Stop Exploiting Indigenous Language Radio Talent

Public Broadcast Systems have millions of listeners, way more than their English and Afrikaans counterparts, with some even generating more profit for the SABC than their commercial counterparts. Ukhozi FM, for example, has a listenership of approximately 8 million people followed by Umhlobo Wenene FM at more than 5 million listeners – making them leading radio stations in the country yet the staff at these radio stations are paid less than their English counterparts. This is problematic for the following reasons:

* It creates a general impression that speaking English qualifies one better and is indicative of apartheid-style remuneration where Black people earn less than their white counterparts.
* It creates an exodus of talent from the indigenous radio stations as indigenous language-speaking radio talent is forever attracted to work for English speaking radio stations.
* It creates a negative perception amongst the public that working for an indigenous language-speaking radio station is a non-rewarding national duty compared to that of the English speaking radio stations, and as a result a general lack of respect or looking down upon the efforts of indigenous language-speaking personalities.

This is how languages and cultures lose their value, currency and existence amongst people, and thus relegates the language to becoming a subject of study amongst anthropologists and historians.

This is a self-confidence and inferiority complex issue for the indigenous language-speaking aspiring media talent.

The current situation is the following:

* SABC English speaking radio talent on regional and national radio stations earn more than national indigenous language-speaking radio talent for the same job.
* This is a known elephant in the room at the SABC (Hlaudi said it on SJL).
* This is racist in essence and it must change with the coming year’s budget allocations.