Deputy Minister in the Presidency Kenny Morolong has praised UCR FM for its three decades of service to communities in the Eastern Cape, describing the community broadcaster as an important platform for information, dialogue and local development.
Morolong was speaking at UCR FM’s 30th anniversary gala dinner in Mthatha on Friday, where he said the station had grown from a modest university initiative into a trusted community broadcaster reaching more than 450 000 listeners.
UCR FM was established following the vision of the late Professor Tokollo Moleah, then Vice-Chancellor of the University of Transkei, to create a platform for the voices of people in the province to be heard, Morolong said.
“What began as a modest campus initiative soon grew beyond the boundaries of the university,” he said, describing UCR FM as a broadcaster that had become part of the daily lives of people in homes, taxis, workplaces and villages across the province.
Morolong said the station’s longevity was particularly significant given the financial pressures facing community media, including declining advertising revenue, rising operating costs and the rapid shift towards digital media.
He attributed UCR FM’s survival and growth to its leadership, staff, volunteers, listeners and the communities it serves.
The Deputy Minister highlighted the station’s programming model, which consists of 60% talk and 40% music. He said the balance had allowed UCR FM to combine entertainment with discussions on issues affecting its audience.
Its multilingual programming in isiXhosa, English, Sesotho and isiZulu was another strength, Morolong said, arguing that access to information in languages people understand and trust was central to government’s communication efforts.
He said UCR FM had gone beyond its role as a broadcaster by giving communities space to share their stories, concerns, achievements and aspirations, while contributing to local development and social cohesion.
Morolong used the anniversary event to reaffirm government’s commitment to strengthening the community media sector.
He said the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) had supported hundreds of community media initiatives across radio, television and print, with assistance aimed at improving governance, developing skills, upgrading infrastructure and promoting long-term sustainability.
He also announced that the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) was finalising a Media Buying Policy intended to give effect to the provision in the Government Communication Policy that "30% of government advertising expenditure should be allocated to community media".
According to Morolong, the measure would help improve the financial sustainability of community radio, television and print outlets.
“We do not see community media as an optional extra to South Africa’s media landscape,” he said, calling it a critical partner in deepening democracy, expanding access to information, strengthening social cohesion and advancing development.
Community radio and constitutional democracy
Morolong linked UCR FM’s anniversary to the 30th anniversary of South Africa’s Constitution, saying community radio provided a practical expression of constitutional rights such as freedom of expression, access to information and meaningful participation in public life.
He said community broadcasters provided platforms for women, young people, workers and people with disabilities to participate in shaping their communities.
“In many ways, our community radio sector really is constitutional democracy at work,” Morolong said.
The Deputy Minister also reflected on other major historical milestones being commemorated this year, including 50 years since the 1976 youth uprising, 70 years since the 1956 Women’s March and 60 years since the forced removals from District Six.
He said these milestones formed part of South Africa’s journey from apartheid to a society based on equality, dignity and human rights.
Morolong said the commemorations were aligned with the national Milestones of Freedom Campaign, launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa under the theme, “Honouring the Past. Delivering the Future.”
He said the campaign was also a call to strengthen service delivery, deepen social cohesion and ensure that the benefits of democracy reached communities across the country.
Morolong said UCR FM’s impact could also be measured by the opportunities it had created for aspiring media professionals.
The station, he said, had provided a platform for local artists, entrepreneurs, educators, faith-based organisations, traditional leaders, young people and community activists.
He singled out former UCR FM figures who had gone on to establish careers in the national media and public sector, including Sizwe Kupelo, Mthunzi Mhaga, Zintle Mbusi, Monwabisi Bangi, Busi Zide and Baphilise Manduluka.
Their careers, he said, formed part of the station’s enduring legacy of developing talent and opening opportunities for young people. – SAnews.gov.za
