Story by Innocent Nxumalo
The new kid on the block Lotsha community radio station is receiving rave reviews from elders who identify with content being broadcast in their own language.
With just a fortnight of live radio broadcasting, Lotsha FM which broadcasts mainly in TshiVenda is dominating the public sphere in Beitbridge.
The elated Beitbridge community believes the facility will not only champion the development agenda but will also increase inclusive participation in all public matters.
“This radio broadcasts in our own language, articulating our issues. We love it! This is a significant step which propels our area,” a listener told the ZBC News.
Another said, “Everyone in the area can create content, hearing our own voices on the radio is something we never imagined could happen.”
According to Beitbridge-Shashe board secretary Mr Mbongeleni Muleya, the government is fulfilling its pledge of ensuring an inclusive approach to development by licensing language-based community radio stations.
“This is total empowerment for our community. It has opened up more opportunities for our youths and artists. Surely, we can now testify that no one is being left behind in the development matrix,” he said.
Lotsha FM is part of more than a dozen community radio stations which were licensed by the government as part of its efforts to ensure media plurality and diversity across the country.
