Deadline looms for Kowie FM

KOWIE FM‘S deadline for getting its house in order expires this weekend, and by Tuesday the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) still had no update from the station.

ICASA gave notice to the community radio station last month after it emerged the station had not yet met the condition of being registered as a Section 21 company.

Station founder and manager, Robbie Blake, admitted at the time his board of directors was dysfunctional and had not met in a year. The Ndlambe Community Radio Forum got its licence in December 2008 and the station started broadcasting in September last year.

The chairman of the board, Professor Isaac Mabindisa, was required to sign the necessary forms to establish the Section 21 company, but he was ill for several months and then unavailable when he went overseas on a sabbatical for three months.

Contrary to its own constitution, the station‘s monthly financials were not being checked by the treasurer, Tammi Sukuto, nor was he a co-signatory on the bank account.

In the absence of a bank account in the name of the Ndlambe Community Radio Forum, Blake used the account of a “dormant cc”. He said he could account for all the funds and the books would be audited.

ICASA spokesman Josias Mathiba said the station had “violated” ICASA regulations but that the station had been given until January 31 to register as a Section 21 company and fulfil other conditions of its licence.

Blake said though it wasn‘t meant to be his responsibility, it was left to him to sort out the problems.

He arranged for a special meeting on December 21 and called for interested residents to apply to be considered for the board.
On Monday Blake said the board was to meet this week after which it would release a statement on the status of the station.

He would not comment further, except to say last month‘s special meeting was successful and “some board members stepped up”. The composition of the “new” board has not yet been revealed.

Blake dispelled rumours there had been infighting at the station after last month‘s meeting and that some parties had stormed out and some staff had not worked for several days.

“Our staff worked every single day of the holidays, aside from Christmas and New Year, which were pre-recorded,” he said.

Mathiba said although ICASA‘s compliance unit was meant to monitor the station from the time it got its licence – to ascertain whether it was fulfilling the terms and conditions of the licence – it only really paid any attention once Kowie FM started broadcasting.

“The radio station's licence was issued on December 8, 2008 and Kowie FM only went on air on September 4, 2009, which means there were no activities in relation to the terms and conditions to be monitored by the compliance officer,” Mathiba said.

He said it was “not justified” to suggest the compliance officer had not been doing his job.
“Additional information was requested from the radio station and the radio station has until January 31 to submit the aforesaid,” he said.

“After this grace period a decision can be made, and possibly action taken by the Licensing and Compliance Division, based on compliance or non-compliance with the deadline.”

He said ICASA would only become involved with assessing Kowie FM‘s books at the end of their financial year in February. The station would have three months‘ grace within which to submit its financials. - JON HOUZET