Southside FM Radion "Information" Meeting

Ms Thirupuriesundrie Govender We wish to report that our "information" meeting for prospective Presenters, advertising representatives and others interested in joining Soutthside FM Radio at the Mount Edgecombe Mariammen Cultural Centre on Sunday, July 28 2013 was a highly successful and rewarding event. In addition to a number of enthusiastic young people keen on becoming Presenters, the event was also graced by the attendance of Mrs Sally Padaychie, a Management Committee member of Southside FM Radio and wife of the late Minister Roy Padaychie; Mr Swaminathan Gounden, another MC Committee member and veteran activist; Mr Seelan Archary, chairman of the Mount Edgecomnbe Mariammen Temple; Mr Krish Govender, a well-known cultural enthusiast; and Mr Enver Govender of Chennai News. Our talented Tamil scholar and official, Ms Thirupuriesundrie Govender, was the Master of Ceremonies. SSFM deputy chairperson, Mr Richard Naidoo, started the proceedings with a brief introduction. The main addresses were given by Mr Subry Govender and Ms Keresha Govender, while Mr Sadha Govender of PSK Communications gave a talk about the importance of audio streaming and a website for SSFM. Mr Sadha Govender also promised to help SSFM with the audio streaming and website. Ms Vasanthie Naidoo of Government Communications gave a detailed account of how SSFM could benefit from the programmes undertaken by GCIS. Another young cultural enthusiast and marketing professional, Mr Kamalasen Padaychee, assisted with the Power Point Presentation of the addresses by Mr Subry Govender and Ms Keresha Govender. Mr Padaychie's wife, Gowrie, also assisted by being our photographer for the day. Another young member, Mr Sumeshen Moodley, delivered the vote of thanks. Mrs Pree Govender of the SABC, who was to have delivered a paper on the importance of building our music libraray, was unable to attend because of ill-health.

Ms Keresha Govender A few members of the audience also took part by inquiring about when SSFM will launch and the necessity for Presenters to be selected and trained as soon as possible. An assurance was given by SSFM that we would launch as soon as Sentech completes the testing of the frequency in Durban and that Sentech as given an assurance that this would be done within a matter of weeks. An inquiry was also made about the premises where SSFM would be situated and the people were informed that currently we have two premises that have been offered to us. They were the Mariammen Cultural Centre in Mount Edgcombe and the ABH in Chatsworth. Those interested were ask to inform SSFM about which premises would be most attractive and suitable. For a detailed account of the history and structure of SSFM, we list below the presentations by Mr Subry Govender and Ms Keresha Govender: INTRODUCTORY SPEECH AT INFORMATION MEETING AT MOUNT EDGECOMBE CULTURAL CENTRE ON JULY 28 2013 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ By Subry Govender Before I go into details of our meeting here today, I wish to briefly dwelve into our history in order to place the establishment of Southside FM Radio in its proper perspective. Those of you who watched the movie, Paradesi, recently, would have learnt about the exploitation, oppression, gross abuse and denial of human rights of the people who were recruited to work as labourers on the Tea Estates in Tamil Nadu by the British colonialists long before India gained its independence in 1947. The abuse suffered by the tea estate workers brought to mind the suffering, exploitation and abuse that our forefathers and mothers encountered on the sugar estates here in the Natal colony. We are meeting here in Mount Edgecombe, which was one the sugar estates along the north coast and the south coast that our forbears were enslaved in when they were brought here by the British as so-called indentured labourers. So Mount Edgecombe has historical importance for our people. Despite the suffering, exploitation and hardships, our forbears persevered to ensure that they retained, maintained and promoted their cultures, languages, traditions and their religions. It was also through their struggles, sacrifices and efforts that we are free today in our new, non-racial and democratic South Africa. It was through their efforts that we are proud of our achievements in all spheres of life - education, business, social development, sport, culture - in fact in almost aspects of life. There are many organisations and movements all over the country and province that are doing everything in their power and capability to ensure that our rich cultures, music, traditions, languages, values, and principles are promoted and maintained. But the reality is that at the same time we are swamped by western culture and if we don't do something to have a medium to promote our rich cultures, languages and traditions - we would in time to come be a lost community. At the same time while a small percentage of people have done very well in the new South Africa, a large percentage have become victims of all kinds anti-social phenomena which is plaguing all communities.

Mr Sadha Govender NEED FOR A RADIO STATION -------------------------------------------- It was because of this situation that a few of us - Mr Balan Gounder of the Merebank Tamil School School Society; Mr Swaminathan Gounden, a former political activist; Mr Seelan Archary, of the Mount Edgecombe Mariammen Temple; Ms Thirupuriesundrie Govender, a cultural activist; Ms Keresha Govender, a concerned cultural activist, and a few others decided in 2009 - at a time when preparations had been made to observe the 150th anniversary of the arrival of our forbears - to establish a radio station to cater for all descendants of indentured labourers whose mother tongues were Tamil and Telegu. Over the past FOUR YEARS a lot of work has been undertaken to launch of our radio station. We had been able to obtain a licence for five years through the efforts of the late former Cabinet Minister - Roy Padaychie; register ourselves as a NPO; raise some funds, interact with most cultural and political leaders and the community in general. But the main need of a frequency had become a problem and this had caused delays in our launch. After persistent and consistent negotiations with a number of role players and important people of the ruling party in Parliament, we have been able to convince the authorities that we are entitled to establish a cultural and social radio station for our community. We have now reached a stage where ICASA has promised us that this frequency will be finalised soon in the Durban area. This is in addition to the south coast and Pietermaritzburg regions that have already been granted to us.

Ms Vasanthie Naidoo (GCIS) LATEST SITUATION ------------------------------ We have now reached a stage where we are busy with building our studio and equipping our office and finalising our premises. At the same time we now want to move into a stage where we want to inform prospective presenters and other staff members of the progress and developments. MY colleague, Ms Keresha Govender, will now give you a clear understanding of the aims and aspirations of the radio station and the staff that will be involved.

Two young prospective Presenters INPUT BY MS KERESHA GOVENDER ------------------------------------------------------- Ladies and gentlemen thank you very much for attending this information meeting. Firstly, we want to highlight the aims and objectives of Southside FM Radio: 1. To unify our South Indian Community and to allow them the opportunity to re-engage with their culture 2. To provide equal opportunity to all members interested in furthering the South Indian culture through open forum and channels of communication. 3. To create an overlap of equal understanding across cultural/ religous boundries to facilitate our common thread of humanitarianism. 4. To highlight and promote the cultures, traditions and linguistic needs of the south Indian-origin community. 5. To feature up to date music of South Indian origin and collaborations thereof. 6. To provide news and current affairs related to the community and the broader South Africa, south India, India in general and the international community. 7. To ensure that the south Indian-origin community, while promoting its cultures and languages, also promotes itself as a full part of the broader South African community. 8. To be a role model for the community in so far as maintaining and promoting the social values, morals and principles of community and selfless sacrifice. 9. To introduce learning programmes to encourage cross language integration and understanding, so that the community will be able to speak and communicate in other languages eg. Isizulu. 10. In addition to launching a radio station, Southside FM will also be involved in television, ICT and other technology in promoting the cultures, music, traditions and languages of the south Indian-origin people in South Africa. 11. To provide an effective platform for our youth to engage with aspects of the South Indian-origin community that they will be able to relate to. 12. To engage in active community development and outreach programmes as initiatives of the collective South Indian-origin community.

Kamalasen Padaychee and his wife, Gowrie PROGRAMME SCHEDULE --------------------------------------- Initially Southside FM Radio will broadcast from 6am to 9pm on weekdays and from 6am to mid-night at weekends. When the need arises we will consider a 24-hour programme. The people we have identified for the smooth running of our station, include: 1. Manager/Editor 2. Programming Content Manager 3. Hr/ Training and Recruitment Co-ordinator 4. Receptionist/Secretary/Financial Controller 5. Marketing /Advertising representatives 6. Five weekday free-lance presenters. 7. Six Saturday free-lance presenters. 8. Five Sunday free-lance presenters. 9. Free-lance reporters. 10. Music compiler. All presenters will work on a voluntary basis until we reach a stage where we become self-sufficient. The advertising representatives will work on commission basis. The reporters will also work on a free-lance basis. The presenters who are chosen will undergo professional training before going on air. Presenters will be expected to have some knowledge of Tamil and Telugu and will also have to have a thorough understanding of the social, economical and political developments in their region, city, province, nationally and internationally. The same applies to news and sports reporters. Every programme will be three hours long and presenters will have to research their contents and discuss them with the station/ programme manager. The presenters will have to have a professional and engaging voice, be knowledgeable, aware, and interested in the environment in which we live. MUSIC COMPILER ---------------------------- Ms Pree Govender of the SABC will help us to build our music library alongside the person who will help us voluntarily in this department. The music will comprise modern songs, hits of the past, folk and traditional and whatever will be of interest to our community.

Two young prospective Presenters ROAD AHEAD --------------------- Southside FM Radio will be the voice of the people and every effort will be undertaken to involve the community through talk shows and telephone call-ins. Please note that we will only start once all our presenters are thoroughly professional. The presenters will be our public relations officers and they will have to make a difference on air. Finally, it must be understood that all those presenters and others who want to become involved must be committed to making a difference in the community in which we live. ends - SSFM