters, who will be expected to produce various talk and musical shows, to be broadcast on internet. The auditions began in Braamfontein on April 10 and targeted Johannesburg-based Zimbabweans, who will first work as volunteers for the station. We do not require any experience from our prospective presenters, but candidates are required to pitch ideas for their preferred programme, for which they should propose a name for their show, theme and their slogan.

Ngulube said that the auditions have so far been received with much interest by Zimbabweans. Currently doing pre-recorded shows, the station broadcasts in mainly Ndebele and Khalanga, but wants to expand to cover all other languages that are spoken in the Matabeleland region. The region currently has poor reception of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, which has a monopoly to broadcast in the country. Most people in Matabeleland listen to South African and Botswana radio stations.

Zimbabwe is required, under the Global Political Agreement (GPA), to open up airwaves to allow more players in the industry. However the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ), which is supposed to be the regulatory body, still has to be properly constituted. The board announced early this year by Publicity and Information Minister Webster Shamu, was rejected by the Movement for Democratic Change party. The board had included Tafataona Mahoso, previously chairman of the defunct Media Information Commission (MIC), which closed a number of newspapers and resulted in several journalists losing their jobs.