From: bgirard%sfu.ca@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu
Subject: South African Radio Closed
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: ?
Resent-From: "Rich Winkel" <MATHRICH@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 20:02:19 GMT

Note: This message was dated October 7. For further information contact
Laurie Adams at igc:ladams on the APC network or ladams@igc.org via the
Internet.

=======================================

** ACTION ALERT **  ACTION ALERT **


SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN CAMPUS RADIO STATION

Voice of Wits, a campus/community station based at the University of
Witswatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, was shut down today by
the South African government after a month of pirate broadcasting to
the local area.  Voice of Wits was the first campus or community station
 to challenge the SABC's monopoly of the airwaves by going on air
 without a license.  Telkom, the telecommunications company, sealed off the
students' transmittor and threatened a R10,000 (US $4,000) fine if they
were caught broadcasting again.  Voice of Wits is seeking messages of
support to strengthen its case to go back on air.

Despite calls for reform, broadcasting in South Africa is still completely
controlled by the apartheid government.  Campus stations such as Voice
of Wits are only allowed to air their programs over speakers in campus
buildings.  Voice of Wits began broadcasting with a transmitter on the
28th of August and was reaching the local community with music, news
broadcasts, documentaries and talk shows for 10  hours each weekday
and from 3 to 7pm on weekends.   Their pirate campaign was in part
aimed at pressuring the South African governmet to free the airwaves
and begin licensing independent stations.

Voice of Wits is only the second pirate broadcaster known of in South
Africa (Radio Freedom, the ANC's station, broadcast from outside the
country).  The other, a ultra-right wing station, apparently stopped on
its own after a few weeks rather than being shut down.  An effort to go
pirate in August by Bush Radio, a community radio inititiative in
Capetown composed of over 60 organizations in the mass democratic
movement, was postponed in order to allow more publicity work and
legal preparation so that they can withstand the inevitable crack-down
by the government, which can range from fines and confiscation of
equipment to jail sentences.

Democratization of the airwaves in South Africa is essential, as the white
minority regime still controls completely what goes on air.  The only two
stations not owned by the government directly are commercial stations
which broadcast from the homelands and are subject to serious
censorship.  A central demand of the democratic movement is that an
IBA, Independent Broadcast Authority, be established within the next
few months so that independent community, campus, and commercial
stations can be established in the period of negotiations running up to
South Africa's first democratic elections.

The Media Defense Trust, set up during the state of emergency to fund
legal cases involving freedom of speech,  has agreed to help Voice of
Wits take this case to court to challenge the government's monopoly of
the airwaves.   Voice of Wits is requesting letters of support for their
campaign to go on air, and for the importance of a quick
establishment of an IBA.   Please send messages to:

VOICE OF WITS c/o SRC  Fax: 011-27-11-339-7886

or  VOICE OF WITS c/o  SRC
      Private Bag 3    PO WITS  2050    RSA

Their phone number is (011) 27-11-716-3065


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