Survival of radio station proves to be a real battle

BARBERTON – Mr Mduduzi Zulu, Barberton Community Radio (BCR) station manager said the station had been through a torrid and difficult time.

Speaking at the station’s annual general meeting (AGM), held at the Cathyville hall recently, Zulu said when he came into BCR and other board members came on board, they had to deal with the loss of thousands of rand due to enormous corruption and mismanagement.

“The South African Music Rights Organisation has handed to the South Gauteng High Court and obtained rights to attach properties of the station by the local sheriff (for the R350 000 it owed). The National Community Radio Forum membership was last paid in 2005 and we had an outstanding account of more than R10 000. We have managed to pay at least R6 000 with the rest been exempted and written off,” said Zulu.

BCR came into being 16 years ago with great enthusiasm and emotion, and although it was wonderful that is 16 years old, Zulu said he did not know how the station survived.
“When the board of directors hired me as station manager, I knew that the task ahead was challenging. But I didn’t think that it would be like starting the radio afresh as there were very few things that were in order. Many would have decided to call it quits than stand and wait for a change you were not sure was going to occur. Nevertheless, be that as it may, we remain committed to the restoration of the radio’s position in the community and the province at large,” said Zulu.

It also emerged during the AGM that the board and management were faced with challenges of acquiring the renewal of a five years’ broadcasting licence.

Their premises rental lease with the Umjindi Municipality for the building they are utilising expired in 2009. The station has since made a submission to the council for another five-year term renewal for the building.

The Umjindi council has also threatened the financial struggling station with removing its tower (antenna) since the station was no longer utilising it.

The board reported they had inherited a radio station that was struggling financially with no proper financial management.
“Currently the station relies mostly on my own vehicle to conduct its businesses and we have been warned by the auditors that this was wrong since it is private property. The station has sold its Toyota Tazz and still owes R10 000 on it. The aim of selling it was to take the money raised as a deposit on a new car for the station that would be used for official use,” added Zulu.

The Toyota Tazz was purchased under the name of the former station manager, Sam Jele, who has since joined Umjindi as its spokesman. Despite all the dark clouds surrounding the station, some progress has been reported. R10 000 have been spend on the studio by purchasing a new computer for research, new leather chairs were bought and the carpets have been refurbished. But another R10 000 is needed for further upgrading, Zulu said.

Despite spending so much, the current studio was a ticking bomb.
“We are sitting with a studio that is very old and we have exhausted most parts of the second studio to repair the current on-air studio.
“We hope that there will not be electrical storms in the coming summer otherwise we may be off air for a while or longer or until we receive a new installation,” added Zulu.

The station is currently offering employment to 39 people and receives three interns every school holiday. It heavily relies on advertisers to run its daily operations and to remunerate its staff.