Deputy Minister Ms Thembi Siweya to engage with Eastern Cape Community Media, East London

The Deputy Minister in The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa, Ms Thembi Siweya, will, this weekend (27 – 28 July 2019), engage with Rise ‘n Shine Disability Magazine and Kumkani FM, both community media projects based in the Eastern Cape. The engagements are part of an ongoing initiative by the Deputy Minister to support and drive the sustainability of a community media sector focused on “giving a voice” to those historically disadvantaged communities, both geographic and interest-based, marginalised by the mainstream media, as well as by other stakeholders. 

The Deputy Minister will be joined by the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) in the engagements with these community media projects, both of which are beneficiaries of MDDA grant funding. 

Rise ‘n Shine Disability Magazine is a Non-Profit Organisation established in 2008 by disabled activists from Mdantsane to create awareness around disability issues in the greater Buffalo City Metro area. Kumkani FM is a community radio station based in Duncan Township, outside East London, primarily catering for young people with a mix of vibrant content narrated in IsiXhosa, English and Afrikaans. 

Government recognises the critical role of a robust and diverse community media sector in driving the transformation agenda outlined in the country’s National Development Plan. Such media projects are a powerful tool for nation building and social cohesion as they strive to mirror the lives and aspirations of communities, making the media accessible to all people in the language of their choice. As a critical medium of information sharing and a powerful platform from which to raise awareness around grassroots issues, local media projects enable the communities they serve to play an active role in our democracy. 

Members of the media are hereby invited to cover the engagements, which will take place as follows: 

Engagement: Rise ‘n Shine Disability Magazine 
Date: Saturday, 27 July 2019 
Time: 09h30 
Venue: 2307 NU 1, Mdantsane 

Engagement: Kumkani FM 
Date: Sunday, 28 July 2019 
Time: 09h30 
Venue: Kumkani FM, Shakespeare Road, Scenery Park, East London


Enquiries: Fikile Mahlophe, Medial Liaison Officer on 082 924 7090

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria