COMMEMORATING YOUTH DAY: AMPLIFYING YOUNG VOICES THROUGH COMMUNITY MEDIA
COMMEMORATING YOUTH DAY: AMPLIFYING YOUNG VOICES THROUGH COMMUNITY MEDIA
Interview by Mamosa Mahlakolisane, Intern
16 June 2025
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Every year on June 16, South Africa honours the fearless spirit of the students of
1976 who stood up against an unjust system during the Soweto Uprising. Their
courage not only sparked a national movement for freedom, but also laid the
foundation for the democratic society we continue to build today.
At the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA), Youth Day is more than a moment of remembrance — it is a call to action. We are deeply committed to supporting platforms that empower young people to share their voices, challenge the status quo, and shape the future of our country through vibrant, inclusive media.This year, as we reflect on the strides made since 1976 and the road still ahead, we shine a light on youth-driven community radio — a powerful tool for expression, education, and engagement. To mark the occasion, the MDDA connected with a dynamic youth-focused broadcaster in KwaZulu-Natal, Lucky Dlamini, Station Manager at Vibe FM.
Vibe FM, a youth-centred community radio station based in KwaMashu, Durban, is one of the MDDA-supported stations for the 2024/2025 funding year. Broadcasting on 94.7 FM, the station reaches audiences across the INK nodal area — Inanda, Ntuzuma, and KwaMashu — offering young people a platform to tell their stories, address local issues, and drive positive change.
1. Tell us a bit more about Vibe FM including your target audiences and
region.
VIBE FM is a community radio station based in KwaMashu, KwaZulu-Natal,
which went live with its first broadcast on 13 March 2009 to broadcast to the
community of KwaMashu and surrounding areas. We are a geographically
founded station meaning our target market includes all community, but the youth
programmes are leading.
2. What does Youth Day mean to you, and how is your station commemorating the day? As one of the youth activists in Kwa-Mashu during the 90’s, Youth Day means a lot to me. I served various youth formations in KZN including Kwa-Mashu Youth, Youth Desk, Youth Council, Youth Commission KZN and EThekwini Youth - where we worked with government through the South African Police Services (SAPS). For Youth Day, the station has already started to invite young people who run businesses and organisations to talk about their projects and businesses.
3. As one of the youth-focused community radio stations, how do you think media can play a role in empowering and amplifying the voices of young people? Media can play a significant role in empowering young people. E Every Friday we have a radio feature called Campus Connection where we always connect with various Campuses. Every Wednesday we also have Vibrant Youth, a programme supported by an organisation based in Cape Town Radio Workshop where they teach young people to research, produce and present the show.
4. How has the MDDA supported you in your mission? We have been beneficiary of the MDDA maybe 6 times since 2008, before we even went on air for the first time back in 2009 with our first grant funding which was R700 000. In that funding there was a training item which assisted young people. From that group, two of the young people were recently hired by NewzroomAfrica, and the other two went to the SABC. MDDA played a vital role to the growth of the station even during Covid, when we received relief funding which assisted our news team to compile news during that difficult time., In 2021, we also received a grant for studios which now we are relocating to new premises, and we currently have a grant for studio relocation.
5. What advice would you give to young people who are interested in pursuing a career in community broadcasting? The Community Radio sector is the future and can open many doors for young people working close with their communities. It can help you to understand community development at large, you can also have opportunity to apply even on mainstream media sector.
6. How do you think Youth Day can be used as a platform to address some of the challenges facing young people in South Africa today? Firstly, government made a big mistake to close our formations like Youth Council and Youth Commission and if we commemorate the Youth Day through politics I don’t think we can address youth challenges in this country. So, I’m insisting government must reinstate one organisation that will incorporate all youth regardless of the political party they serve.
7. Can you share any personal experiences or stories about how you have seen the impact of your station on youth in your community? Back 2005 when we broadcast event licences, we’ve organised an event where we encouraged community members to surrender their guns so we can burn them. The event went well as we managed to collect 85 guns for burning them at Princess Magogo Stadium.
8. What issues do young people face in South Africa today and how can community media assist in bringing attention to these? Young people are faced with a lack of job opportunities and skills development. Through government entities such as the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), we can create opportunities to bring those (government) departments that deal with assisting young people.
*Vibe FM can be streamed on: Stream Vibe FM
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