Pretoria - Communications Minister Faith Muthambi is set to be a guest speaker at a gala dinner to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of Giyani Community Radio (GCR) on the airwaves.
The Minister will also address guests including American Ambassador Patrick Gaspard, Limpopo Premier Stanley Mathabatha and the CEOs of Sentech and the Media Diversity and Development Agency (MDDA).
GCR FM, which started broadcasting on April 18, 2014 is celebrating its two years of broadcasting under the theme ‘Looking at the role and importance of community media within our communities’.
Minister Muthambi is expected to touch on the role of community media as a catalyst for development. According to the Minister, community radio can facilitate national conversations and provide platforms for ordinary citizens to make their voices heard.
“Community radio can play a vital role in our joint vision of building a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous society. Community radio belongs to the community so as government, we expect these radio stations to be a conduit for continuous dialogue on a range of pressing issues such as making local government everybody’s responsibility, safety, health, education, employment and rural development,” she said.
Over 140 community radio stations have been licensed and many of these are operating. However, an estimated 90 - 100 municipalities are without a community radio station.
In this regard, the Department of Communications (DoC) will work with the MDDA to provide support to community radio stations by providing infrastructure to new radio stations, whose licences were granted but not issued prior to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) issuing the moratorium on community radio licences.
GCR FM was established by Giyani residents. The station has a 50km broadcasting radius, which covers the following areas: Greater Giyani Municipality, Vhembe and Mopani District Municipalities.
The station broadcasts for 24 hours a day in Xitsonga, English, Tshivenda and Northern Sotho. - SAnews.gov.za
