A page out of my diary by Slyso

Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 10:03pm

It is true, that through adversity, growth and blessings are realized. I started cycling last week Friday. I am not crazy enough to cycle on the road so I choose to pack my bike in the car and just whip it out at the beach where I start my (very safe) 50 minute route. The excitement really starts as I conclude the Early Morning Show on Eastern Cape's number one commercial station, Algoa fm. There is just a number of things that have my spirits up lately. My features are finding rhythm on the show and fine tuning my clock as well. It's just humbling to be part of such an oiled engine, considering that the station is only celebrating it's quoter of a century in 2011. There is so much in store but eish, I have been sworn to secrecy for now...lol.

I can't get over the fact that I have been cycling for almost a week now and each time is just so amazing. I am discovering the beauty of this city all over again. It is filled with so much contrasts, most of them positive. I remember as I parked the car on the first morning to take my bike out and get my ipod to the relevant folder (Stevie, Talib, Lil Brother, Roots and more).. I noticed at a distance this man in his worn out blanket moving “house”, I guess it might have been cold where he put up the previous night or, as traffic was starting to accumulate on this particular part of the city, I guess noise was a distraction. Having slept on the street on a charity fund raiser with Kick (Kids In Christ Kingdom) for people living on the streets, I have an idea of what it's like to sleep there with nothing but the clothes on your back.

As I quilt at what he might be going through, I hop on my bike, Lil Brotha is up first on my list of songs for this morning and ride on. The sunlight, reminds me of time-laps on television, steadily reflect on the apartments over looking the beach, from top to bottom while to my left, the sea is turned into this shimmering carpet of gold.

I must say, the reasons why people would choose to get up in the morning vary and this is evident in the different shapes and personalities I encounter. I come across angry faces and presuming they are there or escaped home to “cool off”. There are groups walking their dogs, all jolly and chatting away and making occasional stops to allow the “K9s” time to answer nature's call. You have to agree with me when I say, PE truly is a friendly city, I mean there is a smile on every second person you meet, thumbs up from others and a growl from the grumpy..and I'm thinking “dude, did someone kick you out of the house to be here?”. There is also a handful of tourists who take advantage of what the Port Elizabeth beach front has to offer. I know they are tourists because they'd stop every few meters and take pictures of each other against the beautiful beach as a backdrop. I somehow don't know who advised them to be in safari clothes even when they going out to stroll the beach. My bum on the other end is not used to the bike seat (as a matter of fact I still have “'eina”-as my son refers to anything painful), so I keep shifting on the seat but there is little relief. I also had not tightened the handle bars as much as I should have and I picked this up while en-route, I just made a mental note and rode on.

One of the things that make me appreciate my first bike ride experience in a long while is, I have hardly been up at this time of the morning in ages. I mean, I had been hosting breakfast shows in two stations for the past 7 years and this is like “wow”. On weekends I would sleep in, as I would have gone to sleep in the early hours of the morning, if I was out playing a gig (in a particular city/ town) or simply catching up on my poetry, music and friends over a braai or something.

I miss the rush of a drive show, from being armed with information to running out of time with prepared content each day and feel like my producer and I were pushing an 8 hour day. This, on the other side, makes me appreciate breath, nature and time to myself. Being a radio jock, I have to say I've never really looked at being a radio jock as a job, it's always been like, I am the one who is chosen to afford that particular community a service, be it weather, personal experience or just disseminating information that I feel people have the right to know and would not have come across because of what is on their platter on a particular day. It still is the best job in the world.

At the point where I turn, to ride back since I am still a novice.. I make small talk with the people who sleep in the bush nearby. These are people who get your trolley from you at shopping malls after they'd showed you where to park upon your arrival at the shopping centre. They offer this in the hope that we might spare them a few cents so they can buy something to eat. I know that they bathe at the sea or simply go to a filling station nearby. I also know that they are often chased from these filling stations because they are accused of leaving them in a distasteful condition.

I am not pushing myself as much, on my way back. I put on Stevie Wonder, a bit of John Legend, Hugh Masekela and some John Lennon from “the working class hero- definitive collection” album. I am a sea of emotions from my encounters until I get to a part of the route where, I am looking at the day ahead. This spot by the way, is the same place I sat at when I had a few minutes to myself during the “In their shoes campaign”. I set there, gazing at the beach thinking of my contract that was not renewed, the bills that were not going to paid and how I was going to turn this ship around. By the time I get to the car, I have a sense of fulfilment and pride from these mini strides I made. I can't even fill my legs as I hop into the car and drive off but the self-imposed body battering I happily subjected to in the hope of improving my health has nothing on me. I'm feeling good. I was between a rock and a hard place not so long ago, I went through all sorts of negative emotions (don't get it twisted though, there were no suicide thoughts, I love life man). Through a dull few pages of my life, I served a man with a worn out blanket and kids who don't have shelter and food through Kick, raised R150 000 in one week, appeared on SABC's 3 Talk, attended two important courses in the ever changing broadcast landscape and went from being jobless to join one of South Africa's leading brands in the broadcast industry. I now sit with a glimmer of hope, for light to shine on like it did for the “Les 33” (Chilean miners). Never frown upon your misfortunes in life, use them to re-channel your energy, vision and the universe will afford you guidance.

Peace!!

my sentiments Part 2 (owam ukhupa)

Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 11:56pm

If the ANC is so right why is the rest of the world (not even local media alone) against this issue? Why did it wait so long? The truth is these people are so used to getting their way. Do you think the workers would still be on the streets and not have accepted the latest government offer if it wasn't for the media exposing the extent of corruption by the same people who claim to be serving them? I say once again, in the next election it's going to take more than emotional blackmail and food parcels to win the same damn black vote they are so sure off. It won't be our grandparents going to the voting stations (they have lost hope of the struggle they buried and lost children for). When the SABC shot itself in the foot with looters, I said it was time private and community media to step up the game and cease the moment. Now, it is time for political parties to do the same, in the wake of these antics by the ruling party.

Why are companies like Pick n Pay speaking out against this, if it does not affect business? I think I highlighted in my previous note that, yes, there are malicious journalists out there. Take for an example the people who broke the story of Fiona Coyne's passing. The reports said she died in an accident and later we learn that suicide is suspected and she passed on at home. Those are journalists who are lazy or have editors who save budgets and expect their journalists to fill their pages with news to increase circulation and hike advertising rates. A case should be built in those cases and perpetrators "brought to book"(I love hearing that from chief). Any editor who allows a certain journalist for an example, to continue lowering the standard of his publication, profession and credibility is not worthy. It used to be a shame for a journalist to get the spelling of a person wrong nowadays no one even cares. These are issues that should be trashed out by (not the government or ruling party alone) but other stakeholders as well. When people like Julius Malema claim in public that this is going to happen while the president is saying this is still a debate, that tells me there is a level of miscommunication or deliberate attempt to throw a veil over our eyes. I still maintain this does not need our constitution to be tempered with, for these people to be brought to account. It calls for government and media principals to trash it out.

I concur with the sentiments below..

Our country's press and media freedom is being attacked, and by extension our fundamentally democratic freedom of speech.When arrogant governments become vague and secretive - hiding what should be transparent public information, and reclassifying that information as "state secret" or "classified" - then there is a serious problem.When a state seeks to police the people, control the media, and do away with private ownership (nationalisation of the mines), that's called communism.

http://www.news24.com/MyNews24/YourStory/A-challenge-to-corporate-SA-20100818

I have seen a comment by the BMF supporting the tribunal and ask whose businesses are you managing? On whose behalf are you talking? The SMME's you can't even promote or allow near your "important" title and status? The businesses started by your struggling (to find a job) younger brothers whom you can't even support or afford a sponsor because they know and have more natural flare than you? Come on, brother!

You of all people should know when a boy comes back from the mountain he is given and armed with wisdom to build his own house and path. Why have you not invited these journalists and work or chastise them professionally if you have to? I am as black as they come and the only way I will part with that is if I allow my freedom to express myself be taken away.

We were promised vigour in how corruption is dealt with but little did we know that this was going to be done at the price of press freedom.

-Remember, these are my opinions people- ngukhupa wam-

My sentiments on the tribunal and the rest of my weekend.

Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 11:28pm

Waking up today and delving into my Sunday routine which includes an hour or two on online publications. I just posted a status update about how crazy it is that the government wants to "control" the media but I felt like talking or expressing my opinion a lot more on the matter.

Without boring you, dear facebook friend and fellow blogger, below find some web published articles about the South African Media and what I feel the present government's intentions are with this tribunal. There are media houses that came to existence through funds from mining companies, I think its the best thing the ruling party can do if they want to expand their PR to Newspaper publishing.

They say history repeats itself. Under apartheid this is what the South African media had to contend with.

During the apartheid era, newspapers had to apply for registration if they published more than 11 times a year. An arbitrary amount was also required before registration was approved.

The government also enforced regulations controlling what newspapers could or could not publish, especially relating to articles and comment on activities against the apartheid system. Newspapers were, for instance, not allowed to quote banned organisations and their spokesmen, or report on conditions inside prisons or the activities of the security forces.

At the height of the anti-apartheid struggle in the 1980s, when two states of emergency were declared, censorship regulations were tightened. Newspapers were barred from reporting on any demonstrations or activity against the apartheid government or any of its laws.

For further reading please visit:http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/constitution/971558.htm

I also came across Professor Guy Burger's opinion piece in "Thought Leader", which I think best explains the intent with this media tribunal. I like the fact that Prof comes with recommendations as well. He did not just write a "nay" piece, it embodies what responsible journalism should be, interestingly enough the juicy bone of contention. Please read this article, to arm yourself when the topic crops up in the kitchen as you all go for the coffee machine to cure what I and a lot of South Africans know as bhabhalas or simply to look smart infront of the boss in your pitch or diary meeting.

You can find it on the link below:

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/guyberger/2010/08/04/taking-the-anc-tribunal-at-face-value/

mine is, so many facets of our society have fallen victim to scrupulous "tendencies" and taken advantage of by people who sit high up in the political hierarchy. An average South African does not have the time and resources to challenge some of these discrepancies and rape of resources by those who deem themselves worthier of this democracy and wealth. I say it once more, bulldoze your way to controlling the media, but you have one more person to spend the rest of your life quieting and that my "comrade-chief" is every South African with a cellphone and access to social media.

It's a known fact, well at least in the limited "back streets" of my mind that media ownership in this country is still predominantly white. The meeting with editors should be on how transformation can be achieved while growing the sector and its standards to be a reliable and representative voice of the African continent. Malicious, defamatory and gutter practices in any discipline should not be tolerated but dealt with. Free press keeps us all in check so hands off its deck.

That is my opinion and pardon any haemorrhage that the English Language might suffer because of my squeezing sense and meaning out of its body... but then again it is not my moeder taal. Askies William and Liz.

Okay I wish I could write further but I have to jump in the shower and go buy a present for a sweet ol' lady celebrating her birthday today. Happy birthday mam' Sasa.

By the way it is now a couple of minutes before 9pm. This was such a beautiful day. Paid a visit to the ol' lady and then made a turn to a moment I had been yearning for, This was lunch at one of my best friends' place. It was just one of those heart-warming moments. Even before we walked in, the was this sweet sound of toddlers redecorating one of the rooms (if you know what I mean). Then the sight of these faces that helped mould the person I am today through their friendship. My best friends with their partners and wives. The rest of the early evening was spent catching up. Tomorrow, I am back in the studio and await callbacks on some stuff. Oh, got to listen to Kate Turkington on Talk Radio 702 talking about her train ride to Cape Town and also feel like taking one going back to PE on Friday. They funniest thing is, my sister recommended a train ride last week just to clear my mind. The longest journey I had taken by train was from PE to Lurrie (yes, the Apple Express) many years ago courtesy of my parents. Let me sleep on this one.. A beautiful week to you rainbow nation.

This is the real Slyso by Sizwe "Slyso" Saliso

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 at 3:39am

I guess I won’t get to say thank you to Given Ntlebi, Augustine Nongawuza (you added colour to black radio and inspired me to stop hating speech breaks), Headbush family (you cracked this voice), TO Mbetshu (you taught me what “getting your” means), Rod Amner (words are too ineffectual), Jorgen Karelsson (Sweden- you taught me the language cameras spoke & understood), Jean and Peter Du Toit (Jean-you strangely made radio a beautiful challenge.. Peter- your love for print inspired my pen), Nick Grubb (you funnily showed me where the water was and that it was all in me to get there), Shadley Nash (patience is a virtue, thank you for wanting someone else to understand that), Vusi Noveve (my first professional radio gig), Nada Wotshela (whether it was survival or recognizing talent, you are still a sister until the end) Lifa Msimang, Doc Nomsobo, Fikile Lubisi,, Nieberg Magwa (your openness to change and allowing creativity to flow..that is what leaders do) and Desree Oliphant (I know what a brand is because of you, sister) on the professional front.

Luzuko Koti (your hunger has always been phenomenal..the beauty was that you didn’t only want it for yourself), Lulu”mamCirha” (your intelligence had always been misunderstood, one has to walk in your shoes to understand), Modise Kabeli (apart from my first Sotho lessons, you’d always been a true example of a township boy with a dream), Daluxolo Xhotyeni (I couldn’t help you drink the tea boss but your commitment to your community taught me what Ubuntu is), Paul Mtirara (Mary j seems to have a good man now, I guess we’d been nothing but fans of the greatest gift..music), Pastor Nozewu (a perfect example of “each one teach one” we remain a call away from each other boy), Amaza Ntshanga (the hunger for this dream was written in the respect and family grounding we shared boooy), Fezile Mpunzi (if teaching black journalistic expression were to be personified, I would point at you), Thoko Taiteng (beyond the call of duty, maternal instincts kick in, if mothers were to be like you in places of work, SA would be smiling), Mthobeli August (nje cuz ubuziphambanela wena tata..lol.) and the 5 producers (in 5 years) who had to deal with my short comings and triumphs on and off air. Last but not least my boss, Gugu, thanks for taking the load off, I love you many, many.
Last but not least, people I referred to as my BOSSES from day 1..CKI (True fm) and Umhlobo Wenene fm listeners. Ndifunde lukhulu ngomntu nobomi ngenxeni yenxaso nothando lwenu. I owe each and everyone of you my life. I hope you assist the station realize its next 50 years.
Oh, the radio I promised umama uNcandana in Motherwell and the Wheelchair yomphulaphuli eDebe will be delivered this weekend. Keep checking facebook for times and days and if you have groceries to spare you can come with us and make someone happy.
I will be sleeping on the street for 5 days in the name of charity in about a week’s time… watch this space.

Be on the look out for Slyso’s website, slyso.co.za and the release of the album is in August (a few songs on the album pay homage to these queens of Africa and the world). I am perfoming with a gospel group when they tour CT in a few weeks time. Keep checking Slyso’s profile and fan page for details.