The Kalahari Desert Festival 2015, Andriesvale

By: Moshe Maghundu
Archivist and Librarian, Platfontein, Northern Cape

On Thursday, 19 March, the X-K FM broadcast team got the privilege again to do the Kalahari Desert Festival 2015 (KDF 2015).

Left: Simon Hasjenda (Programme producer); Moshe Maghundu (Archivist);
Reinhardt Kampunda (Presenter)
Right: Jeta Manuel (Presenter)
[Camera: Rena Maghundu (Technical producer)]

It is an opportunity to do stories, interviews and oral history for SABC Platfontein Archives, but it does not come easy due to budgetary constraints.

This is the third festival that Moshe Maghundu attended where he could gather a sizeable amount of material for broadcast and for the Archive. Speaking to people around the festival is easier than speaking to them at home where they are asking for monetary compensation before telling their stories. He is appreciative of the fact that the people came to talk to him for free.

The broadcast location was centred right in the middle of all activities It was very easy getting hold of people for interviews.

They got hold of Andries Steenkamp on the first day. He is a respected leader from the area and he is one of the organisers of the Kalahari Desert Festival 2015. He has a very strong vision of the KDF and how he want the festival to survive in future.

The tent was used as a lecture venue for the three San languages; !xun, Khwe an !khomani. It was amazing to observe how encouraged the young people were in learning these languages.

The beauty of the Kalahari: dry, with grasses and plants
which can only grow in the Kalahari

One of the challenges they had was the booking of Telkom lines. Telkom could not give them any lines because of birds making their nests on these poles which became heavy and breaks the poles.

Thanks to technology, they used the mobile devices Comrex for Broadcast.

















At the festival there were many activities which kept the youth entertained, with drama performances, poetry and music.

There were young ladies modelling for the crowd.

The ladies team from Platfontein also took part in the traditional dance performances. This was very encouraging seeing the young people interested in the cultural affairs.

Moshe Maghundu arranged for an interview with one of the organisers of the Kalahari Desert Festival. She spoke on issues of the San people being exploited. Researchers and film crews do not compensate fairly for research and visual material being shot in the area.

Police and medical crews were on standby in case of emergencies.

Day 2 of the broadcast by X-K FM

They managed to do a number of interviews with Andries Steenkamp. Moshe Maghundu helped out to make sure that everything went well with the broadcasts before going off  "sound hunting".

Children were also given the opportunity to enjoy the festival with jumping castles. The day was cloudy with some drops of rain, but the wind was one of the main challenges. They were thankful that the Gazebo was not blown away.

There was also a session of storytelling around the fire where by all San groups came together to tell their stories. It was a very exciting experience for all!

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Thanks to the following people for believing in the work that's been done:
- Regina Beregho, the station manager of X-K FM - for taking the initiative to arrange for this trip for Moshe Maghundu. It would not have been possible without her and he would not have been able to do his work in the Kalahari.
- Hennie Swart - for all the financial support. Thanks for believing  in the development of the San people by supporting the X-K FM Archives: "Baie dankie Hennie, ek waardeur alles!"
- Colleagues: Simon Hasjenda, Rena Maghundu, Reinhardt Kampunda and Jeta Manuel - "Thanks for the co-operation you gave. I really enjoyed working with you all.You all are hard-working and we all had one mission to accomplish, and that was to do our best for our station X-K FM".


Related posts

- The Kalahari Desert Festival 21 - 23 March 2014 > "Sound Hunting" for archival purposes

- X-K FM archivist at the Kalahari Desert Festival

In Good Memory of Bryan Reilly

Bryan Reilly was a technical producer at Radio 2000 before he passed away on 6 June 2014.

Moshe Maghundu, from SABC RBF in the Northern Cape, has fond memories of Bryan Reilly.
"We will always remember him. May his soul rest in peace."

"It was very good knowing Bryan Reilly and working with him. I have good memories of him when we did an outside broadcast at Hoërskool Diamantveld in Kimberley. He was always a gentleman in his working relationship with all of the people in the team."

Bryan Reilly (middle) talking to William Heath, discussing technical issues
Moshe Maghundu (right) busy with arrangements

The outside broadcast went smoothly with the Radio 2000 team on that day. The Radio 2000 crew kept to the exact broadcast schedule, which made the work very easy. The Kimberley RBF technical producers were Me Rena Maghundu and Mr William Heath.

The Radio 2000 crew consisted of Mmaphuti Mpheroane, Justice Ramohlola,
Dineo Motaung and Bryan Reilly. 

Moshe Maghundu reflects on the professionalism of the team, but also that they made time to have some fun in-between the broadcasting.

Briyn Reilly at the back, with the Principal of Hoërskool Diamantveld
being interviewed by Justice Ramohlola (Just-ice)

The former Northern Cape acting Premier, Me Grizelda Boniwe Cjiekella was also present, and the learners of the school were very excited that such an event was staged at their school.

(Bryan Reilly on the left)

The school’s principal highlighted the challenges and successes of Hoërskool Diamantveld school, which are made possible by dedicated people. He thanked everybody for contributing towards the success of the school.

It was a successful day for the SABC teams, which left the cheerful learners in good spirits.

"The death of Bryan Reilly will remain a shock to us all and we will remember his friendship and the good person he was! 

May his soul rest in peace!"

Election debate 2014 at Pella, Northern Cape - report from the technical producer

By Rena Maghundu
RBF Technical Producer

Pella is a pristine town in the Northern Cape. The X-K FM current affairs team and RBF recorded an outside broadcast (OB) of a pre-election debate with the community of Pella to make their voices heard.

The team were surprised by the beauty of the nature as they turned into the gravel road leading to the town. Pella is situated 30 kilometres outside of Poffader. From Kimberley they had to drive for a day to get to Pella, passing through Upington as well.

"Pella is an oasis in Namakwa (Bushmanland) in the Northern Cape province of South Africa earlier known as Cammas Fonteyn, the spring was used by a nearby stronghold of the San people. In 1776 a South African Dutch farmer called Coenraad Feijt settled there and lived in harmony with the San despite their fondness for raiding the cattle of the Dutch farmers in the Hantam. A nearby farm called Aggeneys later became the site of the modern mining town of that name." - Wkipedia

The Cathedral in Pella

Pella

The team went in search of a river in the area as as the area is very dry, but could only found the place where the river dried up.

A drive in the surrounding area of Pella

They were amazed to see the high mountains with small trees. The beauty of the area made an impact on them.

The Team

Left Ulrich Hendriks; middle Rena Maghundu and right Tressel Katembo

Back Magdalena Juharra 

Picture by Fresto Mangumbu

The team for the outside broadcast consisted of five people, four from news and one from RBF.


Pella Pre-election Debate

Community Hall in Pella

The big day of the broadcast arrived, with political parties in attendance to face the community of Pella. The beautiful decorated hall added to the rural charm of the environment, as well as gave the team motivation to do their job.
Tressel Katembo and Fresto Mangumbu handled the proceedings in the hall.

Magdalena Juharra was the producer of the day, ensuring the success of the broadcast. Rena Maghundu, the only technical producer in the team, took the pictures.

Magdalena Juharra and Rena Maghundu during the broadcast (on far right)

Ulrich Hendriks handled the floor microphone and made sure they heard what the political parties were saying. He gets a special mention because it is very difficult to handle the floor microphone when the people got angry when their hands were raised for too long.

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Rena Maghundu thanks RBF and News Management for giving her the opportunity to attend the OB and to visit Pella. She also thanks her team members for their support during this time.


Blog post and pictures by Rena Maghundu.