On Friday 5 May 2023, The Media Development & Diversity Agency (MDDA), led by the Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Ms Nomasonto Motaung, will unveil the brand-new state-of-the-art broadcast studios at Maputaland Community Radio107.6 FM, in Jozini, uMkhanyakude District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa.
The Maputaland Community Radio station is based in uMkhanyakude district municipality in the Kwazulu-Natal province. It broadcasts in isiZulu (75%), Xitsonga (2%), Siswati (3%) and English (20%). Maputaland Community Radio’s pay offline is “Gqama laph’ khona,” in English it means, shine wherever you are.
The station was founded by three community members who were affiliated to an NGO called Maputaland Youth Development Agency. The team wanted a community radio platform that would address the communication gaps between the community and the local government structures.
The challenges that were identified were: poor road infrastructure, poor telecommunication services and poor cellular network services. This community was completely closed off from getting news and information from the rest of the country, since they did not even have a community newspaper circulating in the area. The illiteracy numbers were very high, as people were starved of information and reading material.
The IBA granted the Maputaland Community radio station a one-month trial basis broadcasting license in December 2000. The community radio station was finally granted a 4-year license on 15 June 2002. It has been on air since then and has stood the test of time in this sector which is plagued by compliance and other management issues.
As the MDDA celebrates 20 years of diversifying community media, we will also celebrate the milestone of Maputaland CRS as one of the first projects to be funded by the MDDA in 2005/6 financial year.
The new state-of the art studios will elevate the quality of broadcasting, making it appealing to potential partners and propel Maputaland Community Radio 107.6 FM to even greater heights.
The unveiling of State-of-the-Art Studios is scheduled as follows:
Date: Friday, 5 May 2023
Time: 9h00-13h00
Venue: B8474 Nandi Street, Jozini, KwaZulu-Natal.
Enquiries:
Rudzani Tshigemane
E-mail: Rudzani@mdda.org.za
Cell: 068 104 0984
