This was long overdue!

One might argue that he is controversial; some might say that he is where he is because of assumed closed ties with the ruling party, while some might also argue that with only matric he is not qualified enough to lead an institution as huge as the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) but I wholeheartedly support the decision taken by the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of South African Broadcasting Cooperation (SABC), Hlaudi Motsoeneng, last week that 90% of the content (music) played on our radio station must be that of local artists.

This was long overdue! Local artists have suffered long enough and it was about time that they are afforded the airtime they deserve. This is their country, after all where would their music be played? I feel proud that I am now able to listen to music in the language of my grandparents. I also feel proud that local and unknown artists will be given a chance to prove their worth. I had grown tired of listening to international artists, some of whom use despicable languages in their songs just to make money.

Don’t get me wrong I do have my favourite international artists, but unlike many citizens, I have the luxury of buying those and listening to them in the comfort of my entertainment room. Local artists suffer because most of them are unknown and this is the chance for them to make a name for themselves, prove their worth and get the exposure that they deserve. I think this pilot it should be carried forward 24/7, 365 days a year.

Motsoeneng tickles my bone when he says that South Africans like to copy international artists. When are we going to come up with our own thing and let others follow? When are we going to begin setting trends? We need to make sure that we build South Africa – a better South Africa seen by the rest of the globe as creative and innovative. We have to start believing in ourselves.

It is indeed right for Motsoeneng to say that local TV content should be next in the transformation line. He says that he wants 80% of broadcasting to be local movies and soapies which offer a more cultural angle. He wants authenticity, where shows are produced in actual locations and not exclusively in SABC studios.

Our children should be taught their own culture and history in their own languages. South Africans of any ethnicity, breed and colour should indeed be afforded a place where they can produce their own movies and listen to their own sounds in their own languages. Leaders are born not made, Ke o rolela kgaebane Motsoeneng e motle!

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