Listen to your heart – remembering Zane Ibrahim (23 June 1941 to 19 May 2014)

Today marks Zane Ibrahim’s 73rd birthday – we have been receiving many tributes to him via our Facebook group and from emails sent to the station from around the world since we announced his passing – including from Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and local tabloid Die Son.

Bush Radio would also like to thank Voice of the Cape and Radio 786 for helping to spread the word of Zane’s passing.

Many people have been asking about a memorial for Zane and we are consulting with his family as to how to best celebrate Zane’s life and will post details once these have been finalised.

We thought we’d share a few of the messages that have come to us and the tributes paid to Zane via other media. Click on the pictures to view the original post.

From the Cape Argus Life section

The famed managing director of South Africa’s Bush Radio has died. The current program manager at Bush Radio tells Carol about Zane Ibrahim’s legacy.

“We have only been free for a few years and look at what we have built here. The US has been free for 200 years and your laws still prevent people from building places like Bush Radio?”

He shocked us with what is now his much quoted saying ’90% community. 10% radio’ but as debate flew around the room we soon saw how right he is.

The Prince Claus Fund is saddened by the news of the passing of Zane Ibrahim of Bush Radio, recipient of the 2000 Prince Claus Award.

In die mediawêreld was hy ook ’n bekende reus wat aktief was by baie radiostasies regoor die wêreld.

Zane Ibrahim jets in to become Radio Fast Train guest of honour

The Road to community radio

10 years of community radio – and the women who got me started

Community radio in post-apartheid South Africa: The case of Bush Radio in Cape Town

Bush Radio’s Zane Ibrahim detained and interrogated for 12 hours at US airport

US agents grill Cape radio man

Zane Ibrahim of Bush Radio in Belfast

Community radio is ninety percent about community and ten percent about radio

Tarzan doesn’t live here any more

Zane Ibrahim – 23 June 1941 to 19 May 2014

Zane Ibrahim, Bush Radio’s former Managing Director from 1996 to 2010 and the man who led the station through some stormy and great times, has died.

We have no words at this time to describe the pain of our loss and the vacuum his passing leaves.

Our thoughts are with his family and friends.

You are welcome to share your thoughts, memories and tributes here.

Related:

Zane Ibrahim jets in to become Radio Fast Train guest of honour

The Road to community radio

10 years of community radio – and the women who got me started

Community radio in post-apartheid South Africa: The case of Bush Radio in Cape Town

Bush Radio’s Zane Ibrahim detained and interrogated for 12 hours at US airport

US agents grill Cape radio man

Zane Ibrahim of Bush Radio in Belfast

Community radio is ninety percent about community and ten percent about radio

Tarzan doesn’t live here any more

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.”

Keeping your voice heard (Sentech & Community Radio)

From Bush Radio Managing Director, Brenda Leonard to all listeners and supporters.

You have probably heard the disturbing news that over 60 community radio and some community television stations across South Africa will have their broadcasting services terminated by Sentech due to the arrears owed by these stations. 

I wish to assure our listeners, friends and supporters that, fortunately, Bush Radio will not be one of these stations. We have managed, through loans and the support of the Department of Communications, to pay our fees to Sentech.

However, we still need to continue with these high monthly payments, and we ask you or your organisations, if you can, in whichever way, to support the station.

This crisis faced by community media raises the issue of the impact of the current economic crisis on media, especially community media.

All businesses have been hard-hit, their advertising campaigns have been cut to the bone, leaving community media out of the loop with potential advertisers. The same is true of funders, who have either cut their budgets or changed their funding priorities. 

Community media needs the assistance of government, civil society, the NGO community and business to ensure its survival as a vital service for the upliftment or the various communities they serve.

In the meantime, we ask our listeners, friends and supporters if you have any fundraising ideas, place a comment with your details below, or email ideas@bushradio.co.za . If you would like to make a donation, please see our bank details here.

We thank you for your contribution.

Yours sincerely

Brenda Leonard