Brenda Leonard: Bush Radio's new Managing Director
We at Bush Radio are pleased to announce that Brenda Leonard has been appointed as the new Managing Director of Africa’s oldest community radio station project.
Leonard takes over the reins from Zane Ibrahim who headed the station from 1996 and retired at the end of February 2010.
During South Africa’s struggle against apartheid, Brenda occupied various roles within the liberation movement and was deeply involved in student politics in the Western Cape – as well as leading transformation within various communities on the Cape Flats.
Leonard who headed the Bush Radio’s financial and administration departments was critical to ensuring success during our first license hearing post-1994 and all subsequent license hearings. She was instrumental in drafting policies and procedures and ensuring that these policies, whether training, employment or programming is gender sensitive – as well as ensuring that we had one of the first HIV and AIDS workplace policies in the country – a model which has been exported to numerous radio stations and organisations.
Watch Brenda talking on the role, challenges and priorities of Bush Radio
She has also been in the forefront of ensuring that radio can be used as a tool for gender, political and health education.
Leonard has been active in the establishment of, and training at, several radio stations in the region, as well as giving input to Parliament and other bodies on issues related to media and freedom of expression.
She is married to Jerimia Thuynsma and has two children, Ashley-K, 13 years old, and 9 year-old Amilcar Cabral.
Leonard holds a Communication Science degree from the University of South Africa.
***Brenda will be interviewed by Backchat’s, Bassie Montewa at 15h30 today (30 March 2010) on 89.5 FM – listen online ***
Tags: Brenda Leonard, Bush Radio, challenges, new head of Bush Radio, new Managing Director, new MD, priorities, role of community radio, the mother of community radio, zane ibrahim
Bushradio 89.5 FM 
30/03/2010 at 2:09 PM |
Congratulations Brenda! And to Bush Radio for making such an astute and excellent choice! 🙂
30/03/2010 at 2:41 PM |
Congratulations Brenda. Well deserved.
Keep up the great work at Bush Radio. Your station does some really valuable work and is very refereshing on the media scene in South Africa.
Kim Cloete
Parliamentary Editor
SABC NEWS
30/03/2010 at 2:56 PM |
Congratulations Brenda. You deserve this position as you have been around forever. Jy breek ook met hierdie posisie ‘n lansie vir vroue in die sektor.
30/03/2010 at 4:22 PM |
…like we always say on our show, “We are always more anxious to be distinguished for a talent which we do not possess, than to be praised for the fifteen which we do possess.” well, we say it, but mark twain wrote it. all the best of luck. we believe in you…
30/03/2010 at 8:18 PM |
Congratulations Brenda! An exciting development, all the best to you and may Bush Radio continue to grow from strength to strength under your guidance.
30/03/2010 at 10:20 PM |
Congradulations Brenda for your appointment as an MD of the oldest community radio in Africa, i was listening to your interview with Bassie for me it was an eye opener for your radio presenters like me. From Mfundo of Radio KC
30/03/2010 at 11:37 PM |
Congratulations Brenda ! Best of luck . I look forward to working with you and the rest of the team at Bush Radio….
31/03/2010 at 1:01 AM |
Congratulations sista. All the best for the new venture.
31/03/2010 at 6:12 AM |
Congratulations Brenda; you really deserve this position, I’ve personally learned a lot from you during my visit to Bush Radio in 2002, U’ve been a dedicated community radio activist for quite some and I believe that you will continue to nurture the legacy that the station has built over the years. Keep up with the good work that you do, congratulations once more I believe that we will continue to learn from Bush Radio, Its time that Zane takes a rest the last time he visited my home in Phalaborwa he urged me to continue with the struggle for freedom of the airwaves I had a personal encounter with him and it was an honour for me to have him in my home. He was such a remarkable old man dedicated to his work, I’m sure that you will follow in his footsteps. KEEP THE FIRES BURNING…
31/03/2010 at 10:56 AM |
Congratulations Brenda, from the Women’sNet team in Johannesburg, who listen via internet :-). We are also happy to see a woman lead a community radio station!
31/03/2010 at 11:09 AM |
From all of us at Jazz on Bush Congrats on your appointment.
31/03/2010 at 11:53 AM |
Dear Brenda
Congratulations on your appointment as Managing Director.
Wishing you all the best for the future.
From all Management and Staff at CCFm 107.5FM
14/05/2010 at 3:22 PM |
Dear Brenda and Bush Radio,
Congratulations! It is very good to see in-house talent and dedication advance to leadership levels. We are very happy for you, Brenda!
16/05/2010 at 1:42 AM |
this is kind of marching quality work, dedication and decency. Brenda, you are an embodiment of these virtues. Congrats for the position. Stay blessed
28/07/2010 at 10:41 AM |
[…] is our former MD, Zane Ibrahim and the late R.O. Dudley. See if you can spot a very young Victor J, Brenda Leonard, Bassie Montewa, Damian Zane and Jan […]
29/11/2010 at 12:38 PM |
[…] Brenda Leonard, Bush Radio’s Managing Director says; “We are very happy with the continued partnership with DW as it brings a unique flavour to programming and enhances our training role within the broadcast sector in South Africa and the region as a whole.” […]