Getting physical at the office

As part of Bush Radio’s regular weekly staff development sessions, the team decided to get physical. Zola Sibiya of Zola’s Aerobics Club in Gugulethu came in to shake some things up at the office.

Tribute to brave Ntombi Yoko

It was with sadness and shock that I accepted the news of the demise of one of the most fearless women to emerge in the aftermath of the Aids epidemic in Gugulethu and South Africa. (read more)

Congratulations to our Mandela Day winners

Thank you to all who entered the Bush Radio, Mandela Rhodes Place Hotel & Spa and Fair Cape competition.

Fair Cape Hamper winners:

• Talitha Gympies -Matroosfontein
• Odile Finotti – Parklands
• Natasha Petersen – Deep River
• Lynne Morland – Crawford
• Ndileka Moyake – Gugulethu

Mandela Rhodes Place Hotel and Spa winner:

• Steve Norman – Elsies River

 

Anger and Frustration at the Gugs Jazz Festival

This is the a report of a Bushradionews post from 2 November 2013

The Gugulethu Jazz Festival 2013 has been cancelled amidst frustration from members of the public who bought tickets and no official word from the event organisers.

One of the Bush Radio presenters, Sive Msolo who was at the venue where the festival is supposed to take place said he was told by Platmedia management that they are experiencing problems with sound equipment are the venue. They would only know within two hours if the event would go ahead or not. This was at 5pm and the event was scheduled to start at 10am.

The unnamed Platmedia Management official also said that they are not aware of artists pulling out of the event as speculated by the media in the last week. Artists, like Zahara, Thandiswa Mazwai and Simphiwe Dana who names where on the bill organised by Platmedia Management said on the social media network, twitter that they were not performing or had not be paid to perform at the event.Bush Radio was a media sponsor for the festival and according to the station’s Managing Director Brenda Leonard they were approached to do a competition, giving away tickets and give some airtime to promote the artists.

“We are not the organisers of the concert. The organisers are PLATMEDIA Group (Pty) Ltd and people who paid for tickets should contact them.

We would like to apologise to our listeners that won tickets via the competition we ran, and by wasting their time by going to an unorganised festival,” Leonard added.

The station tried several times to contact Platmedia group, Managing Director, Shaun Sishuba for comment by as yet he has not returned the station’s calls.

Win tickets to the Gugulethu Jazz Festival

Bush Radio and the Gugulethu Jazz Festival* is giving 10 listeners the opportunity to win a set of double tickets to attend the Gugulethu Jazz Festival this weekend.

If you would like to see the likes of Mi Casa, Zamajobe, Zahara, Jimmy Dludlu, Simphiwe Dana, Thandiswa Mazwai, Selaelo Selota, Mafikizolo and many more check out the programme on the Gugulethu Jazz Festival Facebook page and decide which day you would like to attend.

To enter this lucky draw, sms:

GUGS (+ which day you would like to attend) Sat/Sun + your name to 32158.

The closing date for entry into the lucky draw is Thursday, 31 October 2013 at 3pm.

Winners names will be announced on Backchat after the 3:30 pm news headlines that day.

You must be able to collect your tickets on Friday the 1 November 2013 between 8am + 5pm!

SMS costs R1 and free minutes do not apply.

*Bush Radio is not an organiser of the event – queries around the lineup and programme of events should be directed to the PLATMEDIA Group (Pty) Ltd on 021 828 2350

Saluting the women who build the nation

Busisiwe Mtabane, presenter of Sakhisizwe interviewing Mildred Mme Lesiae

On Tuesday the 9^th August 2011, Bush Radio 89.5FM celebrated National Women’s day at Mildred ‘Mme’ Lesiae’s house in Gugulethu. Mme is one of the leading women who organised a women’s march on the 9^th August 1956 from Cape Town to Pretoria.

The four-hour emotional event was attended by more than 25 women of different ages, and two of our shows Sakhisizwe by Busisiwe Mtabane and Backchat by Lelethu Mquqo were broadcast from Mme’s house.

The young women interviewed by Lelethu Mquqo were, from left to right, Zimasa Ndzule, Siphokazi Xameni, Nothando Zama Zantsi, Philiswa Saliwa, Siyasanga Ndlwana and Busisiwe Rhafu.

According to Bush Radio’s Managing Director Brenda Leonard, the purpose of the event was to give all veterans the opportunity to tell their stories and for young people to learn from it.

The wise and old women took us back to the struggles and challenges they faced under the apartheid regime, telling us stories of the bad treatment they received in various places of work.

Lelethu Mquqo for Backchat, interviewing Grace de Klerk

Lelethu Mquqo, presenter of Backchat, said: “The event was uplifting and very inspirational; I was overwhelmed by the wisdom of the older women. The younger women I interviewed however gave me hope that not all is lost and there are some young people who are continuing with the struggle.”

‘It was very interesting and inspiring to talk to these women and we need more of these events,” said Busisiwe Mtabane, presenter of the Sakhisizwe show.

The veterans were joined by three young women who shared their experiences in the new democratic South Africa. Zimasa Ndzule; Public Relations student at Cape Peninsula University of Technology, said: “The event was very touching and it made me realise how I should appreciate and acknowledge my mother who made me the woman I am today.”

Tammy Fisher, Bush Radio production assistant, with ANC Women's League veterans; Florrie De Villiers and Dorothy Gopie.

The Bush Radio 89.5FM Women’s Day event touched the lives of all those who tuned into the show. The saying “you strike a woman, you strike a rock”, was indeed a true reflection of the spirit of togetherness amongst women.

Mme, a very wise woman, who invested a great amount of time into the fight for women liberation said: “Alone you can’t do it, we were six people and started an organisation, it spread and many women joined in because we were able to mobilise and it became a home to many people.”