Merafong 360 still going well

He spoke to the Herald about his rocky journey in the radio industry.
Growing up as a musician, he met many radio personalities, but radio has always been on his mind. Before there was a radio station in Merafong, he was concerned that there was no medium offering information, education and entertainment. That was what drove his passion for radio.
Along the way, Pastor Bongani Zwane recommended Mr Alone Pilusa as the person most capable of starting a project. Pilusa transformed his life. At the time, Kgadi was immersed in the music industry. He taught at his music school and was also involved in providing sound.
The pair ventured into starting the first radio station in Merafong’s history, after many failed attempts. After much research, including going through the history books at the national broadcasting and communication institution’s (Icasa) library, they enquired about submissions.
The process of acquiring a licence took about three years. It was a celebratory moment for them, having struggled financially and without support.
“The journey of a person with a dream is hard in the beginning because no one believes in you. You must be resilient and, most importantly, self-motivated. As a spiritual person, my motivation was being rooted in the word of God and having the discipline to pull through the challenge. Many before me had attempted but failed,’’ he said.
They started broadcasting in 2013 and ran with the licence for several years. Unfortunately, they lost it again and delays prevented them from re-applying in time. Once their licence was revoked, it was publicised that the frequency 106.5 was available to any potential candidates. Icasa notified them that they were no longer allowed to broadcast. It was a very painful experience for One Mic as he was raised here and did it for the love of his community.
After spending some time travelling, he returned in 2019, aiming to start another radio venture, Merafong 360 Radio. Running this online radio station means he only broadcasts over the internet. He started broadcasting on 24 September 2020.
While the project is running well, he admits that the business side of things has been challenging and the station is still recovering.
Nevertheless, One Mic hopes for the best, including hosting 24-hour shows before long. The station works with vibrant young volunteers, and he hopes to create employment for them and those joining the station in the future.
The station is based on Gold Street in the CBD and can be reached through its Facebook Page: Merafong 360 Radio.