SOUTHSIDE FM RADIO HAS AT LAST BEEN GRANTED A LICENCE AND FREQUENCY TO START BROADCASTING AFTER MORE THAN 10 YEARS OF HARD STRUGGLE, SWEAT AND SACRIFICES

(Art design by Kamalasen Padyachee) It has been a long, arduous and nerve-wracking struggle over the past 10 years to obtain a licence and frequency for our long, overdue radio station, Southside FM Radio. Now, after a relentless battle and representations to government, political leaders, even the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications, and other role players over the past decade, we have at last been given the 107.2 FM frequency. The frequency will cover the greater Durban Metropolitan region, Chatsworth, Phoenix, Verulam, Tongaat, Stanger, Amanzimtoti, Umkomaas, Umzinto, Port Shepstone, Kloof, Pinetown, Hammarsdale, Newlands East, Mount Edgecombe and KwaMashu. The latest developments came about after our Chairperson, Ms Sally Padaychie, recently made representations to the Acting Chairperson of ICASA, Dr Kea Modimoeng; and after two top-level meetings were held with ICASA’s senior officials in Durban on November 27 and at ICASA’s headquarters in Centurion on December 4 (2019).

(Dr M Sooboo (in the forefront) with Mr Marie Ramaya-Pillay, Mr Deva Ponnoosamy and Mr Subry Govender at the meeting with senior ICASA officials in Centurion on Dec 4 2019) Following the meeting with ICASA’s top officials in Centurion, our Board of Governors, headed by Ms Sally Padaychie, decided at a meeting on Friday, December 6, that we would now embark on all the necessary steps to start broadcasting as soon as possible.

(Dr Dilly Naidoo, Sally Padaychie, Subry Govender, Richard Naidoo, Deven Moodley and Swaminathan Gounden at a meeting on Dec 6 2019. Missing from the photo is Mr Logan Naidoo) The Board of Governors adopted the following resolutions: 1. That our premises would be based at 59 Musgrave Road, Durban. 2. That we would commence construction with our studios and office immediately. 3. That we would finalise negotiations with Sentech for the transmission of our radio station. 4. That we would also utilise the internet to transmit our radio station to areas not covered by the 107.2 FM frequency. 5. That we would start recruiting our presenters/DJs and other necessary personnel. 6. That we would start training our presenters/DJs. 7. That we would take all the necessary steps to plan the launch of our radio station within a period of three months as from January 1 2020. We are certain that you all understand the immense struggles we have been through over the past decade to obtain a licence and frequency for Southside FM Radio. Despite the obstacles, disappointments and even sabotage by some elements, our committed Board of Governors persisted with the goal to establish our radio station. In this regard, we want to pay special tribute to our Board members – Ms Sally Padaychie (chairperson), Mr Balan Gounder (deputy chairperson), Mr Richard Naidoo (deputy chairperson), Mr Deven Moodley (treasurer), Mr Denis Naidoo (deputy treasurer), Mr Logan Naidoo, Mr Swaminathan Gounden, Mr Sumeshen Moodley, Mr Richard Govender, Mr Mari Ramaya-Pillay (Johannesburg), Dr M Sooboo (Pretoria), Dr Dilly Naidoo, Mr Kiru Naidoo (PRO) and Mr Subry Govender (Secretary) – for their unstinted commitment to our project over the past decade. We also want to express our sincere thanks and gratitude to our major donors - Mr Logan Naidoo, Mr Singar Nadarajan, Mr Santha Naidoo and Dr Mickey Chetty -; the Merebank Tamil School Society (MTSS) and countless other individuals and organisations for their unyielding support. We also want to express our thanks to individuals such as Mr Deva Ponnoosami of London; Mr Rajen Reddy of KZN Oils; Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize; the late Minister Roy Padaychie; former Minister and current MP, Mr Yunus Carrim; and former Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications, Mr Eric Kholwane, and Mr Nanda Subramoney of T N Civils of Verulam for their full support in our efforts to obtain our frequency. Southside FM Radio, although a Non-Profit Organisation, will aim to be self-sufficient through the sales of advertisements. Southside FM Radio, which was initiated in 2009 to observe and commemorate the arrival, struggles, and progress of our ancestors from India in 1860 as indentured labourers or “slaves”, will promote the values, principles and development of the people from the cane fields of the former Natal Colony to the new South Africa.

(Richard Naidoo, Subry Govender, Swaminathan Gounden, Dr Dilly Naidoo, Deven Moodley, Roxanne Gounden, Sally Padaychie, Logan Naidoo and Kiru Naidoo at the last meeting of Southside on Dec 18 2019) One of our Board members, Dr Dilly Naidoo, highlighted the views of the Board of Governors when he emphasised that the country’s new democratic constitution guaranteed the cultures of all South Africans. He said: “Our new Constitution promotes and ensures respect for all languages commonly used by communities in South Africa, including Tamil and Telegu, among others. “It also bestows the right of cultural, religious and linguistic communities, to enjoy their culture, … and use their language. “Our new constitution also encourages South Africans to form, join and maintain cultural, …and linguistic associations and other organs of civil society”. He added: “We want to emphasise that South Africa is a country where African, European, and Asian cultural traditions have intersected for some three centuries and more, and in which an emerging national culture is being carried and expressed, by means of many different languages. “But presently the bonding of the peoples is at its weakest. High on the agenda, is the task of uniting our emerging nation at the level of culture and ideology. “We, therefore, understand the integrative and unifying dynamics operating in South Africa today, where languages and cultures are merging organically. And we, as the South Indian-origin Community want to see ourselves as being inside this process. “We believe that presently, the technological and social-structural conditions are keeping us out of this process. “None of the channels of communication presently (tv or radio) in operation, adequately cater to the needs of the Tamil and Telegu (South Indian-origin) Communities. This deprives us of the opportunity of sharing, not only our common histories of oppression and slavery, but also the strategies for emancipation and development, and the sharing of culture, music, drama, and our successes and failures, that will contribute to nation building and our common long-term interests.”

(SSFM Dennis Naidoo with ICASA's Norman Gidi March 10 2017) Our goal at Southside FM Radio is to facilitate communication between the different language groups, and to also assist in the nation building, unifying process. This goal is an authentic expression of the unity in our diversity. The Board want to further emphasise that Southside’s objectives as a cultural radio station would be: • To be an authentic, viable broadcaster catering to the needs of the South Indian-origin Community. • To make available South Indian musical culture. • To provide programs aimed at informing, entertaining, educating, empowering and uplifting the community. • To increase our listenership through sound business practices, journalism of the highest calibre and acceptable cultural offerings. • To accommodate community participation in the activities of the station. To offer the opportunity for citizens and organisations to share their musical tastes, their ideas, and their values with other citizens and organisations. • To establish relevant partnerships and alliances to work towards the ideals and values of the station. • To strengthen civil society at large and to work towards the nation building. • Inspire development of local music and the co-operation, interaction, communication and understanding within and between local artists of all colour and denomination.

We want re-iterate our PRINCIPLES/VALUES are: • Trust and Integrity • Inclusion • Independence • Accuracy and Truthfulness • Impartiality, pluralism, Fairness • Compliance with social values • Transparency and accountability • Co-operate Dignity. In addition to providing a channel for the promotion of the cultural, social, cultural, traditional, linguistic and religious needs of the community, the radio station will act as a BEACON of HOPE and a MORAL VOICE.

(Mr Balan Gounder, one of the oldest Board members of Southside FM Radio since the start of the initiative in 2009) We want to emphasise that we will also be a progressive force and will promote morals, values and principles that are in keeping with the values and principles of the new, non-racial and democratic South Africa. Our freedom icons, including Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki, Oliver Tambo, Dr Monty Naicker, Dr Kesaval Goonam, Billy Nair, Dr Yusuf Dadoo, Roy Padaychie and Ismail and Fatima Meer, had fought and sacrificed their lives for these ideals. Southside FM Radio will diligently promote these ideals through its radio programmes.