The collaboration, that commences later this month, includes a monthly TSA magazine show and nine live weekend broadcasts per contract year – showcasing existing tournaments hosted in the country, as well as two newly created prize money events.

The half-hour format monthly magazine show will be a fast-paced look at all areas of local tennis – including shining a spotlight on South Africa’s current and emerging tennis stars. Meanwhile, the nine live broadcasts will include coverage of selected ATP Challenger and ITF World Tennis Tour events currently hosted in South Africa, the David Samaai Junior Open (an ITF elite junior Grade A tournament), a Tie Break Tens exhibition event and the SABC Slam – a new big prize money event for local male and female players.

“I’m really excited about being able to get South African tennis events back where they belong – live, on the SABC. This is good for SABC Sport, good for Tennis South Africa and great for the millions of South Africans who love the game and want to re-connect with the local experience, as much as to what is happening internationally. We believe we can pay a key role in building the image and profile of tennis in our country and allow the game to touch the lives of millions more South Africans. To Tennis South Africa, all I can add is, welcome home,” said Gary Rathbone, the General Manager of SABC Sport.

“Tennis in South Africa is on an upwards trajectory, but for the sport to achieve its true potential it needs to reach as many South Africans as possible. Our new free to air broadcast partnership with the SABC provides us with a powerful platform from which to achieve this goal. We love the new SABC Sport vision and look forward to working closely with Gary (Rathbone) and his team to showcase the best of local tennis over the next three years,” concluded Richard Glover, CEO of TSA.

The SABC Sport GM, Gary Rathbone further elaborated, “we know how big the game of tennis still is in this country and to our audiences. Over many decades, South Africa produced some really talented players who went on to play top class international tennis, and still continues to do so with recent feats by the likes of Kevin Anderson, Lloyd Harris, Raven Klaasen and kgothatso Montjane . SABC Sport is therefore at the centre of showcasing the next raising talented group of players and bringing tennis into the homes of our audiences is the step in the right direction to inspire the future tennis champions.”

This our reality:
* Based on the ban on major events we can’t allow more than 100 people to congregate anywhere.
* Due to the travel ban and recommendations with regard to domestic travel and the use of public transport, our artists and visitors can’t get to Makhanda and we can’t get to them.
* We don’t want to contribute to the spread of the virus and fully understand that this is a time for isolation
That’s not what we do; we create experiences and celebrate the arts.

So, after more thinking, listening, reading, arguing and talking, we’ve come up with a plan… we’ve decided to do something bold, and something we have never done before. From 25 June to 5 July 2020, the National Arts Festival will be going completely virtual for the full 11 days of amazing.

Going virtual will mean that the Festival can continue to support artists and the arts in 2020, by presenting work within a digital space . This way we can share some magic and hope with those who may still be confined to their homes. An opportunity to connect when we are being asked to distance ourselves from one another.

Artists depend on festivals like ours to generate an income through selling tickets, getting their work seen and talked about locally and internationally, and networking with their peers. Rather than cancel, we aim to create a new opportunity for artists and audiences alike to celebrate the arts, and to create an accessible platform for artists to share their work.

Millions of people across South Africa and the world will be cut off from each other in completely unprecedented ways; unable to go to church, school or work, or socialize outside of their immediate family. This is absolutely the responsible thing to do to contain the uncontrolled spread of COVID-19, but as social beings, it is going to chip away a little bit of our souls every day the bans are in force.

Why make the decision now and not wait? We have just over 100 days to our opening day; the reality is that we can’t ask artists to prepare for a festival that may or may not go ahead; we can’t ask our supporters to make their plans, book their accommodation and transport, without the certainty that it will happen; and we can’t ask our service providers to stand at the ready if it may all come to nothing. The 2020 National Arts Festival will go down in our history as the first ever virtual edition.

For Makhanda and the Eastern Cape, this is going to be a really hard year and we are fully aware of the enormous impact that COVID-19 will have on our economic stability. We know how much income our festivals contribute to the infrastructure and economy of Makhanda. We remain committed to the city and will continue to play our role as good corporate citizens.

We will let you know more in the next few weeks about what will be on offer and how this will all work. We are engaging with our sponsors and donors, the Eastern Cape Provincial Government, Standard Bank of South Africa, the Department of Arts and Culture, Distell and Multichoice regarding our plans. Our commitment to the arts remains steadfast and we invite you to take this journey with us.

We will be engaging directly all artists and traders who are currently registered to participate in the 2020 Festival.
Postscript:
Scifest Africa will be postponed and take place from 9 to 15 September 2020 – all being well. The Eastern Cape Schools Festival will similarly be postponed to September 2020 – dates to be advised.

For more see: https://www.nationalartsfestival.co.za/

We were really excited to deliver the Pink Loerie and LGBTQ+ revival for 2020 but we cannot be irresponsible in delivering an event that will one, not be attended by people due to coronavirus and two, place people’s lives at risk.

We will be confirming the new date in 2020 from our website and pages and this will be based on the trajectory of the coronavirus and how it affects the world and South Africa.

Please note that you can and should be able to place accommodation and flights on hold till further notice and if not your travel insurance should cover this under an “Act of God” clause that was beyond the control of the festival planners and beyond your control.

We encourage our members, followers and festival goers to keep their chin up in this horrible time that the whole world is going through and note that we will come back from this stronger and better.

Remember, we will have the biggest, most fabulous, feather filled and happy party when this is all over, so keep up your spirit and let us remember we as the LGBTQ+ community have been through these terrible diseases before and we will learn to get through this as humanity as we have before.

eMedia is proud to bring Pascale Lamche’s Winnie, the documentary on South Africa’s Mother of the Nation. This illuminating work brings fresh perspective and insight into the life of anti-apartheid activist and human rights advocate Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. The documentary won a Sundance Award in 2017.

Winnie explores Mandikizela-Mandela’s contribution to the struggle against apartheid from the inside country. The work includes interviews with Madikizela-Mandela herself, those who were closest to her, and those who sought to extinguish her radical capacity to shake up the order of things.

“With acquisition of the rights to Winnie, the eMedia Group is proud to contribute to the collective understanding of our history, as we continue to do every day in our various media properties. We are particularly excited to be able to offer this award winning production to our OpenView viewers as part of our commitment to bringing high quality content to our free to air satellite platform. We have also made a library of our key Winnie Mandela interviews and stories available on our YouTube channel so that our viewers are able to watch these enlightning interviews at their convenience” says Andre van der Veen, eMedia Holdings Chief Executive Officer.

“In South Africa we have lived through turbulent times, and coming to terms with that history is often difficult. The passage of time often distorts as much as it allows for better insight into the past. Making sense of that past remains absolutely key to imagining a better future, though. In that spirit we hope that this documentary will help many South Africans confirm what they already know, gain new insight into what they have long believed about our collective history, but also, to help inform how we remember someone as important to our history as Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela Mandela. The life of this singular woman is indeed humbling, and holds many lessons for those of us who have benefited from her work over her long life.” says Mapi Mhlangu, MD and Editor-in-chief, eNCA.

Marlon Davids, e.tv’s head of channels says “We look forward to scheduling Winnie on e.tv and on Openview to enable South Africans to see this excellent film in their numbers.”

Lamche’s account of the political life of Winnie includes fascinating archival footage, extensive interviews with her, her daughter Zindzi, and those who sought her downfall. Though firmly on the side of Winnie, this film, nonetheless, offers a unique perspective on recent South African history. In the process, it restores Madikizela-Mandela as a key figure in the liberation of South Africa.

The documentary will premiere on eNCA on Wednesday 11^th April 2018 at 9PM, after which it will broadcast to all South Africans on e.tv and OpenView.

The sought-after sold-out four day jazz music festival offers a stellar line-up of both local and international acts. This year at the 7^th installment of Jazz on the Rocks, festival goers can look forward to seeing Joe Mcbride doing a tribute to Ray Charles alongside 23 other top notch local artists.

The popularity of the event, which takes place from Thursday 23 February to Monday 27 February 2017, has grown exponentially over the last few years, with campsites at Tieties Baai sold-out at least nine months ahead of the event. Apart from attracting thousands of people to the reserve, the event contributes significantly towards the economy of the region. Local entrepreneurs are also given the opportunity to showcase their goods and services, further entrenching an entrepreneurial culture and spirit in the communities.

Founder and Heart FM Presenter Clarence Ford says the festival promises a little more this year. “We will be hosting a community youth sports festival on the Voorstrand beach in Paternoster on Saturday 25^th February. We’d like to focus on youth in the area and sport, which is well loved in the community. We want to unlock the abundance of talent in youth, in the fields of music and sport. It is important that we are not only seen as festival creators, but that we are invested in developing the youth of the region. We want to leave a lasting legacy for years to come, without leaving a footprint on the splendid.”

Ford says he would like to get more youth involved in the festival. “We want to upskill them with knowledge about festival design and the management thereof. To facilitate this, we have the Cape Peninsula of Technology on board again this year. In 2016, 15 youth from the Paternoster area were acknowledged for their learning by the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. We are proud of their achievement. They are able to now be economically active in more than just the crayfish industries.”

Sponsors for the 2017 edition include, NEDBANK, Old Mutual, The Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, VODACOM, Distell and SAB Miller. The event strategically involves the Department of Fisheries, to educate the local community and visitors about the dramatically decreasing crayfish reserves.

About Jazz on the Rocks

Jazz on the Rocks was successfully introduced to Tietiesbaai, Paternoster in 2011. The event enables families’ quality time in the great outdoors. While the event essentially harnesses the healing forces of nature and music, social entrepreneurship is at the heart of all endeavours. Behind all effort and risk, is a passionate mission to empower youth from “target” areas, in all elements of festival design and management. The objective is for youth from previously disadvantaged, host communities, to be effectively equipped to manage the event in future years. The Jazz on the Rocks stage has seen some of South Africa’s leading acts alongside their international counterparts including, Hugh Masekela, Lira, Andy Narrel, Joe McBride, Freshly Ground, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Jimmy Dludlu and Judith Sephuma, Jay Beckenstein, Marion Meadows and many more.

Radio Kaboesna is a radio station that broadcasts on the 98.0 FM frequency to reach listeners in town and surrounding farms. The station reaches listeners in LSM groups one to six, in all age groups. It broadcasts 18 hours a day in Afrikaans, English  and Xhosa. They specifically target the youth and young working class.

The broadcast areas are Calvinia, Niewoudtville, Vanrynsdorp, Citrusdal and Williston.

More Information:
Contact person: Jack Joseph
Landline: 027 341 2263
Cell: 083 333 6622.

About Mokopane Community Radio:

Mokopane Community Radio broadcasts from Mokopane in the Limpopo province on 100.0 FM. The audience they target are multilingual black listeners of all ages. About 60% of the station is talk, while 40% is music. The stations broadcastrange includes Polokwane, Mokopane, Roedta, Tzaneen, Magoebaskloof, Morbeng, Ngoako Ramelepe, Makhado, LEphalale, Vaalwater, Thabazimbi, Modimolle and Bela-Bela.

Contact Details:
Sms line: 34179
Studio:0716582212
Office: 015 483 2106

About MFM 92.6:

MFM 92.6 is an independent radio station that’s situated on the campus of the University of Stellenbosch. They offer an alternative to the monotony of conservative mainstream radio stations. MFM tries to stay in-touch with and part of the community so that they know their listeners intimately and is a welcome and familiar sound in homes, offices and automobiles throughout their broadcast area.

Contact Details:
Office: (021) 808 3098
Studio: 086 163 6926
Fax: (021) 808 4814
SMS: 44926

Botlokwa community radio station is established in 1996 and officially launched on the 17th November 2000. Botlokwa Community Radio 89.3FM seeks to revive, promote and retain Batlokwa culture, traditional art and norms.

They broadcast in a 55km radius around the Botlokwa community and the surrounding villages in the Limpopo province. Botlokwa Community Radio 89.3FM is situated 55km between Polokwane and Makhado along the N1 road in the Molemole municipality at Mphakane Machaka Thusong service center.

Contact Details:
Mpho Raphahlelo (Station Manager)
015 527 0683
083 306 4121
raphamlo1@gmail.com
botlokwafm@gmail.com

Physical Address:
1157 Botlokwa Mphakane,
Ga-Machaka Thusong Centre,
Molemole.
Polokwane,
Limpopo,
0812.

About Eastwave Radio:

Eastwave Radio is one of over 100 community radio stations in South Africa and one in every ten listeners is tuning into a community radio station. According to Radio Audio Measurement (RAM), listenership to community Radio is in excess of six million which is a clear indication that community radio has entrenched itself in the media environment in South Africa. Community radio has played a geat role in fostering the growth of democracy in our country. Eastwave Radio, though past and present Board of directors, Management, Staff and Presenters have proved, through personal sacrifices and dedicated efforts, their determination to preserve Eastwave Radio in our community. Over the years, the radio station has grown in terms of staff and volunteers. The radio station enjoys a healthy relationship with the business sector, all government organisations, non-governmental organisations, private and community institutions and the entire community of its coverage area.