Threat to Christian Radio in South Africa

Good News Community Radio is literally under fire from the government communication authority, the Independent Communications Association of South Africa (ICASA).

GNCR was one of the first community radio stations in South Africa to be issued with a licence in May 1995 and started broadcasting on 2 September 1995. Now ICASA has given their frequency to a secular station, which has never had a licence before.

They lodged an application for a review of ICASA’s denial of their application for a four-year community licence in 2002. Since then the station has been operating due to an interdict imposed by the High Court pending the outcome of a review by ICASA. The reasons for the application being turned down was that the station did not broadcast most of their programmes in the language of the largest population group (Zulu) in the area receiving transmission and they did not have statistically proportional representation in their board and management structures. Although multi-racial and multi-lingual, the board did not adequately reflect these demographic ratios and racial quotas. The station was given 30 days to go off air.

On 13 March 2004 they were granted interim relief, pending the outcome of the review proceedings. GNCR finally appeared before the High Court on 26 November 2004. On 10 February 2005 judgement was given. The judge ruled against the station and gave them 30 days to get off the air. Management is now preparing to appeal the High Court decision.

For the last 10 years, Good News Community Radio has broadcast from the studios at Shortlands, halfway between Tongaat and Verulam, on 98FM in the Durban area, KwaZulu/Natal. GNCR is known for being “The Family Station with the Good News every day”. There are many people who tell of how they have been helped through this station. Through GNCR, families have been saved from shipwreck, husbands and wives have been reconciled, children have been empowered to stay pure, entrepreneurs have been given skills in their projects, many patients with AIDS have received hope and a new purpose in life, scores of community volunteers have been trained in AIDS home-based care, people with disabilities have been strengthened though the GNCR disability club, patients have been encouraged and helped, crime (including crime against the pre-born children) has been curtailed, and generally speaking, many people in the different communities have truly been developed – in becoming what they were intended to be.

There never was, during all these years of broadcasting, a complaint lodged against the station with ICASA. It is baffling to try to think how such a station - one that fulfilled its community of interest-rooted mandate and was known to promote harmony and reconciliation - was not given the four-year licence required to continue broadcasting.

What is decided here will determine the future of not just the station, but also the aspirations of the more than 90 000 listeners to GNCR. One is forced to ask the question: “Do 90 000 law-abiding citizens in South Africa not have a voice any more?”

While Good News Community Radio is a “community of interest” radio station and not a “geographic” radio station - in that it is representing the Christian community in the area of its broadcasting – it’s programming is of such a nature and in such a spirit that nearly twenty percent (20%) of it’s listeners are of other faiths. This is a strong indicator of the station’s cultural acceptance in the area.

“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.” 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2

Please help:

GNCR leaders have requested prayer and signature support on their website: http://www.durbanchurchnet.com/gncr.htm

Use radio phone-in programmes/ church bulletins/ email mailing lists etc to get the message out. Other Christian radio stations are also at risk.

Visit the website: http://www.gncr.org.za/

Source: ChristianAction