Ask anyone in Atlantis and they’ll tell you RAFM has always been more than just a radio station playing music. For 26 years it has informed, entertained and educated residents, and those from surrounding areas, in equal measure.
The Radio Atlantis journey is particularly inspiring. While September 1 1995 is registered as the station’s official birth date, the clock needs to be turned back another two years to start this fascinating story.
The only one of its kind in the area, the 24-hour station is the brainchild of Eva Georgia, a veteran journalist, and Rachel Watson, long-time trade unionist.
The pair wanted to “create a vehicle, a communication tool to give a voice to Atlantis and the surrounding areas during apartheid, so the people on the ground could be part of making the decisions about what happens to their town. One night I prayed about it,” recalled Georgia.
“I went to sleep, and believe it or not, God gave me a beautiful vision for Radio Atlantis. It was like the whole picture was downloaded in my mind,” she said.
Watson and Georgia begun canvassing support from schools, factory workers, local community organisations, sports teams and religious leaders. Their plan gained massive momentum. “People bought into the idea of a community radio station because they had the opportunity to be part of something great,” said Georgia. “When we applied for a broadcast licence, we had 90 000 signatures from the community. That is how much the people of Atlantis believed in the idea.”
By the time spring rolled around in ‘95, so too did a brand, spanking new community radio player. Radio Atlantis was in business. Among the guests in studio for RAFM’s first ever broadcast were renowned TV talk show host Felicia Mabuza-Suttle, the mayor of Atlantis at the time Noel Williams, trade union leaders, and members of the Open Fund Society who bankrolled the station’s equipment and staff training.
“I believe it was one of the most fulfilling days in the history of Atlantis. It was a day of celebration,” said an emotional Georgia. “For me, being the first one to go on air, to open the mic was really one of the significant milestones in my life, it was incredible.”
Georgia recalled how the phones rang nonstop. “We had hundreds of calls that day. The listeners just flooded the lines to send dedications. And that is what we dealt with that entire week. People were just calling in, sharing the excitement and the experience.”
Not long after RAFM first started broadcasting, listener Berenice Beukes-Blom signed up as a volunteer and before long began presenting on air. Her weekday afternoon talk show Hartklop van die Gemeenskap (Heartbeat of the Community) fast became one of the top programmes on the station. It tackled everyday issues facing the community, featured interviews with key decision-makers, and listeners could call in and share their experiences.
“Radio Atlantis was the best thing that ever happened to me. I went through so much in my personal life. But whenever I entered the radio station, those problems suddenly disappeared, because I could live my best life interviewing high-profile people and giving advice to the community,” Beukes-Blom told Weekend Argus.
“I actually always wanted to be a social worker. And Radio Atlantis gave me that platform when I presented the programme called Women’s Rights. People (listeners) would come to the station and confide in me.They wanted me to walk their journey with them. Whether they were in abusive relationships or going through divorces. Some would even ask me to help get maintenance officers from the local court involved (in disputes). I learned so much. With each and every interview I empowered myself with the information from my guests.”
Denzel “Denzy D” Blaauw was another of the station’s early volunteers. He was a high school pupil when he was thrown in the deep-end in 1996. One of the regular presenters didn’t pitch for their programme so Blaauw stepped in, put on the headphones and got behind the mic.
“I don’t think I have ever been that nervous. Thinking about talking to so many people in the community (on air),” said Blaauw. “The studio was air-conditioned, but I was sweating. I think it took me about an hour to settle in and convince myself, I can do this. It was so exciting.
“It’s been an amazing journey since then. It’s been off and on the last few years. All of us have moved on, but our hearts are still with Radio Atlantis.”
Dean Goliath is the current station manager. and he reflected fondly on RAFM’s 26-year journey. "Radio Atlantis, being the heartbeat of the community, has played a magnificent role in the betterment and upliftment of society. The station was started by revolutionaries in their own right (Georgia and Watson). They wanted to bring change for the better. Radio Atlantis has always played a great role in community development. I am a proud station manager. It's not every day that a community radio station, through all the challenges and storms, is still standing. We want to build on the success stories of Radio Atlantis FM."
Goliath said there has always been a focus on empowering young talent, particularly women. "RAFM through the years has had more female staff members than most stations. We have supported a lot of projects with regards to addressing gender based violence. One of our biggest programmes that addressed women empowerment in the context of gender based violence, was Atlantis Females Rock. That was a groundbreaker. The programme confronted issues relating to women and also focused on how women can stand up and do things for themselves. Even our top youth shows have been led by women.”
Radio Atlantis continues to be an institution in the community .While the premises has changed four times, dedicated listeners still find their way to the station – literally. The offices have even been used as a lost and found. Community members would walk long distances to drop-off what they’d come across. Presenters would do the rest on air, and appeal to anyone missing something that’d since been found to come round and collect it.
RAFM really has stood the test of time. The station’s sole source of income is advertising. And somehow they still manage to keep the doors open. Much has changed over nearly three decades Radio Atlantis has been around. Listeners no longer have to drop-off their handwritten dedications and then race home to hear it read out on air. There’s WhatsApp for that. Presenters don’t have to cue the reel machine to play music. There’s a computer system to take care of it all.The one constant however, has been the station’s tagline. RAFM has been The Heartbeat of the Community from day one. Station bosses promise to keep it so.
Weekend Argus