The North-West University (NWU) CoLab and the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (NEMISA) are reaching out to community radio stations in North West by offering training in the production of radio documentaries and dramas in indigenous languages.

The NWU CoLab is an e-skills project of the School of Communication Studies in the Faculty of Humanities.

The one-year training programme specifically focuses on individuals already working at community radio stations in the North West province. The current group will finish their training in February 2021, and will receive a National Certificate in Radio Production upon successful completion.

“This training programme addresses one of the shared objectives of the NWU and provincial government, namely to develop indigenous languages in the region,” says Prof Mpho Chaka, deputy dean of the Faculty of Humanities. 

The training programme, which consists of theoretical and practical work, aims to prepare individuals to work optimally in indigenous languages in the world of radio broadcasting.

It aims to prepare employees for roles such as producers, writers, researchers, on-air presenters, editors and interviewers, and to cultivate an appreciation for the world of radio, and for understanding their responsibilities when disseminating radio content.

Prof Chaka says apart from helping employees to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge, they will also learn how to use radio equipment and master the tools of the trade.

Thulane Mabuse from Aganang community radio station is currently attending the programme and says he has learned a lot about radio broadcasting.

“The training has definitely enhanced my broadcasting style, and I would definitely recommend it to all individuals in the community radio space,” he says.

These are some of the employees of community radio stations in the North West province who is currently taking part in the NWU Colab and NEMISA training project.