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Thupeyo Muleya, [email protected]

Since independence, the community of Beitbridge, like any other place at the country’s border areas, has been yearning for access to broadcasting and related communication facilities.

The larger part of the district has been receiving radio and television signals from South Africa and Botswana, while some sections were covered by the national television and radio stations.

The district borders Botswana and South Africa (Shashe and Limpopo Rivers) on the west and South Africa on the east (Limpopo River).

Such an arrangement created a void in the country’s communication matrix to the extent that some people in the very remote side of the district were well versed with current affairs in neighbouring countries at the expense of the Zimbabwean story.

However, this challenge has become a story of the past as the Second Republic licensed 14 language-based Community Radio Stations (CRS) nationwide a few years ago.

The move is part of the drive by President Mnangagwa to leave no one and no place behind on national development as the country drifts towards the envisaged Vision 2030.

The 14 CRS were granted broadcasting licenses to help address issues of communication and underdevelopment in some parts of the country.

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

In Beitbridge, Lotsha FM which was licensed under the Beitbridge Shashe Community Broadcasting Service, has become the most sought-after platform for discussing local matters, education and  entertainment. It is also a vehicle for development.

The station broadcasts mainly in TshiVenda language and can be found on the 90.1 FM frequency within 70km of the district.

The CRS was launched on February 18 last year by then Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa.

During a recent visit to Beitbridge, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana said community radios are critical in pushing developmental issues from the grassroots level in line with the devolution concept.

He said it was also very critical for community radios to amass as much content as possible so that they broadcast meaningful and helpful programmes for people in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

Mr Mangwana said the Government and its agencies had spent US$40 000 to set up the Beitbridge Shashe Community radio.

Lotsha FM station manager, Miss Progress Moyo, said the community had long been waiting to have a radio station that speaks their language and relates to their context.

She said in the last 12 months, the CRS had become an important vehicle for development and preservation of the TshiVenda culture.

Miss Moyo said they will continue tailor-making programmes that fit into the local community and national development matrix.

“We have community programmes that bring together community members, their leaders, local authorities, Government departments, development agencies among others to discuss issues and identify solutions,” she said.

“At the same time, we have become the leading source of information telling our own story in a language that everyone here understands and its bearing fruits as we continue to grow in terms of listener-ship daily.

“We have mostly youths and women volunteering their services at the radio station and we are nurturing their talent in broadcasting. In fact, this is a milestone development for us and we are grateful for the recognition and help we are getting from the government and its partners.”

A young journalist volunteering at the station as both producer and news writer, Miss Muvhuso Chibi said the radio station had created a platform for youths to explore their talents and promote development and gender mainstreaming countrywide.

“The Beitbridge radio station (Lotsha FM 90.1) is one important facility to us as artistes. For example, I have managed to build a strong fan base from rural parts of Beitbridge where I know the internet for the people to stream our music online is a challenge; with radio they just tune in. 

“This project has also helped the community as a reliable source of news and the community is learning more from their enriched programmes,” said multi-award winning artiste, Gift Ndlovu, popularly known as Bhadilah in the music sector.

Beitbridge town clerk, Mr Loud Ramakgapola said the radio station has been a centre of interaction and communication within and around the town.

He said it was now easy for the council to spread and pass information about things happening in the town.

“The municipality has taken a slot to ensure we keep in touch with the community and thus far this has been very useful to us,” said Mr Ramakgapola.

Former Beitbridge Mayor, Mr Munyaradzi Chitsunge said the CRS has provided a platform to inform people on council services and help in troubleshooting service delivery challenges.

Among other issues, he said, the station was key in fighting communicable diseases including cholera, addressing issues of immigration procedures for residents and visitors in transit through the town.

The district’s head of Agritex, Masauso Mawocha said: “We are happy to have such a medium that is accessible and has done well in informing local farmers about programmes being implemented by our ministry.

“We also share early warning messages and advisories, farmers crop and livestock production issues, through them and the farmers are being given an opportunity to interact with our department, asking questions and getting instant technical responses. In the process, farmers have received relevant training through the community radio station.”

Beitbridge Rural District Council (BBRDC) chairperson, Councillor Oscar Chiromo said Lotsha FM has given a voice to many people in the area who are now able to air their opinions on what matters to them.

“This radio station has helped most Government departments to interact with community members in their vernacular language and this is important if we are to successfully implement community development projects,” said an environmentalist, Mrs Nompumelelo Chigwinya.

The administrative officer in the District Development Co-ordinator’s (DDC) office, Mr Jahson Mugodzwa who is assigned to attend Civil Protection issues said all those communities that have radio coverage are able to get important updates regarding the Government’s programmes on the ground.

“For example, during the polio vaccination campaign, when teams got to the ground word had already reached the communities through radio,” he said.

“In terms of early warnings, now the radio translates the weather forecast from English to the local language understood by many people which assists in day to day planning.

“Government departments are regularly invited to shed light on their activities and how they positively impact people. The number of callers during such programmes is a clear testimony that the people appreciate the community radio station,” he said. —@tupeyo