What are the challenges facing Cape Town? – A video vox pop

We went out into the city centre to ask people what are the greatest challenges facing Cape Town.

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What Joining #FeesMustFall Protest Meant to Me

Bush Radio trainee breakfast presenter Yuzriq Meyer took time after his morning show to join students in the #FeesMustFall protests – more than being moved by what he saw, it was what he felt that had a greater impact, here is his story:

So today i had a first hand experience of what the ‪#‎FeesMustFall‬ protests are like

Being a radio presenter and speaking on matters I have no idea about would prove to be beyond ignorant, so in attempts to better understand the situation, students and the protest I joined in the NON-VIOLENT protest.

First we congregated at CPUT Cape Town Campus and made our way to the city centre and then through to Waterfront to get to Granger bay Campus.

This journey was not a easy one, as police barricaded the entry through the city.Multiple shot gun shots were fired into the sky to scare the students,but to no avail.

The students grew more passionate to get their point across and continue their protest. 100s of shops in the city closed their doors in fear that the students might hurt them or loot their shops.

But these students were not violent,nor were they out to harm anyone. They came to sing struggle songs and knock on the doors of government to request answers and let the them know they are unhappy with the 6% increase

But what television does not show you from the 1000s and 1000s of students protesting, it could easily be only 20 students with clear anger issues or a vandalistic nature or just plain stupid that throw bricks or bottles or kick doors.

This is not even a quarter of the students that are just ignorant and haven’t a cooking clue what a non -violent protest is because they cannot internalise their anger.

And during times when a few seem to get angry or violent 100s of the other students shout at them and said “No this is a peaceful protest,don’t be stupid”

Anyways I walked with the students and if something was clear to me is that these young people were not going to back down until not only government but the world hears their cries for change.

They screamed in the streets “We are the Mandela kids, we are the new generation and we will fight for our rights- Fees Must Fall – Fees Must Fall”

The sheer passion of the students was out of this world.

I may not have been around in the apartheid era in freedom struggle as an active participator, but from my experience of today i may have a better understanding to what it was like to be in the atmosphere of passionate comrades and the feeling of camaraderie in the air.

But only this time every single race was present. Black White & Coloured.

And to all the people sitting at home complaining about violent protesters, my analogy would be imagine 5 kids at a school breaking the toilet door and the principal decides to keep the whole school to pay for a few people’s stupidity, so i urge you to join in so you can see what exactly happens and also understand that those few ignorant people part of the group are not in any way a reflection of these kids and what they stand for.

These kids are saying no to a 6% increase on varsity fees and down with corrupt government that does not answer it’s youth and leaders of tomorrow.

I’ve said it then and i’ll say it again #FeesMustFall

I believe in your fight Comrades.Not just for you but for the future of this beautiful country.

Related: Pics from #FeesMustFall at Parliament (Click here)

Look what we found online; Tracey Naughton and a Bush “wire” Radio

Bushradio friend and radio activist Tracey Naughton with a Bush “wire” Radio

We came across an article on longtime Bush Radio friend and radio activist Tracey Naughton. One of the pictures of Tracey in the article was of her hold a collectors Bush “wire” Radio.

Read the article here: “Tracey Naughton and public radio bring a voice to the marginalised”

Bush Radio wins prestigious media award

Bush Radio was awarded the Rantho-Letsebe Award at the annual MDDA-Sanlam Local Media Awards which was held in Pretoria on the 30th May 2014.

The Rantho-Letsebe Award for Radio is conferred in honour of Tshepo Rantho and Harry Mtshana Letsebe. Rantho and Letsebe were two of the pioneers of community media who, among other outstanding contributions, were at the forefront of the initial process leading to the Community Media 2000 Conference in 1995 and played a role in the development of the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) Act of 2002 and the MDDA Regulations.

Celebrate World Radio Day

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) has declared the 13th February as World Radio Day. As Africa’s oldest community radio station project we at Bush Radio fully support this intiative as we believe in the power of radio to help build communities and improve lives.

click here – LISTEN TO WHY PEOPLE LISTEN TO RADIO – click here

Whether it is through our Children’s Radio Education Workshop (CREW) launched in 1996 where young people learn to use the medium to develop their skills and understanding of media or one of our programmes like Sakhisizwe – Bou die Nation, Build the Nation or even our specialised music programmes like Blues in the Bush where we connect the music to its roots in Africa – radio plays a vital part in almost everyone’s daily life.

Through technology like internet streaming Bush Radio is able to connect to the entire planet with it’s audience not just from Cape Flats but with dedicated listeners in Asia, Europe and the Americas tuning into the station online through computers or mobile phones, Bush Radio truly is more than just FM radio.

Related: How to listen to us online

The Mother of Community Radio celebrates World Radio Day 2013

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) has declared the 13th February 2013 as World Radio Day. As Africa’s oldest community radio station project we at Bush Radio fully support this intiative as we believe in the power of radio to help build communities and improve lives.

click here – LISTEN TO WHY PEOPLE LISTEN TO RADIO – click here

Whether it is through our Children’s Radio Education Workshop (CREW) launched in 1996 where young people learn to use the medium to develop their skills and understanding of media or one of our programmes like Sakhisizwe – Bou die Nation, Build the Nation or even our specialised music programmes like Blues in the Bush where we connect the music to its roots in Africa – radio plays a vital part in almost everyone’s daily life.

Through technology like internet streaming Bush Radio is able to connect to the entire planet with it’s audience not just from Cape Flats but with dedicated listeners in Asia, Europe and the Americas tuning into the station online through computers or mobile phones, Bush Radio truly is more than just FM radio.

Related: How to listen to us online

MPs visit Bush to check on the state of community radio

Backchat's Bassie Montewa doing an impromptu interview with the delegation

Members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications, the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA), Sentech, Post Office and Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) paid a visit to Bush Radio yesterday (19 January 2012).

Bush Radio’s Managing Director Brenda Leonard gave the committee members and MDDA a tour of the station and after that gave a short presentation on the state of community media in South Africa.

Chairperson of the committee, Sikhumbuzo Eric Kholwane being interviewed

Some of the challenges that Bush Radio highlighted in the presentation included: Sentech-transmission cost, SAMRO‘s-calculation of fees, SAARF‘s research methodology and accuracy, the funding structure of community media in South Africa, as well as issues around the advertising industry and the current state of development of the community media sector.

After the presentation Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications Sikumbuzo Eric Kholwane thanked Bush Radio for being a long and outstanding example of a community radio station.  He added that he is grateful that Bush Radio is still holding the fort, and a great example to coming generation.  

MPs and other members of the delegation listening to the Bush Radio briefing

Member of Parliament and Chief Whip of the Committee on Communications Annelize van Wyk said Bush Radio is a better example of a community radio. Van Wyk added that Bush Radio serves as a blueprint of what community radio stations need.

MP Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen (left) making notes during the briefing

The mother has #COP17 covered

Bushradio's COP17 newsteam: L to R - Tashneem Abrahams (VOC), Lusanda Bill (Bushradio), Xolewla Mvumvu (MotheoFM) and Wesley Wessels (Bushradio)

Check out a few of the stories filed by the Bushradionews team based in Durban during the COP17 Conference below. The special coverage was made possible through a partnership between Bush Radio and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and involved training and community dialogues.

The content produced by the team is being distributed to all radio stations in South Africa as well as via the World Association of Community Radio broadcasters (AMARC) and is being carried by AllAfrica.

Remember you can follow the team on twitter (@Bushradio) or by check out their posts (Bushradionews).

COP17 kicks off in Durban #COP17

President Jacob Zuma welcomes delegates

Lesotho Going Green at COP17

Canada to pull out of Kyoto Protocol

Greenpeace says renewable energy can work

Melting Glaciers in the Himalayas

New technology created for Climate Change

Kids are calling government to do more in fighting climate change

Canadian Youth Delegation buying back their future

WAGGS – Educating women on how to better their lives

Planet in a BIG crisis

#COP17 Protest (Video Report)

Waste Pickers Civil Society wants to benefit from the Green Climate Fund #COP17

African negotiators identify important factors to be discussed #COP17

Join us on Facebook

Get your info – breaking news on #COP17 here

Bush Radio 89.5 FM will be providing coverage of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to various radio stations and other media organisations in South Africa and around the world for the duration of the conference (28 November – 9 December 2011) in Durban.

You will be able to access updates, audio, video and pictures via the Bushradionews platform or by following us on Twitter and searching here #COP17.

This project is a continuation of a partnership between the station and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, which involved a in-depth training course for radio stations throughout South Africa, community dialogues and the creation of a COP17 focused newsteam lead by Bush Radio and drawn from other stations in South Africa.

Related posts:

Getting journalists ready for #COP17

Tackling climate change in Khayelitsha #COP17

Tackling climate change in Khayelitsha #COP17

Is your weather normal?

This year marks the 17th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP17), which takes place annually, highlighting the significance of “climate change”. Bush Radio supported by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung is hosting a series of consultative meetings with civil society organisations to discuss their plans for COP17 and how Bush Radio could assist with publicising and broadcasting the planned events and activities.

A drama demonstrating the effects of climate change

On Monday, 14th November 2011, Bush Radio, in partnership with Sub-Council 9 in Khayelitsha and Radio Zibonele, hosted a public meeting on COP17, at the Thusong Multi-purpose Centre, to discuss the issues of climate change and its impact on communities.

Sheryl Ozinsky getting the crowd debating

The audience getting into the debate

Guest speakers included Sheryl Ozinsky from the City of Cape Town’s Climate Smart, who informed the audience about various information regarding “Climate Change” and Misha Teasdale from Greenpop, who showed the individuals how they should plant trees.

The audience also gave input on the features Bush Radio is producing as part of its training course for journalists for COP17

Greenpop's Misha Teasdale getting down to some explaining

The event included lots of fun and laughter and ended with the guests receiving lunch and a tree as a gift to take home for them to plant in their own communities.

Getting it grounded - Misha Teasdale planting with members of the Khayelitsha community