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Radio fan and pioneer EE Mudzuli (65) of Masisi is alive and kicking.

We managed to track down the number one fan of Radio Venda

 

“Where is Edzisani Edison Mudzuli?” radio lovers have been asking themselves for the past 20 years.

Famously known as EE Mudzuli, FM ya Masisi, the man was one of the most popular fans of the then Radio Venda and Phalaphala FM who used to participate in almost all programmes on Radio Venda, ranging from Ndumeliso, Tshibulebule, Ho lila mini and Mabikele, to Bvumbani mbalo and Bvumbani ipfi.

For the past three years, Limpopo Mirror has been trying to find him. We finally managed to track him to his home village of Masisi, outside Musina.

“I’m happy that you finally found me, so that radio lovers should know that I’m still well, alive and kicking. I am now 65 years old, and I no longer have that energy I had when I involved myself in radio. Those years I was still young. Things were tough those days, because technology was not there and we used to do everything manually,” said Mudzuli.

He described how he used to travel by bus to Sibasa to buy postcards as no telephones and fax machines were available then. “The postcards cost less than R1 in the early seventies when I started participating in activities. I had to buy as many postcards as possible, because Sibasa Post Office was very far from our village, and the bus did not come to our area every day. There were no other post offices around. After buying the postcards, I had to complete them and post them the same day because it was a difficult task to travel back to Sibasa, which is about 90km from Masisi.”

Mudzuli added that he used to win some prizes, ranging from R5 to R15. “It was a great honour to win those prizes because my name was always on radio. I still remember some of the big presenters’ names whom I used to send postcards to, to be used in their programmes. These include Vevisa Ramunenyiwa, Tereka Ramanala, Gideon Gidimani Mushiana, Vasco Manavhela, T.J. Munonde, Stinka Munaka Ramunenyiwa, Hyson Musandiwa, Mukumba Sono and Mpho Nefale, who ended up calling me Muimeli wa Radio Venda Devhula ha Transvaal.”

He said he would never forget his colleagues such as T by T Thathaisa, Doctor William Ramagwa, Mutshokotshoko Mavhodze, Quick Phaswana, JC Kaunda, Philly Jones Matshaya, Joseph Tseisa, and Simon Fhasiasikule Mavhaga, to name but a few. “They also represented their areas on radio, and we worked very hard to build the image of Radio Venda, which later became Phalaphala FM. I salute them for their dedication because, like me, they worked very diligently and successfully at a time when there were no resources at all.”

Mudzuli said he posted his last postcard to the radio in 2000. “I love radio with all my heart, but I’m now old. I have paved the way for the young generation, and they can now proudly enjoy the fruits of our hard labour because they can now access radio in the comfort of their homes due to technology. I am happy that I have played my part and radio is now a big institution because of our contributions.”

 

 

Date:24 April 2021

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