Makhado FM's AGM promises a bright future

Makhado FM, the community radio station based in Louis Trichardt, held its annual general meeting (AGM), where all stakeholders such as the board of directors and community representatives were present, on Saturday.

The chairperson of the board of directors, Mr Thinandavha Matsa, gave a report on the station’s successes, milestones and challenges the past year.

“As a board of directors that started in 2014, to date we are still committed to seeing to it that the station grows,” Matsa said. “Our mandate is to foster social improvement and community development by bringing information, entertainment and educational programmes to the community, and that’s exactly what we managed to achieve in the 2016/2017 radio year.”

Matsa said that the station was fully complying with its licence conditions. “As per our broadcasting licence, languages are allocated as follows: 60% Tshivenda, 20% Xitsonga, 10% Afrikaans, 5% Sepedi and 5% English,” he said. He said that the radio station’s main focus was the promotion of human rights, social justice and community cultural development by equipping its target audience with the knowledge to improve their lives by making informed decisions through its programmes.

Meanwhile, Makhado FM served as the training ground for young people who were interested in media and journalism. “We unearth and nurture talent,” he said. “In this regard, we have exposed our staff, mostly youths from across our licence area, to new destinations, availed to them new possibilities and horizons through training. For us, that’s a milestone worth celebrating.”

The radio station’s manager, Mr Makonde “Linoni” Mbedzi, indicated that, in promoting local artists, the station would be running a 30-minute programme every Saturday to promote local artists and prepare them for the annual SATMA Awards.

“All inputs given by listeners during a feedback session were also incorporated in the news programme brief,” Mbedzi said. “Listeners indicated their willingness to participate and be involved during shows.”

The chairperson of Makhado FM's Fan Club, Muthufhedzi “Walala wa Sala” Sadiki, encouraged listeners to form fan clubs to support the station. Another board member of the radio station, Pastor Livingston Simango, encouraged businesspeople to advertise their services and products on the radio station. He stated that Makhado FM was a community radio station and as such served the community.

The AGM was attended by ward committee members from 38 wards, the local business forum, tourism association, transport association, station managers from other community radio stations and other community stakeholders.

The MDDA's representative, Mr Sifiso Maphanga, the Department of Communications’ Mr Robert Makatu, NCRF LIMPOPO's Ms Modjadjie Mphela, MEDIA CONNEXION's Mr Mike Lunika and ICASA's Mr Maano Dzebu all gave messages of support.

Date:06 March 2017

By: Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.

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