Mdantsane FM !!!
For years Mdantsane has been starved the opportunity to have its own
community media (community radio and
newspaper) thus denying the local community a plartfom to be entertained,
informed and educated about issues that directly affected them.
The community of Mdantsane finally woke up to music in their ears on 18
November 2011, when Mdantsane FM went on air for the first time at the
Mdantasne Hotel premises.
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| Mdezee studio at the back of the butcher in N. U. 5 |
It took the intervention by the Buffalo City
Metropolitan Municipality for the station to finally go on air, after failing
to do so for four years, when the
station first received it's broadcasting license.
The Municipality threw a lifeline and funded the station with an amount of
R138 000 for them to pay rental to the South African signal distributor
Sentech, for their transmitter for six months with a possibility of futher
funding thereafter, depending on how successful the station turns out to be.
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| Part of the protesting crowd at the Highway Taxi Rank |
So desperate was the local community for their own station that about two
years ago, an alleged illegal community radio station had to be closed down a
few months after it started, as it was operating without a broadcasting licence
and was deemed unlawful.
Mdezze FM, a brainchild of a local businessman and ironically a former Sentech engineer Sivuyile Mahlahla, started broadcasting at the back of his business premises in N U 5 via setellite. It was just when the station was starting to gain popularity around Mdanstane that all hell broke loose.
Mdezze FM, a brainchild of a local businessman and ironically a former Sentech engineer Sivuyile Mahlahla, started broadcasting at the back of his business premises in N U 5 via setellite. It was just when the station was starting to gain popularity around Mdanstane that all hell broke loose.
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| Another larger crowd |
It is alleged that the station gained popularity because it was seen as the
mouthpiece of the community to voice their needs, expose lack of service
delivery and incompetent councillors, something that did not go down well with
the authorities. As a result members of the South African Police, Sentech and
coucillors raided the premises, this move angered the community who took to the
streets to protest as they felt the station was helpful.
The new Mdantsane station employs over 50 people and mostly the youth, and
broadcast in 80% Xhosa and 20% Engilsh. Not only the township will benefit but
also communites in the station will reach outlying area as well.
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| Most of the spectators that came where form NU 5 |
Story and Pictures by Siyanda Nkonyeni
We need to regulate amaphela here in Mdantsane and ensure there is no criminal element in the taxi industry.You can see these amaphela are driven by thugs.
ReplyDeleteForgive me, I want to correct something in the Mdantsane, introduction video. The coup was in 1990 and not in 1985 but it is nice. It would be nice if you can include Mdantanse Bus-boycott and the story about Sisadukashe in 1982 and 1983. At some point the stadium was burned because amaCiskie were using it as the camp harassing people. I am not trying to be political, but ndifuna abantu bazi ukuthi things were happening in Mdantsane and kwaliwa. Maybe guys you need to do a memorial of people like Andile Matshoba and other student who died in hands of the regime.
ReplyDeleteVery good, thank you a lot for your comment and your suggestions. Thank you also for the correction about the date of the coup. We would like to run more stories with a political and historical background as long as they portrait and focus on the people that were involved and their life stories. If everything goes well for us in 2013 and we receive funding and support, then we will be able to recruit journalists on a free lance basis which will allow us to broaden and deliver new content in other areas that we are not covering at present. You are always welcome to contact us via our email chocolattnegro@gmail.com. We value suggestions like yours.
DeleteThe Mdantsane Way Magazine
It is nice to see people from Mdantsane supporting this great intiative and thank you to the BCM for allowing people from Mdantsane to have such a portal.Mdantsane carry a very rich history and i would like to see the youth learning about that history
ReplyDeletei would love to be part of this revolution...Iam currently studying towards a social science degree, i would love to write for you guys give you the latest scoops, and gain experience...anyhow please contact me by replying to my message and i will futher give my details...
ReplyDeleteWe thank God for the station, the station is edifying and adding value to us. I salute Bishop Krasmeni, he articulates the word like he's gonna die tommorow with such people (people of substance) this radio station is going far. God who started the work in Mdantsane through this station will perfect it. Continue doing what you doing guys we behind you. Nomawethu Mnyanda
ReplyDelete