Community radio in post-apartheid South Africa: The case of Bush Radio in Cape Town

Abstract

This paper deals with the community in “community radio”, with specific reference to community radio station Bush Radio, located in Cape Town, South Africa. Firstly, this paper provides a history of Bush Radio, tracing its roots as a cassette production facility, to one of South Africa’s new community stations after the end of apartheid. Looking at different conceptions of “community”, this paper traces how Bush Radio approaches and perceives the concept; and how through its rhizomatic nature, it both builds community and builds bridges between artificially constructed communities. Using Deleuze and Guatarri’s theory of rhizomatics, and Victor Turner’s concept of communitas, this paper argues that community radio, and the community within, is best understood through an alternative theoretical framework. In particular, rhizomatics help us to understand community radio as a network of connections across which things flow and disperse.