Cape Town - While listeners of the Khayelitsha-based community radio Zibonele FM had been made to believe the station was permanently back on air, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has confirmed that would only be for 45 days.
The station, which has been operating without a licence since 2018 after the licence lapsed, was taken from the airwaves on June 19 after broadcasting for 28 years.
Dumisani Khumalo from Icasa said Zibonele FM's standard community sound broadcasting licence had not been renewed.
He said the station had been granted a special events community sound broadcasting service licence that allows them to broadcast between September 1 and October 16.
“On August 19, the authority granted and issued Zibonele FM a special events community sound broadcasting service (SE-CSBS) licence,” he said.
Khumalo said this licence was granted to allow Zibonele FM to broadcast Heritage Day celebrations as well as related events taking place before and after the day.
He said the non-renewable SE-CSBS licence was in effect yesterday and valid for 45 days.
In a statement, the chairperson of the station’s board, Mthetheleli Vellem, said the board viewed this as a great milestone.
Vellem said the station’s closure had adversely affected its revenue division. He thanked the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Khumbudzo Ntshavheni for the guidance and leadership provided, including Icasa for “handling the matter with great compassion and demonstrating the true sense of regulating in the best interest of the community”.
Ward councillor Anele Gabuza said the reopening of the station meant a resumptions of the youth and community development programmes the station previously offered.
“We are relieved that Icasa has at least offered us an interim licence, as a community we would ensure that we support the station and ensure that it complies with the terms of licence,” Gabuza said.