Community radio station is making waves
Communtiy radio station West Side FM is calling on people from all racial lines to join their team of radio presenters and news readers.
West side FM is a non-profit community radio station based in Kagiso and aims to interact with the West Rand community as a whole.
According to founder and CEO of the radio station Goodhope Ledwaba, he started the radio station in 2007 after realizing that there isn’t a platform where the community of Kagiso could voice their concerns and engage with one another as far as community issues are concerned.
“Although it was challenging to get the concept off the ground, I managed to do so with the help from people who believed in my vision and today it has become a success,” says Ledwaba.
“We are making waves in the industry and that is what I wanted.
“We may not be where we want to be as a radio station but we are certainly not where we used to be,” says Ledwaba.
He adds that they recently obtained a broadcasting license and officially went on air on 5 January.
He also boasts that the station has over 90 volunteers who do radio presenting, compile news bulletins and do voice-overs.
“Despite the fact that we are a non-profit organization and that our volunteers are currently not getting paid, this radio station has provided the youth with a platform to gain work experience and prepare them for the job sector.
“Therefore it would be correct to say that we are contributing where we can towards youth empowerment and employment in South Africa and that is exactly our role,” says Ledwaba
According to him, the station is doing well on the radio waves however they need to consider racial cohesion and having people from other races behind the microphone doing the presenting and reading news bulletins.
“I really want people to be aware that West Side FM is not for the community of Kagiso alone.
“It is for the community of the West Rand.
“Only then can we say that we are living up to our mandate as a community radio station.
“I want this station to be for the West Rand and run by its people,” says Ledwaba.
To listen to West Side FM tune in to 103.6 and you can also find them on audio streaming at www.westsidefmlive.co.za
For more information on how to join the radio station, Ledwaba can be contacted on 079 079 3454.
