SOUTHSIDE FM RADIO ASKS ICASA FOR DEFINITE DATE AS TO WHEN IT WILL BE GRANTED A FREQUENCY

The Board of Governors of Southside FM Radio in Durban, South Africa, have asked the government agency, ICASA, in a latest communication on April 12 (2019) to state clearly when the radio station would be granted a frequency. The Board took the latest move after ICASA stated in a letter to Southside on April 2 (2019) that the Durban area was “highly congested” and no frequencies were available. This is the letter that ICASA had sent to Southside: ICASA Independent Communications Authority of South Africa 350 Witch-Hazel Avenue, Eco Point Office Park Eco Park, Centurion. Private Bag X10, Highveld Park 0169 Telephone number: (012) 568 3000/1 SM Spectrum Licensing Tel: +27 12 568 3285 Fax: +27 12 568 3286 Email: pmolefe@icasa.org.za Ref: 001/Southside/April/19 Mr Subry Govender 59 Musgrave Road, Durban (NPO No: 089 - 426) Per email: subrygovender@gmail.com Dear Mr Govender Re: Southside FM Radio 1. We refer to the meeting between Southside FM and Independent Communications Authority of South Africa ("the Authority") held on 23 January 2019. 2. The Authority reiterated that Durban area is highly congested and frequencies are not available. The Authority has spent a considerable amount of time and effort in attempts to identify any usable frequencies. Several correspondences were exchanged between Southside FM and the Authority relating to non availability of spectrum in the Durban area. 3. Southside FM requested the Authority to investigate the feasibility of identifying a frequency in the Phoenix area for use by Southside FM; and 4. In continued efforts to assist Southside FM to have access to a frequency, the Authority acceded to Southside FM's request. Dr. K Modimoeng (Acting Chairperson), N Gongxeka-Seopa, P Kadi, P Mashile, BC Mokhele, Adv. D Qocha, T Semane, PJ Zimri (Councillors), WA Ngwepe (CEO) em 5. After thorough technical analysis by the Authority, Southside FM is advised as follows: 6. The frequency scan was performed around Phoenix area to search for the feasible frequency to use; 7. The frequency scan results indicated that there is no available frequency in the area as all the frequencies from 87.5 to 108 MHz are currently in use. 8. The frequency of 105.4 MHz was further analysed for feasibility because it was the only frequency that had the lowest receivable signal strength as per the frequency scan results. 9. Further analysis performed was that of the interference. The interference analysis results showed that the 105.4 MHz will cause interference to the licensed broadcasters. 10. All efforts to secure an interference free frequency have been exhausted. We hope that you find the above in order. Yours sincerely, P Molefe Philemon Molefe Senior Manager Spectrum Licensing Date: 02,04 / 2019 ICASA sent the above letter to Southside after Southside had written to ICASA and asked whether ICASA had identified any frequencies in Phoenix, Verulam and the North Coast. This was raised by Southside during a meeting with ICASA at its headquarters in Centurion, Pretoria, on January 23 (2019). In response to ICASA’s latest letter of April 2, Southside submitted the following letter to ICASA. Southside wanted to know exactly when a frequency would be granted to Southside. SOUTHSIDE FM RADIO (NPO No: 089 - 426) 59 Musgrave Road, Durban Tel: 082 376 9053/ 031 - 568 13009 email: subrygovender@gmail.com Asst. Secretary: (vasanthakokilam.naidoo@gmail.com) Mr Philemon Molefe Senior Manager: Spectrum Licensing ICASA Centurion Pretoria Dear Mr Molefe We wish to kindly and great-fully acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 2 2019. Your letter was in response to our meeting held at your head offices in Centurion on January 23 2019 about the urgent need for a frequency for us to launch our much-needed cultural radio station. Southside has been patiently waiting for a frequency for nearly nine years. In view of the contents of your April 2 letter, we would kindly appreciate you informing us as to exactly when we would be granted a frequency. This information is of utmost importance to us as we have been told by your CEO, Mr Willington Ngwepe, and other ICASA and government officials that a frequency would only become available in our target areas once the digital migration programme is completed. Please let us know whether this will be at the end of 2019 or 2020. Once again we want to thank you sincerely for going the extra mile in trying to assist Southside to obtain a frequency. We are hopeful that this frequency will become available at the soonest possible date. Meanwhile, we wish to kindly inquire whether there are any further action that Southside must pursue in its goal to establish our radio station. Many thanks and kind regards. Subry Govender Secretary 082 376 9053 Board of Governors: Ms Sally Padaychie (chairperson), Mr Balan Gounder (deputy chairperson), Mr Richard Naidoo (deputy chairperson), Mr Deven Moodley (treasurer), Mr Denis Naidoo (deputy treasurer), Ms V. Naidoo (assistant secretary), Mr Logan Naidoo, Mr Swaminathan Gounden, Mr Sumeshen Moodley, Mr Richard Govender, Ms Roxanne Gounden, Mr Mari Ramaya-Pillay (Johannesburg), Dr M Sooboo (Pretoria), Dr Dilly Naidoo, Mr Kiru Naidoo (PRO) and Mr Subry Govender (Secretary).

THOUSANDS OF INDIAN-ORIGIN SOUTH AFRICANS ONCE AGAIN ATTEND TEMPLES DURING THE EASTER FRIDAY AND THE REST OF THE EASTER WEEKEND

(DEVOTEES AT THE TEMPLE IN MIDRAND, JOHANNESBURG) Thousands of Indian-origin South Africans once again flocked to temples on Easter Friday to partake in Kavady ceremonies and offer prayers in yet another show of their commitment to spiritual upliftment. I attended a Kavady ceremony at the Madhya Kailash Temple in Midrand, Johannesburg, where more than 150 devotees participated in the four hour service.

(KAVADY DEVOTEES AT THE TEMPLE IN MIDRAND) I noticed that while the Kavady ceremony was in progress, other people visited the temple to offer their prayers on Easter Friday. Similarly, thousands of people swarmed other temples in the Johannesburg-Pretoria region; at Mount Edgecombe, Isipingo and other temples in KwaZulu-Natal. This phenomenon of Indian-origin South Africans visiting temples on Easter Friday and the rest of the Easter weekend has its origins in the early days of our indentured ancestors. When the white overlords and bosses used to attend church services at Easter, our forefathers and mothers were given the free time from the sugar cane fields. Our ancestors used this free time to attend prayer services at their little wood and iron temples all along the north and south coasts of the then Natal Colony. Then when they built huge temples in the early 1900s, our ancestors began a tradition to congregate in their thousands, especially at Isipingo and Mount Edgecombe. During this period, it had become a must for Indian-origin South Africans not only to visit and offer their prayers at Mount Edgecombe and Isipingo in their tens of thousands, but also to attend the Tamil and Hindi concerts and dramas. It used to be both a spiritual and joyous occasion for the people. Since the dawn of our democracy in 1994, when large numbers of people moved down to the Johannesburg-Pretoria region to advance their socio-economic situations, the numbers visiting Isipingo has dwindled down. The large turn out of devotees at the Madhya Kailash Temple in Midrand and other temples in the Johannesburg-Pretoria during the Easter weekend is a clear indication of the increased numbers of Indian-origin South Africans now located here.

(DEVOTEES AT THE MIDRAND TEMPLE) But the visitors to Mount Edgecombe Shri Mariammen Temple has increased in numbers and today more than 250 000 people visit the religious site annually. The tradition of the turn out of the people during the Easter weekend is just yet another example of the enormous contribution that our ancestors have made to the spiritual and cultural upliftment of Indian-origin South Africans. ends - subrygovender@gmail.com

JUBY MAYET – ONE OF THE DOYENS OF SA’s JOURNALISM WORLD WHO CONTRIBUTED ENORMOUSLY TO THE FREEDOM STRUGGLES

(JUBY MAYET (ON THE RIGHT WITH HER LEFT HAND HELD HIGH) IS WITH ZWELIKE SISULU AND OTHER JOURNALIST COLLEAGUES WHO PARTICIPATED IN A PROTEST MARCH IN CENTRAL JOHANNESBURG CALLING ON THE SOUTH AFRICAN APARTHEID GOVERNMENT TO LIFT THE BAN ON THE UNION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS(UBJ) FOLLOWING THE BANNING OF THE UBJ ON OCT 19 1978) By Subry Govender One of the doyens of South Africa’s journalism world who made an enormous contribution against apartheid oppression and minority domination has passed on at her home in Lenasia, Johannesburg, at the age of 82. Ms Juby Mayet, who not only fought for media freedom but also for the freedom of all South Africans, passed away in the early hours of Saturday, April 13.

(Juby Mayet with Philip Mthimkulu after being elected deputy secretary of UBJ in 1976. THE UBJ WAS ESTABLISHED AFTER THE SOWETO UPRISINGS OF JUNE 1976) I was informed of Juby’s passing by another doyen of our media activist world in the 1970s and 1980s, Philip Mthimkulu. Philip and I worked very closely with Juby in the establishment of the Union of Black Journalists (UBJ) after the Soweto uprisings in June 1976, and the Writers Association of SA (WASA). WASA was established after the UBJ was banned on October 19 1977 along with no less than 18 other black consciousness and progressive organisations.

(JUBY MAYET DURING HER YOUNGER DAYS IN 1976) The bannings were carried out by the then so-called Minister of Justice, Jimmy Kruger. Kruger was the Minister who had a month earlier described the murder of Steve Biko in police custody as “it leaves me cold”. Juby, who was born in Johannesburg in 1937 in a Muslim family, started her journalist career with the former Golden City Post in 1957. She qualified as a teacher at the insistence of her parents but chose the journalist world because of her consciousness against the social-political situation at that time. Some of the well-known journalists she worked with at the Golden City Post included Joe Thloloe, Can Themba, Henry Nxumalo, Nat Nakasa and Todd Matshikiza. After the Soweto uprisings in June 1976, Juby joined Joe Thloloe, Rashid Seria, Nat Serache, Isaac Moroe, Duma Ndlovu, Mateu Nonyane, Mona Badela, Don Mattera, Enoch Duma, Mike Norton, Mathatha Tseudu, Zwelike Sisulu, this correspondent and several others in establishing the Union of Black Journalists(UBJ) to contribute to the struggles against oppression and minority domination. The launch of the UBJ took place in Soweto soon after the Soweto uprisings after Juby and all the other “struggle journalists” felt that the real issues affecting the majority of the people were not being reflected accurately in the media at that time and to the outside world. Juby and her colleagues decided to join the struggle because they realised that they could not operate in isolation from the rest of the South African society.

(JUBY MAYET-THIRD FROM LEF - WITH RASHID SERIA, MIKE NORTON, CHARLES NQAKULA, SUBRY GOVENDER AND PHILIP MTHIMKULU AT THE SECOND UBJ MEETING HELD AT THE WENTWORTH HOTEL IN DURBAN IN JULY 1977.THREE MONTHS LATER THE UBJ WAS BANNED ALONG WITH 18 OTHER BLACK AND PROGRESSIVE ORGANISATIONS ON OCT 19 1977) She fully endorsed one of our colleagues at that time, Ameen Akhalwaya, who wrote in 1981: “Black journalists do not view themselves as isolated, neutral units. They see themselves as being an integral part of their societies. “Liberation from the bondage of apartheid is what blacks desire and to reflect this does not make propogandists of journalists.” Just a year after the founding of the UBJ, Juby and her colleagues found themselves in a state of limbo when the UBJ was banned along with several other organisations in October 1977. She did not take the banning of the UBJ lying down. She joined Zwelike Sisulu and other colleagues in a protest march through the streets of Johannesburg. They called on the apartheid authorities to lift the ban on UBJ. But the apartheid regime showed no mercy. The security police continued with their oppressive actions to harass and hound Juby, Joe Thloloe, Zwelike Sisulu, Charles Nqakula, Rashid Seria, Mona Badela, this correspondent and a number of other colleagues. Juby was detained for more than three months while Joe Thloloe and Zwelike Sisulu were held incommunicado for more than a year. After she was released, Juby worked with Philip Mthimkulu to launch the Voice newspaper in Johannesburg. They were supported by the South African Council of Churches. But no sooner had she settled down to promote the freedom struggles through the Voice newspaper, she was served with a five-year banning order in December 1978.

(JUBY MAYET WITH JOURNALIST COLLEAGUES OUTSIDE THE WENTWORTH HOTEL IN DURBAN WHERE THE UBJ HELD ITS SECOND MEETING IN JULY 1977) The oppressive actions of the security police did not deter Juby, who supported Zwelike Sisulu and the rest of her colleagues in the launch of the Writers Association of SA (WASA) in Cape Town while in the background. After the dawn of our democracy in April 1994, Juby continued with her writings and has been recognised for her contributions during the struggle years by the South African Editors Forum. She was also bestowed with the Steve Biko International Peace Award by the Umtapo Centre in 2013. Juby Mayet was a dynamite at a time when black women journalists were few and far between. We, her colleagues in the struggles for a free, non-racial and democratic South Africa, will remember her for her forthrightness, bravery, and her determination to promote the cause of the marginalised and the downtrodden – whatever their colour, race or gender. Juby Mayet never succumbed to the oppressive forces at that time and she also spoke out against excesses after the advent of our new South Africa. Rashid Seria, one of the struggle journalists during the 1970s and 1980s who also played a major role in the establishment of the UBJ and WASA, paid this tribute to Juby: "Juby Mayet was a true media martyr who dedicated her life to the struggles for a free press in this country. She was part of a unique breed of black journalists of the 1970s and 1980s who fearlessly resisted the apartheid regime in media, often in the face of detentions, house arrests and bannings. They took the fight to expose apartheid atrocities to numerous fronts. They challenged internal censorship at English establishment newspapers, started journalist movements to indoctrinate writers politically about the situation in the country, launched independent publications to shamelessly glorify the battles for freedom and designed creative schemes on how media could be used to organize people. That special group that Juby epitomized may be surpassed by a newer breed of investigative writers - a non-racial one - that so effectively continues to expose corruption, patronage, public thieving, misrule and state abuse. We owe all of them a great debt of gratitude!" Ends – subrygovender@gmail.com April 15 2019

SOUTH AFRICANS OF INDIAN-ORIGIN - STATE OF UNCERTAINITY 25 YEARS INTO THE NEW "DEMOCRATIC AND NON-RACIAL SOUTH AFRICA".

"SOUTH AFRICAN INDIAN HERITAGE SOCIETY" AT A TIME WHEN SOUTH AFRICA IS PREPARING FOR THE SIXTH DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS SINCE THE FIRST DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS IN 1994, MANY, MANY , MANY SOUTH AFRICANS OF INDIAN-ORIGIN ARE UNCERTAIN ABOUT WHO TO VOTE FOR. THIS DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE PEOPLE OF INDIAN-ORIGIN HAD PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN THE STRUGGLES FOR FREEDOM IN SOUTH AFRICA. UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NATAL INDIAN CONGRESS, THE TRANSVAAL INDIAN CONGRESS AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN INDIAN CONGRESS, THE MASSES OF THE PEOPLE OF INDIAN-ORIGIN WORKED WITH THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, THE COMMUNIST PARTY AND OTHER DEMOCRATIC ORGANISATIONS TO BRING ABOUT A NEW NON-RACIAL AND DEMOCRATIC SOUTH AFRICA IN APRIL 1994. BUT TODAY, 25 YEARS AFTER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF OUR NEW DEMOCRACY, MANY MANY MANY OF THE PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT NONE OF THE POLITICAL PARTIES, INCLUDING THE ANC, DO NOT PROVIDE THEM WITH HOPE AND CONFIDENCE. THIS DESPITE THE FACT THAT IN 1994 THE ANC HAD REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE NATAL INDIAN CONGRESS THAT THE ANC WOULD BE THE HOME OF ALL THE PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE PEOPLE OF INDIAN-ORIGIN. IN VIEW OF THIS AGREEMENT, THE NATAL INDIAN CONGRESS WAS ALLOWED TO DISAPPEAR FROM THE SOCIO-POLITICAL SCENE WITHOUT ACTUALLY BEING DISBANDED.

NOW WHEN SOUTH AFRICA IS PREPARING FOR THE ELECTIONS, THERE HAVE BEEN CALLS FOR THE NATAL INDIAN CONGRESS TO BE REVIVED AS A VOICE OF THE PEOPLE. BUT MANY OF THE VETERAN LEADERS HAVE NOT TAKEN UP THE PLEAS OF THE PEOPLE. IN VIEW OF THIS, A NEW GROUP, CALLED THE "SOUTH AFRICAN INDIAN HERITAGE SOCIETY" IS BEING INITIATED AS A LOBBY GROUP FOR THE PEOPLE OF INDIAN-ORIGIN. MANY OF THE ACTIVISTS WHO ARE BEHIND THIS NEW INITIATIVE ARE BASED IN PRETORIA, JOHANNESBURG, DURBAN, CHATSWORTH AND PHOENIX. IN A MEMO TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE THE ACTIVISTS SAY THEIR AIM IS: "OUR AIM IS TO CREATE A PLATFORM FOR COLLECTIVELY QUALIFYING THE GRIEVANCES OF SOUTH AFRICANS OF INDIAN-ORIGIN AND ACT AS A SINGLE VOICE TO ADDRESS THESE GRIEVANCES ON A POLITICAL PLATFORM. "WE INTEND TO DRIVE THE COLLECTIVE COMMUNITY NEEDS AHEAD OF PERSONAL POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS AND GOALS, THEREBY PROVIDING A PLATFORM FOR THE MINORITY INDIAN COMMUNITY."

IN VIEW OF THIS LATEST MOVE BY SOME OF THE CONCERNED PEOPLE, I WOULD LIKE TO PUBLISH THIS RADIO DOCUMENTARY THAT I COMPILED IN 2008 AT A TIME WHEN THE RULING ANC WAS PREPARING FOR ITS NATIONAL ELECTIVE CONFERENCE IN POLOKWANE, NORTH OF PRETORIA. IT WAS AT THIS CONFERENCE THAT PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI WAS THROWN OUT OF OFFICE AND JACOB ZUMA WAS ELECTED AS PRESIDENT OF THE ANC AND LATER AS PRESIDENT OF THE COUNTRY. ZUMA WAS OUSTED JUST OVER A YEAR AGO AFTER MANY OF THE ANC LEADERS REBELLED AGAINST HIM. THIS RADIO FEATURE WILL PROVIDE CONTENT TO THE SITUATION IN WHICH PEOPLE OF INDIAN-ORIGIN FIND THEMSELVES TODAY. THE PEOPLE SAY THEY DON'T HAVE LEADERS OF THE CALIBRE OF DR YUSUF DADOO, DR MONTY NAICKER, DR KESAVAL GOONUM, PROFESSOR FATIMA MEER, ISMAIL MEER AND OTHER LEADERS WHO SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES FROM THE EARLY 1930s TO THE 1990s.

SOUTHSIDE CHAIRPERSON COMMITS TO THE LAUNCH OF ITS RADIO STATION

(Ms Sally Padaychie(chairperson of SSFM) with (from left to right): Mr Denis Naidoo, Mr Kiru Naidoo (PRO), Mr Swaminathan Gounden), and Mr Jay Moodley). The Chairperson of Southside FM Radio, Ms Sally Padaychie, has given an assurance that she and her Board of Governors will do everything possible to launch the radio station. Ms Padaychie was speaking at the annual general meeting of Southside held at 59 Musgrave Road in Durban on Sunday (March 24). She said Southside Board of Governors and officials had been struggling for nearly 10 years to obtain a frequency despite being granted a community radio licence in 2012. “We started in 2009 at a time when preparations were being made to observe the arrival of our indentured forefathers and mothers in November 1860,” she said. “A radio station would be the ideal tribute to our ancestors who sacrificed so much for the upliftment of the descendants in the social, political, educational, sporting and economical lives of the people. “We in the Board will continue with our struggles to launch our radio station as soon as our frequency is granted. In this regard we must continue to negotiate with the political leaders concerned, ICASA and other role players. “At our last meeting with ICASA on January 23 early this year, the ICASA officials made a commitment that they would investigate the possibility of a frequency either in the Chatsworth, Phoenix or North Coast area.” Ms Padaychie paid tribute to all the officials of Southside who had contributed enormously towards the struggles for a frequency and their commitment to the establishment of a radio station for the descendants of indentured labourers. She applauded the officials and Board of Governors for sacrificing their time, energy and resources without spending “one single cent” of Southside’s funds since inception in 2009.

Ms Padaychie was re-elected to her position along with Mr Subry Govender (secretary), Mr Balan Gounder (deputy chairperson), Mr Richard Naidoo (deputy chairperson), Mr Deven Moodley (treasurer), and Mr Denis Naidoo (deputy treasurer). The other Board of Governors re-elected are Mr Swaminathan Gounden, Mr Sumeshen Moodley, Mr Logan Naidoo, Mr Richard Govender, Mr Marie Ramaya-Pillay (Johannesburg) and Dr M Sooboo (Pretoria). Three new officials, Ms V. Naidoo (assistant secretary), Mr Kiru Naidoo (Public Relations Officer) and Ms Roxanne Gounden (Audio), were also elected. The secretary, Mr Subry Govender, who was the first chairperson of Southside at its inception in 2009, gave a detailed account of the struggles for a frequency over the past 10 years. He said ever since some progressive elders in 2009 came together and put into motion a programme to launch a radio station for the people of south Indian-origin, the officials did not sit on their laurels but had gone the extra mile over the years in an attempt to realise our dream. “The move was to launch a radio station to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the arrival of our forefathers and mothers as indentured sugar cane labourers (slaves) in the then Natal Colony that was ruled by Britain. “The initiators of this project – especially Mr Balan Gounder, Mr Swaminathan Gounden, and Mr Denis Naidoo – with the assistance of a few dedicated others - worked tirelessly to apply for our licence, obtain a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) certificate, the support of the Merebank Tamil School Society, the involvement of some business people and the support of many, many committed and progressive members of the community”. STRUGGLES He added: “Despite Southside meeting all the requirements for a frequency we have been pushed from pillow to post over the past nine years and denied the opportunity to launch our radio station. “We took up the cudgels with all role players in the ruling ANC and obtained the unstinted support and involvement of the late Minister, Roy Padaychie; and after him, Minister Yunus Carrim. It was through the efforts of Mr Padaychie that we were granted a licence. The letter from ICASA stated that we would be issued with a licence certificate once we were granted a frequency. “But sadly this has been denied to us despite our representations to role players in parliament; other members of the ruling party; Mr Yunus Carrim and other Ministers after him. In fact, after Minister Carrim was replaced in 2014, we still kept in touch with him in Parliament. “He told us that it was a tragedy that we were being denied a frequency. “Since his departure we have tried to take up our case with Minister Faith Muthambi and her successors but to no avail. We also held top level talks with Dr Zweli Mkhize in Durban and he used his authority for the immediate former CEO of ICASA, Mr Pakamile Pongwana, to take all steps to grant us a frequency. “Mr Pongwana and his officials met us here at Mr Logan Naidoo’s office sometime in 2016 and gave us an assurance that he would do everything in his power for us to obtain a frequency. “Unfortunately, Mr Pongwana left ICASA and we were back to square one.”

Mr Govender said they also held numerous meetings with Sentech leaders here locally in Durban and also with the Chairperson of Sentech. “At one of the meeting, the chairperson of Sentech gave an undertaking that he would attend our official launch. But despite his assurances, we have been repeatedly let down and one occasion, one of the officials at Sentech told me in confidence that we are being denied our frequency because the SABC was opposed to a significant percentage of people representing people of Indian-origin being granted their own radio station. “I was told this would affect one of the SABC’s own radio stations.” He said they nevertheless they continued with their negotiations with ICASA and had held a meeting with the new CEO, Mr Ngwepe, and his officials at the ICASA Durban regional office in December 2017. “The meeting on Monday (Dec 11 2017) was requested by Southside to find out what plans ICASA had to provide Southside with a frequency in and around the Durban area. “Those who represented ICASA were: Mr Willington Ngwepe (CEO); Ms Anele Nomtshongwana, senior official; Mr Zakhele Kganakga, Executive, Human Resources; and Mr Nsiswa Gumede, Regional KZN Manager. “Those who represented Southside were: Mrs Sally Padaychie, Chairperson; Mr Subry Govender, secretary; Mr Deven Moodley, treasurer; and Mr Richard Naidoo, joint deputy chairperson. “At this meeting, Mr Ngwepe said he was aware of all the representations made by Southside and the struggles over the past eight years. He said he was also fully informed of the last meeting held with the former ICASA CEO, Mr Pongwana, and the representations made to DSTV. “Mr Ngwepe gave an assurance that he would look at some alternatives and he would come back to us within a matter of two weeks. “One of these alternatives included the provision of a frequency in an area proposed by Southside officials. “Mr Ngwepe also gave an assurance that once the digital migration programme is completed by 2019, Southside would be given priority in being granted a frequency that would then become available.” ANOTHER MEETING WITH ICASA

(Southside secretary, Mr Subry Govender, with Dr Micky Chetty, Mr Marie Ramaya-Pillay, Mr Krish Naidoo and officials of UICASA at the meeting in Centurion on January 23 2019)

(Dr M Sooboo of Pretoria also attended the meeting with ICASA at Centurion) Then in January this year, after repeated communications with the ICASA CEO and his officials in 2017 and 2018, Southside held a meeting with senior officials of the Licencing Department at their Head Office in Centurion on Wednesday, January 23. “The following officials represented ICASA: Ms Leah Mayina, General Manager of ICASA Licencing Department; Ms Fikile Hlongwane and Mr Philemon Molefe. “The following official and leaders represented Southside FM Radio: Mr Subry Govender, Secretary; Dr Mickey Chetty, President of the South African Tamil Federation; Mr Marie Ramaya Pillay, immediate past President of the SATF and Dr Murthu Sooboo, Trustee of the Pretoria Tamil League and senior leader of SATF. “Mr Krish Naidoo, former member of the SABC Board, also attended as a guest of Southside.” MATTERS DISCUSSED “Mr Subry Govender gave a brief input about the struggles by Southside FM RADIO for a frequency since 2009 and the intensified interactions and communications with ICASA in 2017 and 2018. “At this meeting the ICASA officials gave an undertaking that they would check whether they could help Southside with a frequency in the Phoenix, North Coast and Chatsworth areas.” CONCLUSION Mr Govender said at a recent meeting of Southside’ Board in February, they decided to take constructive measures to proceed with their radio project. “We decided that we should start with an internet radio in order to give training to our prospective presenters and other volunteers. “We also decided to build our studio and office. We are currently in the process of identifying premises for this purpose. We are negotiating with one of our supporters for an office site.” WAY FORWARD The annual general meeting was also informed of the programmes in place to obtain premises, build its studio and office and to start broadcasting on the internet while waiting for a frequency from ICASA. Ms Padaychie welcomed Ms Naidoo, Ms Gounden, and Mr Kiru Naidoo for joining Southside in its struggles to launch its radio station. Ms Padaychie also thanked all other well-wishers – Mr Jay Moodley, Mrs Sushie Moodley, Mr Siva Moodley and Ms Anitha Pillay for their attendance and support at the AGM. Ends – subrygovender@gmail.com March 25 2019

VIJAY STAR NITE SINGERS AND MUSICIANS FROM CHENNAI ENTHRAL MUSIC LOVERS AT THE ICC IN DURBAN ON FRIDAY, MARCH 1 (2019)

Several thousand people enjoyed themselves thoroughly at the Vijay Star Nite Tamil musical show at the ICC on Friday, March 1. Although the ticket prices were a bit steep for many, the hall was fully packed with people who admire and cherish their rich cultural heritage. The singers and musicians from Chennai really went the extra mile and put on superb performances. Two singers who made a great impression were the husband and wife team of Rajaluxmi and Sendhal. They attracted repeated and loud appraisal when they rendered a number of village songs, especially the item, Chinna Macha. One hopes there would be more shows like this brought to our shores. One of the sponsors from South Africa, Serendipity Tours, must be congratulated for sponsoring and supporting the singers and musicians from Chennai.

MANY SOUTH AFRICANS OF INDIAN-ORIGIN FEEL LOST AND UNCERTAIN AT A TIME WHEN THE COUNTRY’S 5TH DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS TAKE PLACE ON MAY 5 (2019) BY SUBRY GOVENDER

With political parties and their leaders out in full force trying to influence the electorate for the May 8 general elections, a significant percentage of descendants from the country’s 1860 generation find themselves in a state of “loss and uncertainity”. This unfortunate situation has arisen despite the fact that many activists and members of the community believed that the new South Africa would be non-racial in character and they would have no worries. The ANC became their first choice in 1994 after the historical Natal Indian Congress, which was the mouthpiece of the community since 1894, was allowed to fade out of existence in the run-up to the first democratic elections 25 years ago. But over the years after the race factor had been thrown around by some political leaders, a number of prominent progressive leaders and activists felt the descendants of the 1860 generation have no voice to articulate their aspirations and concerns in the new South Africa. In this article on life after the NIC, veteran journalist, Subry Govender, writes on the new situation where people find themselves “lost” and in a state of “uncertainity” in the new non-racial South Africa. He poses the question whether the decision to allow the Natal Indian Congress to fade out of existence in 1994 was the correct move? THE PEOPLE COMPLAIN OF A LACK OF LEADER OR ORGANISATION TO GUIDE THEM AND PROVIDE THEM WITH CONFIDENCE “If peace means keeping my mouth shut in the midst of injustice and evil, I don’t want it. If peace means a willingness to be exploited economically, dominated politically, humiliated and segregated, I don’t want peace.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

( PROFESSOR FATIMA MEER) Sometime in 2008, I had the privilege of talking to one of our formidable social and political activists and authors, Professor Fatima Meer, when she was celebrating her 80th birthday. The quotation by American Civil Rights leader, Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, above reflected the feelings of Professor Meer at that time. I spoke to her at a time when many former activists of the Natal Indian Congress, UDF and other progressive organisations and leaders were becoming disillusioned at the movement away from our true values and principles of a non-racial and democratic society. ( RACIAL DIATRIBE ) This had come about following racially-inciting diatribe by Julius Malema, who was leader of the ANC Youth League at the time, and the increasing spate of corruption among some of the people within the ruling ANC. It was also at a time when people were becoming concerned at the falling standards in our educational and health sectors; the increasing rate of unemployment among the poor and marginalised people; and the fact that most people live like hostages in their homes because of the high and increasing violent crime wave. This disillusionment was reflected in the manner in which the people voted in the 2014 general election and the subsequent 2016 local government elections.

(SOME OF THE CONGRESS LEADERS OF THE PRE-1994 ERA - DR JERRY COOVADIA, THUMBA PILLAY AND SWAMINATHAN GOUNDEN - WHO TOOK PART IN AN ANTI-CORRUPTION PROTEST IN DURBAN IN 2016) ( NATAL INDIAN CONGRESS) Now in 2019, when political parties are busy preparing their election campaigns for the scheduled May 8 general elections, many people are asking whether the descendants of the 1860 generation have been let down by the progressive and revolutionary Natal Indian Congress (NIC) being forced to go out of existence in the early 1990s. This action was taken when the ANC informed the leaders of the NIC at that time that there was no longer any need for the NIC because the people could now become members of the ANC and that there would be no need for any worries. ( NELSON MANDELA) This action was taken even though the leader of the ANC and the President of our first democratic South Africa, Nelson Mandela, advised that the NIC should remain because it had a historical background and linked to Mahatma Gandhi.

NIC LEADERS MEET WITH MANDELA IN JANUARY 1994 Mandela outlined his views when leaders of the NIC held a meeting with him at the ANC headquarters in Shell House in Johannesburg on January 19 1994. Mandela told the NIC leaders that he appreciated the role played by the NIC during the struggle years. He pointed out that for all intents and purposes the NIC was the ANC when the organisation was banned since 1960 and when most of the leaders were either in exile, in jail, banned, detained or house-arrested. He said for this reason the NIC should remain as a historical partner of the ANC and to continue to mobilise the community. MANDELA WANTED THE NIC TO CONTINUE AS A SOCIAL PARTNER OF THE ANC

(ANOTHER NIC LEADER PRE 1994 - DR FAROUK MEER - TALKING TO PREMIER WILLIES MCHUNU AT A FUNCTION IN DURBAN A FEW YEARS AGO) Many leaders such as Judge Thumba Pillay, Dr Farouk Meer, George Sewpersadh, M J Naidoo, and Paul Devadas David supported Mandela in his view that the NIC should remain, not as a political party, but as a progressive social organisation aligned to the ANC. Now 25 years into our new South Africa, many people are saying that most descendants of the 1860 generation are not only feeling “lost and uncertain” but also don’t have an organisation that they could align to. Their main concern is: “What is the future of our grand-children?” in a society where there’s so much racial profiling, racial mongering and lawlessness – all anti-social evils that are totally against the true values and principles of the ANC. M J NAIDOO

(M J NAIDOO (FOURTH FROM RIGHT) AND GEORGE SEWPERSADH, BILLY NAIR, ARCHIE GUMEDE AND MEWA RAMGOBIN WHO TOOK REFUGE AT THE BRITISH CONSULATE IN DURBAN IN THE 1980s to ESCAPE FROM THE APARTHEID SECURITY POLICE) They say that Mr M J Naidoo, a former president of the NIC, was one of the leaders who clearly outlined what kind of a future South Africa they would like to see. This is what he said at a protest meeting in Durban in the 1980s: “My message for South Africa is that everyone should show a concern for peace and prosperity for all its people. Where selfish interests, greed and a feeling of superiority and arrogance holds sway, there can be no real peace or prosperity. “Every one in South Africa – black, brown or white – should, therefore, dedicate oneself with the urgency that the South African situation deserves, to the task of building a United South Africa and to spreading the sunshine and plenty to all its people.” Many of the people say that the current ANC, which President Cyril Ramaphosa is trying his best to resuscitate and become relevant, has too many challenges to worry about people who are classified as a “minority”. They say that if the NIC or any other progressive organisation like the UDF was around, then the people would not feel isolated or marginalised. PROFESSOR FATIMA MEER Only eleven years ago when I interviewed Professor Meer she was also of the view, like Mandela, that the NIC or the UDF could have allayed the fears and anxieties of the people who feel marginalised and lost. She told me: “You see the people had a very strong organisation in the Natal Indian Congress and I wrote to Mr Mbeki long, long ago that it had been a tragedy that the ANC had asked the NIC to be disbanded because that was an organisation founded by Gandhi in the last century. “It was an organisation that stood by the ANC always. Now the ANC had made the biggest mistake. Politically as a political party, the ANC was fine and totally acceptable but to organise the people, they needed an organisation.” Professor Meer was of the view that the history of the people of Indian-origin in the Natal Indian Congress, Transvaal Indian Congress and the South African Indian Congress could not be de-linked in the new South Africa. “This was a very rich history. You don't want to miss out on that history. You want to build on that history. It is a pity that it was disbanded at all. “I would prefer we resurrect our roots and our history and the ANC must recognise that what the Indian Congress had contributed in the time of revolution, will today, in the time of government, continue to give it support in all fields.” Many other former activist leaders such as Judge Thumba Pillay, Dr Farouk Meer, Swaminathan Gounden and the late George Sewpersadh also expressed similar sentiments over the past decade.

GEORGE SEWPERSADH Mr Sewpersadh, president of the NIC when negotiations against white minority rule and domination were taking place in the early 1990s, was particularly concerned that those left behind after 1994 and those struggling for livelihoods would be affected gravely by the absence of an organisation such as the NIC or UDF Many are now of the view that urgent discussions must be held with the ANC to chart ways as to how the descendants of the 1860 generation could be mobilised in support of the true values and principles of the liberation struggles conducted by the ANC, NIC, TIC and the SAIC. One young man I talked to this past week is Mr Logan Nair, a fourth generation descendant, now settled in Chatsworth. I met him at a cultural function in Port Shepstone and he expressed his serious disillusionment with the current social and political tendencies and state of affairs. “I have no leader or organisation that I can look up to for advice or direction. There is no organisation that is taking up social and other issues of concern to me and other people in the different communities. “President Cyril Ramaphosa is okay and I would like to vote for him but I have to do this through the ANC. It seems to me that President Ramaphosa is being sabotaged by others who are caught up in corruption and theft of public money. What do I and others do under these circumstances? “If we had an organisation such as the NIC or the UDF we would have no worries because we would know that someone is taking up our concerns. Now we are lost. As far as I am concerned the NIC always promoted the interests of all South Africans and not a particular people.” Mr Johnny Pillay, an educationist of Verulam, told me he could take care of himself without any organisation but he asked: “What about the people living on the margins of society?” He added: “At least if there was an organisation like the NIC or the UDF, the people who are struggling can look up to these organisations for direction and advice. Now they don’t have any leader or organisation who can give them hope. Many people in our communities are lost. Something must be done to bring hope and to be a Voice for the people.”

(SOME OF THE FORMER NATAL INDIAN CONGRESS LEADERS DURING THE APARTHEID ERA. THE NIC WAS THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE AND FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES REPRESENTED THE ANC WHEN THE ORGANISATION WAS BANNED AND LEADERS WERE IMPRISONED, BANNED, HOUSE-ARRESTED OR IN EXILE) RACIAL HATRED TOTALLY AGAINST THE VALUES OF THE NELSON MANDELAS, WALTER SISULUS, OLIVER TAMBOS, GOVAN MBEKIS, YUSUF DADOOS, AHMED KATHRADAS AND MONTY NAICKERS It’s a tragedy that 25 years into our new South Africa people find themselves in a state of uncertainity and less confident. The activists of the past who are still around must voice their views about the situation in which many people find themselves in today. It seems it is a matter of urgency that there’s a need to re-assure the people that “South Africa belongs to all who live in it” and they also have a “role to play” in the socio-economic development of the new non-racial and democratic country. They cannot be made to feel, 158 years after the arrival of their ancestors from India and two and half decades into the new South Africa, that they are not South Africans any longer. This is totally against the true values and principles of struggle leaders and heroes such as Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbkei, Oliver Tambo, Yusuf Dadoo, Monty Naicker and Ahmed Kathrada. Ends – (Feb 4 2019)