THIS IS NOT US: Local radio station is still rebuilding its studios
Mams FM suffered a blow after its station, which was started in 2011, was hit by looters during unrest and violence that stormed parts of South Africa recently.
The local radio station in Mamelodi, Mams FM, was still trying to recover after the recent looting left many businesses in the area vandalised. Mams FM suffered a blow after its station, which was started in 2011, was hit by looters during unrest and violence that stormed parts of South Africa recently.
Operational manager Sipho Motau said repairs had not been done yet, and they were using a temporary setup.
He said the station had received much-needed donations from various local businesses including other media houses. “We are still rebuilding our studios.” This also follows the station, this year, celebrating 10 years of service.
Motau said Mams FM would not be deterred from servicing its community with vital information to better unemployment and social issues in its community. Mams FM was hit hard by looters as they targeted valuable assets, such as a broadcasting transmitter and other office equipment.
This left the station being unable to broadcast on temporarily. Motau said: “We are excited to be back on the air, despite it being a temporary measure, we are still glad the community aided us.
“We have been welcomed with warm hands by donors and our audience have expressed their anger at the vandals who destroyed our community radio station. They are angry that we are no longer in direct reach with the community and are servicing them further away from home.” However, he said they were ecstatic at the station returning to the airwaves.
The station was now able to broadcast live from Boston Media House, courtesy of Jacaranda FM and Tuks FM.
Motau said negotiations were underway with donors to help rebuild the damaged studios.
“We need our studios to return to being state-of-the-art, and we seek anyone that can assist with rebuilding, more especially those with tools to better our security measures.
“If there were security tools such as cameras, I believe we would not be in the situation we find ourselves in,” Motau said.
He said the station was also looking at the possibility of relocating to another satellite studio.
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“We are still in talks over these plans and nothing is final yet.” Motau said they had since opened a case and police were investigating the looting at their premises.
“We call on anyone with information to come forward or inform the police about the looting and vandalism at the station.”
Mams FM was not the only community radio station to suffer damage during the uprising.
Communications and digital technologies minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams welcomed pledges and donations towards rebuilding community radio stations that were vandalised during the unrest.
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