The Weekly Archivist interview: Ikwekwezi FM

Peter Raseroka
SABC Radio Archives

The SABC Radio Archives has archivists who focus specifically on a specific radio station and/or an indigenous language. This is part of a series of weekly interviews where they will all answer the same questions addressed to them.

It is a way of getting a better understanding of what we as archivists do, as well as getting a better insight into the scope of our collections in the SABC Media Libraries.

The Archivist answering the questions this week is Peter Raseroka. He is the archivist for Ikwekwezi FM (http://www.ikwekwezifm.co.za/portal/site/ikwekwezifm )

Peter, please tell us a little bit about your life. (Where you grew up, where and what you studied and your work experience before you joined the SABC Radio Archives)

 I have been with the Radio Sound Archives for 21 and 8 month years. The other10 years was working in the Record Library as a log typist, tapes clerk and music compiler for Radio Sesotho by then, now being call Lesedi FM.  I never worked for any other companies except the SABC from 1979, but did work as a restaurant assistant for some time, also at the SABC.
I was born in Johannnesburg, but grew up at Pretoria rural area call Winterveldt .
I matriculated at Tswaing High School in 1978.
I came back to Johannesburg in 1978 and my first employer was at SABC as a restaurant assistant. Four months down the line I was promoted to be a messenger. 
In the afternoons I was attending class of General Office Management with Management College at Johannesburg between 1979 and 1980. 
After completing my course in April 1980, I was promoted to the Record Library and my job description was as a typist clerk. In between 1983 to 1989 I was working as tape clerk and music compiler for Radio Sesotho .
In 2004 and 2005 I completed my Ministry course with South Africa – Extension Bible School at Roodepoort.
At the moment I am busy with my Archival Studies National Diploma with Unisa and I hope this is my final year.

Please tell us about a normal day in your studio. What material do you work with? Tell us more about the collection you focus on and the scope of material you need to preserve.

As an archivist my job mainly is to see that all the important programs of  Ikwekwezi FM from speech, education, religious, music, documentary, features, youth, and sports programs are catalogued and preserved in a good and safe place for re-broadcast and re-use by SABC management, ICASA, researchers, historians, education people, learners, government officials and the public at large.

Do you struggle with technical difficulties, and if so, what?

When talking about technical difficulties, to sum it up, it needs someone to learn it everyday because technology is far ahead of us. However, if I pick up any problem, I consult with those who have the expertise or skills of technology around SABC.
There is a saying in Afrikaans: “Agteros kom ook in die kraal” (the last one eventually also gets things done!)

If you have an anecdote about a specific piece of interesting audio material, please share it with us.
My most interesting story was from the Serial Drama call “Ngiyi Induna lapha” about an Induna, “a foreman” by the name of Sibiya who was too jealous and selfish.  He didn’t want other employees to share cigarettes with his white boss “Umlungu”. He is the only one who does that because cigarettes are not for black people; they are supposed to smoke BB covered with a brown paper. He is the only one to share with “Umlungu” because he is a foreman “Induna”. It is a very funny story!

Tell us why you enjoy doing the work that you do. 

I enjoy doing the archival job because I learn and get informed on a daily basis. Radio is a medium of information and I am very fortunate to work directly with it.

Related posts:

The weekly archivist interview: Music archivist
The weekly archivist interview: news and actuality
The weekly archivist interview: sport archivist

Questions and post by Karen du Toit, Afrikaans Archivist in the SABC Radio Archives.