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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau

COMMUNITY radios are an important devolution tool as they play a critical development role at grassroots level, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana said yesterday.

Mr Mangwana said this after a familiarisation visit to Beitbridge-Shashe Community Radio Station (Venda).

Government has granted broadcasting licences to 14 community radio stations as it seeks to address issues of communication and underdevelopment in some parts of the country.

Mr Mangwana said it was also very critical for community radios to amass as much content as possible so that they broadcast meaningful and helpful programmes.

He said Government and its agencies had spent US$40 000 to set up the Beitbridge-Shashe community radio which should be on air by Wednesday next week.

“This is a community station and we expect the community to play an active role in defining content and the developmental issues around this area,” he said.

Mr Mangwana said the radio station has been receiving support from many stakeholders and he also urged the corporate world to be actively involved as part of their community social responsibility programmes.

“We want to ensure that besides being on air, these radios stations are sustainably run hence the need to involve everyone around this area”, he said.

Mr Mangwana said community radios will help nurture talent and present a converging point for people to find answers to development questions.

He said some radio stations were facing challenges but Government was committed to ensure that all those licensed are on air as scheduled.

Matabeleland South Province got four licences for community radio stations to broadcast in Venda, Sotho, Kalanga and Ndebele languages.

“As the Government we are encouraging stakeholders of these radio stations to work hard to go on air and according to our laws, they have 18 months to do so.

“We will make sure that everyone is broadcasting within the set timeframes. In essence, we can’t be issuing out licences to revoke them,” said Mr Mangwana.

He expressed optimism that most of the radio stations will go on air soon and that they will cover a radius of 40km. Radio transmitters are being installed at convenient mobile telecommunications boosters to ensure total coverage.

The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe’s technical manager, Engineer Mathias Chakanyuka said they had started training volunteers who will be working at the Beitbridge-Shashe Community Radio Station.

“We have covered issues to do with content creation, production with the volunteers and also trained some of the board members on governance issues,” he said.

“In addition, as an organisation, we have procured the studio equipment and we are confident that the radio station will be on air by December 7”.

The radio’s board secretary, Mr Mbongeleni Muleya said they were working hard to make sure they start broadcasting as scheduled.

He commended the Second Republic for recognising the importance of pushing development from the grassroots level.

Mr Muleya said the community had long been waiting to have a radio station that speaks their language and broadcasting programmes that relate to issues affecting them.

“This is a milestone development for us and we are grateful for the recognition and help we are getting from the Government and its players in setting up this initiative,” said Mr Muleya.

Renowned local master of ceremony MC Peshy, real name Miss Patience Moyo, said community radio stations were important in raising awareness and promoting development as well as gender mainstreaming countrywide.

“This radio station will help the community to get news and information faster than before and also educate the local people on issues around the local language and culture preservation,” said Miss Roita Mbedzi of Tshaswingo of Ward Three. -@tupeyo