Inkonjane Community Radio

The Inkonjane FM found on 100.5 covers as mentioned earlier , Ntabankulu, Port St John’s , Flagstaff, Mbizana and Lusikisiki with spillages widening to areas like Ngqeleni, Libode, Umtata, Tsolo, Qumbu, Mt Frere, Mt Ayliff, Matatiele and Mt Fletcher and parts of southern KwaZulu-Natal, Harding, Mzimkhulu, Port Shepstone and Izingolweni. Parts of Alfred Nzo region is also covered by the Inkonjane FM and receives a large number of listenership. Though operating in the O.R. Tambo region and despite encroaching to most of Alfred Nzo Region, the station has two of its coverage towns recently demarcated to Alfred Nzo Region and that is, Ntabankulu and Mbizana with a listenership of 120 000 According to the latest BRC Rams and is currently ranked at No 4 in the province.

The Inkonjane Community radio presently based in Flagstaff with a coverage comprising of Ntabankulu , Flagstaff, Lusikisiki, Mbizana and Port St John’s is the merger of the AmaMpondo enthusiastic wish to have a community radio . The enthusiasm gave birth to Wild Coast and Ingqungqushe community radios both of which merged after a long process of negotiations and deliberations. The Independent Communications Authority of Southern Africa (ICASA) assisted the process of negotiations and consequently the Inkonjane FM was born on the 7th July 2006. Prominent founder members were Chief Advocate Mwelo Nonkonyana, the late Dr. Sam Mcetywa and many distinguished figures in the community. It was on the 24th of October 2008 that a child – Inkonjane FM was licensed and licence issued by ICASA. Such licensing was done after proper agreements were finalised between parties. As is generally known, the licensing opened way for the roll-out of the broadcasting equipment which was done by the Department of Communications and Sound Fusion. Worth mentioning is the fact that the path to the success of Inkonjane FM was characterised by a series of controversial events most of which nearly aborted the noble objectives founders had of its need to be established. However the burning desire to service the AmaMpondo in the language they understand and the intervention by ICASA and other stakeholders contributed positively to misunderstandings being buried hence the vibrant community radio Inkonjane FM has grown to be today. The Inkonjane FM went on air on the 20th April 2009 at its present base which is at Langa Senior School in Flagstaff.

The Inkonjane FM has to date honoured conditions of the licence and complied with both international and national telecommunications provisions as they apply to the Republic of South Africa. Compliance in language and programmes content as is strictly adhered by the station has strengthened relations with ICASA to the moment. Inkonjane FM is registered as Non-Profit Organization.

The Inkonjane FM operates along the provisions provided in its licence conditions in formatting, programmes content, language and broadcast hours. Broadcasting of programmes operates 24 hrs with news starting at 7am to 21:00 pm on daily basis. There are 15 news bulletins per day with 70% of which is isiMpondo, 20% isiXhosa and 10% English.

Each news bulletin takes strictly five minutes making Inkonjane FM having 75 MINUTES of news per day. This is in compliance with ICASA’s regulation that community radio stations should at least have ten news bulletins. As for programmes, apart from news there are twenty eight different programmes catering for people from all ages running from Monday to Sunday all of which are in line with ICASA regulation in terms of language percentage, music and talk. The station’s programmes are distributed by SENTECH as signal distributor with the transmitter based in Mount Ayliff. Religious, youth, women, cultural and interactive gender programmes are on air every day; a positive and well planned programming attributing to the station being the ‘everyone’s station’.

The Inkonjane FM as community driven project has a market nature that caters for local, national and even international market, the latter depending on the nature of market approach and its appeal to the community. Local businesses are the core of market for the station as rates of the station clearly reflects. However big market has a space in the station’s market plans as many offer services so desperately needed in communities the station serves. The isiMpondo language, unique as it is, serves as the basis upon which market growth is based. The position at which the station stands talks volumes as to the need for businesses to advertise with Inkonjane fm. The R61 road going past Flagstaff is often frequented by tourists on the way to the Pondoland tourist destinations like Port St John’s cool beach, Imbotyi holiday resort and many save backpackers havens along the Pondoland coast. The area being far from towns with daily needed commodities, has a better chance of marketing big businesses that offer such commodities. Many community members travel as far as to KwaZulu-Natal for purchases of quality household’s amenities and to have information on those markets they rely on Inkonjane fm. The station has thus aligned its products to suit both the emerging to thriving businesses and well to do big corporations. In its quest to cater for all the station offers products appealing to both buyer and seller. Services like: live reads and business promotions, advertorial article on air and on site promotions are offered by the Inkonjane FM marketing wing. These are designed professionally to suit needs for whichever businesses the station enters into contract with. The approach in servicing clients has so far received applauds from business fraternity in the area-the marketing wing time and again organises events for purposes of clients relations. Apparently the station has its mandate deeply etched it operates hence the services it offers free of charge in developing local talents and entertainment events for interaction with various local stakeholders.

The station’s finances are managed with great care with all necessary accountability exercises in place. Books for the station are audited by credible firm of auditors in the name of Dynamics Accountants and Business Solutions chartered accountant. The board had ever since the station hit the waves made the convening of Annual General Meetings a norm. Since the station went on air no business contract has been terminated due to mismanagement of funds or failure to account for finances of the station. The station has put in place an internal audit committee to keep a hawk eye on finances of the station to assist auditing processes by the audit firm.

With the station 10 years old and some few months old many has through its focused governance and management style been achieved. The growing number of listenership, which the station has attained, comes even beyond the coverage area; this is due to the station’s unique structuring of programmes and closeness to the people’s needs. The station’s path to local talent development is receiving recognition beyond its radius as the in-service training programme in imparting broadcasting skills accommodates youth coming from other areas. So far the station has offered in-service trainings to more than 50 students from recognised educational institutions. The number excludes local youth, whom, the station offer skills development on daily basis. The programmes department offers local music marketing platform. Presently the choral music presenter is amongst Eastern Cape Local Choral Music Presenters who snatched the trophy for being the best 3 times. Our Newsroom has snatched various awards from the District Communicators awards.

As a fast moving vehicle the Inkonjane FM has challenges all of which are not as a result of poor governance and management but attributed to the geographic position of the area the station serves. Though marketing department as well as programmes department have sharpened their operations to cater for both the community and the business people, resources to sustain the station are very scarce. This is due to no-existence of big businesses in the area to advertise on long term basis. Another contributing factor is the lack by the community to understand the need to support the station. In their understanding the Inkonjane FM must be catered for by the government. With these challenges the station has to rely on advertisement agencies and grant from the Media Development and Diversity Agency for sustainability.

The governance and management of the station are currently on plans to address challenges while improving on successes. The governance has strengthened the subcommittee structures by appointing or co-opting within the community prominent and skilled people to lead and give informed directions on structuring mechanisms to addresses departmental challenges. Plans to improve community participation and client’s relations strategies have already been formulated. Relations with stakeholders within and outside the radius are up and working. The board of directors with the station’s management are on plans to comply 100% with ICASA while maintaining the relations with Eastern Cape Community Radio Forum. There are plans to engage with big businesses by relevant subcommittee members as instructed and monitored by the Executive of the Board.

The management and the governance structures of the station adhere strictly to affirmative policy as enshrined in the country’s constitution. Adherence is vividly evident in every structure of Inkonjane FM, that is, from the staff level up to the board. Similarly, the station takes much considerations of having within its ranks disabled youth as it has achieved having women and youth in its ranks.

The Inkonjane FM is situated at Langa Senior Secondary School in Flagstaff and broadcasts on 100.5 MHZ.
Contact Person: Simbongile Mmbo (Station Manager)
Cell number: 079 320 5082 or 039-252 0288
Email address: info@inkonjanefm.co.za / manager@inkonjanefm.co.za

Postal Address:
P.O. BOX 1367
Flagstaff
4810

Registration number: 099-188-NPO