Munadia Karaan

As a journalist, you soon learn to sift through information in order to find that which is important and put it to good use. Then this crazy internet age created a space for every Tom, Dick and Gammat to ‘blog’.

I admit, I think much of it is frivolous, self indulgence on the part of the blogger. But I bought into it as a journalist because often we must separate ourselves from a story in the telling. Then you need a different space for analysis , reflection or to enlighten readers about things in the background.

However, writing a very personal account of dealing with my bone cancer has been a very different experience for me. It started out as a means to let VOC listeners know what is going on with me, but has now taken on a life of its own.

IMPACT

My original blog has travelled so far that I’m embarrassed when people say they have received it numerous times by email. My sincere apologies! The one reason I continue to write though, is the response it has elicited from others living with cancer, creating a new circle of soul sisters.

That has made this the most honest writing I have ever done. The feedback from fellow cancer survivors make me realise anew how fortunate I am. With a stroke of a pen - or by using my cellphone to write - I can put a bad day behind me and share my story with the world. If this helps to illuminate the plight of others, I am blessed.

I am honoured and humbled by this task and know I can never accurately tell anyones’s story but my own. So this is something that stays uppermost in my mind.

PROGRESS

Meanwhile, I have now been off from work all of nine weeks and have just entered my fourth week in hospital. I am recovering well from the two operations and can now really feel those titanium rods in my spine and bone implant in my chest. Fortunately, the discomfort is slight. The worst is not being able to scratch the healing wounds on my back!

Technically, I am able to go home, since the radiation treatment has been completed. But it tired me out and I am not yet as mobile as I need to be if I have to cope on my own at home. I still need help rolling out of bed and getting to the bathroom.

So I continue to work with the physiotherapists on building the strength in my legs. After taking a scary tumble on Friday, I am back in the saddle again, alhamdulilah, and am now up to walking a very slow, cautious 200 steps around the ward!

As for further treatment, my oncologist, Dr Imran Parker, will be taking bone scans on 7 September to determine the way forward, while I work hard on finding my appetite again. Three weeks of hospital food has been
More than enough! God bless my mom for sending in food from home to keep me going.

And in the interim, while writing blogs at 1am as the rest of the ward slumbers or snores, I have the pleasurable task of planning yet another book! Lol.

The response to my blog since last week has been amazing, humbling and on way too many occasions drove me to tears - which admittedly does not take much these days! It demonstrated just why this community is so close to my heart - when the going gets tough, we know how to band together and support each other, despite our differences.

The duas, support, compassion and sheer love that has been forwarded to my family and I literally from around the globe have been overwhelming. It came in the form of calls to my home and VOC, emails, smses, comments online on my blog and Facebook, personal messages… It came from friends and strangers, from Germany to Kimberley and everywhere in between, from mentors and those I mentored, ordinary listeners and even non fans.

Barakallah. My heartfelt thanks goes to each of you and please continue making dua for me and others who are ill in this blessed month. You have no idea what it means to us and how those duas carry you through the long, dark hours of pain and despair at the loss of control over your own body.

CONTROL

The latter was one point I wanted to raise in today’s blog. For someone who has been on hyperdrive for most of my life, rushing from one point to another, doing a million things at once without a breath in between, the last eight weeks has been a complete change. Speedy Conzalez has been forced to slow down in a big way.

Suddenly something as simple as adjusting the pillow requires help. There are two ways to deal with it, I found. You can either fight and be bitter about it or accept it and work within your limitations. I’ve learnt that I still have plenty of fight, but it’s best to choose your battles wisely. So I make a daily dua for the Almighty to grant me a sense of sakeena - tranquility and acceptance - so that I may not be overcome by the panic and terror of being incapacitated.

Thus far, alhamdulilah, it is working. Being dependant on others for everything, including cleaning you, saying farewell almost to modesty and feeling your human dignity being stripped from you by your own vulnerability, is not something I wish on my worse enemy.

But the amazing thing is that once you accept it as part of the test that Allah has placed before you, then there is no real loss of human dignity. In fact, this is when you discover your real humanity and priorities. My most spiritual moment came in realising that even if I lay helpless amid a pile of najis, I could still remove my mind from it in order to perform salah.

So over the last three weeks of my stay in hospital, I have found different ways to cope. Cut off from the world in a hospital ward, I have never been more in touch with the world. My cellphone has worked overtime to stay in touch with the world, talk to people, send and receive messages, go online, write about my experience in order to share it with others and then reading the responses.

I am amazed by how many non-internet users have read my ‘blok’ or ‘log’, how many emailed it to others or passed the story along by word of mouth. And all that started with an opinion piece being typed on a cellphone during a long, sleepless night!

RAMADAN

Meanwhile, the one thing I miss like crazy is Ramadan. There is no spirit of Ramadan in hospital. We are all up at 5am to get cleaned up, but there is no sleepy suhoor. There is no fasting because of the medication, but there is no appetite to eat either. There is no boeka plates, taraweeg and poejies. There is no hunger pains, no feeling of anticiption for the first taste of food. And boy, do I miss it!

There isn’t even the sound of the athan in the hospital, although many fasting Muslims can be obseved. So you long for the radio to remind you that you are still in Cape Town, halfway through Ramadan. While the sick and infirm are excused from fasting, I still miss it.

Meanwhile, my mind is clamouring for the work that lies ahead. I am now halfway through five cycles of radiation. Then they start to check if the bone cancer has spread elsewhere and chemotherapy remains an option.

On a different level, I am slowly getting back on my feet. With a walker, and despite feeling weak from the radiation, I took 14 steps on Monday. This came days after learning that I shed 25kgs in eight weeks. What a way to go on a diet! So there is improvement day by day.

Now my goal is to be fully mobile so that I ca return home and get stuck into the new work that awaits. Like my brother Tauha said: ‘when Allah rings the bell, He doesn’t mean your time is up. It merely means movealong to the new job’ …and I can barely wait!

There are two days that have defined my life. The first, I was told, was a blistering hot day on 29 January 1967 - the day of my birth and it defined 43 and a half years of my life. The second was on Wednesday 4 August 2010 at noon when the Almighty provided me with a new lease on life…for however long He chooses it to be.

THE BEGINNING

The first day had been long in coming. My parents had anxiously waited three years for their firstborn and on the day of my arrival, my aunts tell me, I made my first mark by being ornery. Those who know me are not surprised at this point.

Babies like coming at night. I came at high noon. Babies come feet first. I came out butt first. Go figure! It was a long, arduous Ceaser birth for my mother. Since these were the days when men were not allowed in the labour ward, my dad drove around the Stellenbosch hospital in a frenzy, making all sorts of promises to the Almighty. (I love you too, Dad.)

When at last I was born - my wise mother told me in every verbal battle throughout those turbulent teen years - that once they lay me me ino her arms, before she even put me to her breast for my first feeding, she made a pledge. All her children would be given in service of Allah and humanity. (Try messing up after something like that… As I said, she is a wise woman, my mother.)

Then my father laid the seal on it by choosing for each of us a name that brings its own legacy and responsibilities. For me he chose a name from the Holy Quran - Munadia, someone who called people to Islam - a broadcaster doing da’wah came pretty close. It is a name I carry with great pride and humility as it outlined my career over two decades.

Abdus Salaam, the slave of Allah who serves by keeping balance in the environment as he helps with world food creation. And Tauha, the one who serves by teaching others the virtues of the Quran and Sunnah. Two more were to be born two decades later from a second marriage - Fatima and Abdullah - with a slew of nephews and nieces followed. Each, we pray, will find their own legacy of service to our Creator.

ENTER THE 1ST PHASE

Things pretty much went well in the first phase of my life. The real crux came when at the age of 39, I was diagnosed with breast cancer out of the clear blue sky. But as with all challenges presented to me, the levelheaded, faith-based response from those closest to me kept me in a good space.

In pretty quick succession, the problem was diagnosed, the tumour removed, I received radiation and was back on my way to recovery within six months. The experience of being confronted with cancer - the one word that spelled death to most people - had been sobering and I was only too aware of having dodged a whizzing bullet.

For the most part, I took care to stay cancer free in the next four years. I meticulously took my medication, went for every check up and determinedly stayed cancer free on a mental level. The latter is not easy if you consider the fear in knowing that breast cancer can be stopped by early detection, but it has a 75 percent chance of recurrence.

All that is good and well, but I was failing another battle - one that was all about finding a balance in life. Commitment to duty, even a divinely inspired one, is commendable, but if it is not tempered by a good balance in one’s physical, mental, and spiritual health, it loses its value.

What’s the point if you do what you do for Allah, but never spend time with your kids? What if you become so busy with earning an income that you forget the simplest things like just being with Allah in the big things and the small?

This is something I kept postponing. I’ve wanted to walk to a different beat, taking on new challenges for my  career, tring out the road untravelled, exploring other skills… But I kept procrastinating. In January, Allah decided to make the choice for me and I was called to account…

At the time, I felt a new reprieve because my six monthly breast checkup with xrays and mammos were all clear, as was the case at the end of June. On went life, but within days, my back began to ache and over the last seven months it escalated. No amount of costly treatment by physiotherapists or chiropractors made a difference.

A NEW CHALLENGE

By the end off June, I took sick leave to deal with what we thought was a misaligned spine. But instead of getting better, over the next six weeks it got worse. The pain became excrutiating and gradually sapped the quality of my life.

I could no longer drive my car, go shopping, go to work at my desk, visit the loo or even brush my hair. And the best part was, I had no idea what was going on, what the  problem was or how it would end. All I knew was that I was slowly becoming a quadriplegic.

Then came that 2nd defining day on 4 August when fate struck a blow in a 45 minute period while I was home alone. On my way to the shower, I fell, fracturing my spine. There was no feelings in my legs. After lots of high drama of doors being kicked down and high speed ambulance chances, I was hospitalised.

Xrays and MRI scans showed that my breast cancer had returned to infect the spinal cord. Immediate surgery was needed. Much to my own surprise, if hearing that you have cancer once is a shock, than hearing that it has metasticised and returned as bone cancer barely caused a blink.

THE LOAD IS LONG

It was as simple as hearing my mother say, “Well, then we accept and get on with it.”  And that was that. Since then, things changed in a flash. I was operated on by a highly skilled team twice within a week to fix the spinal fracture, remove most of the tumour and implant a bone strut on one side and titanium nuts and bolts on the other. Alhamdulila, both procedures were successful, thanks to Dr Andrew Walsh and his thorassic experts at UCT Academic Hospital.

But the hard work is far from over. I am now in the process of rehabilitation, learning to mobilise again - sit up, walk, go to the toilet and all the little things one easily takes for granted. In another week or two the oncologist steps in to work out a program of radiatian and or chemotherapy over the next year to ensure all remaining cancer cells are killed off.

So it remains a long and winding road ahead, but what a journey it has been. Instead of fearing it, it has become the highlight of my life. Every step fell in place at exactly the right time. How dare I therefore question Allah’s will?

His love for me is so vast that He jerks me closer when I start to stray. And when He does so, He gives me a solid, loving ring of support from my family, employers, friends and the community that I dare never think I walk alone. I have asked for your duas as my family and I try to heal and your response was overwhelming. Know that every dua you made for us has been ecchoed with duas from our side.

This has been the most amazing journey of my life, made more miraculous by the manner in which our familial ties have solidified. My incredible parents who have stood so firm - you are my foundation. My brothers and sisters who simply took over - I have never been prouder to be your tietie. My nieces and nephews, many of whom have been caring for me, but who will also join our own Karaan family Shavathon if I lose my hair to chemo - you are the sparkling stars of my future.

As for me, far from signalling the end, I have been inspired by a whole range of very different work that I hope to do in future…at a much easier, healthier, more balanced pace. Much remains in writing, guiding VOC creatively, but keep watching this space as the second wind of my life unfolds. Allah be praised.

The one good thing about being bedridden for four weeks is that it gives you plenty of time to think. In between the all important task of beating the excrutiating pain that goes with a misaligned spine and considerations about the next step in my career (more about that in my next blog), I’ve had lots of time to watch television and make comparisons between the world it exposes today, compared to the world when I was a child.

In the last two years I have increasingly become disenchanted with SA television and what it has to offer. While I had less time to watch TV, whatever was on the telly was also so uninspiring and filled with repeats that you barely wanted to make the time to watch in the first place. Then my ever so creative news editor, Shanaaz Ebrahim, got me hooked on the world of box sets of favourite television series.

This put the power in my hands in deciding what I watch and when I do so. It cost a pretty penny but was well worth it in my opinion! And since I worked online in news daily, I hardly felt the need to watch TV. The only change came during the World Cup when for the first time in a long while I was back watching SA TV. However, as soon as the World Cup was over, SA TV returned to its boring self and with my sick bed I had to find alternate entertainment.

Nostalgia

And this is where I discovered a new passion for an old childhood favourite - Little House on the Prairie. Who does not remember the inimitable Ingalls family - from the strong, hardworking Charles Ingalls, to his soft spoken and gracious wife, Caroline, the sweetfaced Laura with her tight plaits and the brave but blind Mary or sweet little Carrie and evil Nelly Olsen…As a child in the late 70’s and early 80’s, we all lived for Friday evenings to enjoy their exploits. What made it a success story for 10 seasons was its uplifting storyline that really reflected the best in all of us.

I’ve become hooked all over again on the old fashioned values this series depicted. The respectful manner in which children addressed adults; the fact that when an adult reprimanded you, you hushed up, dropped your head and simply said “Yes, Ma’m” instead of backchatting as we have come to expect today.

There were numerous episodes which saw kids getting up to mischief - regte kattekwaad the old fashioned way - only to have a strict parent drag that recalcitrant child to the offended party and make them apologise before being punished - yes, with a switch if need be. And no one called it child abuse.

Central to all of this was a deep religious conviction and one cannot help but note that this type of simple life and deep faith has become lost in today’s society, including our own. Thanks to the advances of globalisation, we are all dealing with the same issues - increasing secularism, cultures that are threatened, split families and a disenchanted, disrespectful youth that is more lost than ever. So the simple values that were displayed in this series has been something to marvel at and embrace.

Contrast 

When I switched over from this period series to today’s daytime television, the contrast is stark and glaringly ugly, exposing a world where there is no holds barred and little time for the values of old. I found myself watching the Tyra Banks Show and my jaw dropped as a young US Arab admitted that he has become ashamed of his heritage. After 9/11 he refuses to speak Arabic or go out with his mother if she is wearing hijab and will not tell anyone his surname or that he is a Muslim because he will not be accepted. (You have got to be kidding me!)

A day later I cringed with the former model when she speaks to a group of 15-year old who explain the explicit nature of “sexting” - the very sexual sms messages that they send to the opposite sex without any inhibitions. What really killed me is when they frankly admitted to it…with their mothers sitting right next to them. (Huh?)  And while most of the mothers have a predictable response - shocked, teary eyed, appalled and helpless - the one mother totally knocked me for a six.

Her mother had invaded her privacy when she was 16 by reading her diary and she pledged never to invade her daughter’s privacy. As such, she saw her daughter’s “online activity” as being akin to her writing in her diary. (Say what?!) Good old Tyra had to point out to her that no perverts had access to her diary, which cannot be said for her daughter’s online activity. (How naive can you get for a supposedly sophisticated woman?)

On a different channel, I tuned into Dr Phil and again my jaw dropped. He spoke to a 17-year old whose parents are at the end of their rope. She is in love with a boy they disapprove of and steals money at home to give to him. He is not interested in a relationship with her, something she does not see. But when her parents try to curb her sex life, she attacks them in front of the world and his brother by saying, “So what did you do last night? If you stick your nose into my sex life than I can stick mine in yours!” (Eish!)

Are you horrifed yet? Ooh, but it got better. The next day he had another mother and daughter on air. The mother also has her hands in her hair. Her 19-year-old daughter is a porn star and unashamedly admits that while she does not like the fact that her parents are ashamed of her, it is easy money and why should she not do it when she loves sex so much? Besides, she is already in it so she might as well enjoy it because she can hardly undo it. (This is the point that I wondered which universe I was in.)

Fortunately, Dr Phil set both young ladies right. The pornstar was told unequivocally to open her eyes and get out while she had time. If she wanted her paretns to quit being ashamed she had to live without shame. I particularly loved his advice to the parents of the 17-year old whom he told that since it was their house, they made the rules. So if she was not prepared to work with them, they should do whatever they could to enforce the law. That includes laying a criminal charge against her for theft because it was better to have her incarcerated then seeing her get lost in life in the long run. (So ‘n mond need ‘n koesister!)

Values 

The above examples were all on TV within two days of each other and it made me wonder…When did the world change so much that we no longer care about something like modesty, manners, reputation and values? When did parents lose the plot so badly that in wanting to be their children’s friend, they forgot to be the parent? In wanting to give them freedom, they forgot to teach them self esteem and self value? In wanting to give them what they did not have as kids, they forget to give them what they did have as kids - a sense of order, respect, discipline and aqeeda?

Each of these cases I quoted had to do with individuals who had absolutely no connection to the fact that we are created for a purpose and that is to serve your Creator ultimately. Therefore we need to live with accountability and a commitment to improving ourselves and our society; instead of being absorbed in our own selfish desires and pettiness.

And if you think that this exposes American culture and that we are safe, don’t be so sure. When I listen to the issues our listeners express in numerous call in shows on VOC, it is evident that we are confronted with exactly the same problems. An alim once told me that his biggest fear for the future lay in the fact that our children are growing up without a strong aqeeda. And I can’t help but agree.

The foundations of our youth’s faith is wonky. When a child does not grow up to believe that “Allah hears and sees everything” and I will have to account for every single action - good or bad - he/she grows up without boundaries. Then it becomes easy to turn on a parent and say, “But who are you to tell me what I should do?” Or take your parent to court to be emancipated when your cellphone privileges are revoked. Or to believe that whatever you do to your body is your thing and no one has a say in it.

If this is what our world is coming to today, then boy, are we in serious trouble! But fortunately, we are taught never to doubt Allah’s mercy and there is always time to turn things around. I’ve chosen to do so by getting the rest of the kids in our family as hooked onto Little House and use it as a discussion point for the life lessons it teaches. Thus far, it is working and alhamdulilah, it has become a great bonding experience.

But there is so much more that needs to be done to guide our youth into becoming God-conscious, socially responsible beings with compassion for humanity. May Allah guide us all so that we may address this crisis while we still have time. Because if things are bad now, imagine the jahil world our children will leave to their children in future. God forbid that it ever comes to that.

“Feel it, it is over!” That is the feeling with which we all woke up on Monday 12 July after playing host to the world for 31 incredible days. As we watched Shakira doing the Waka Waka World Cup song for the last time at the closing ceremony in Soccer City on Sunday, we all felt a sense of disappointent that the roller coaster ride was over.

Whether you are a soccer fan or not, if you had any feeling whatsoever for this country, you would have felt deflated. No one wants to come down from such a high. And why should we? From the first moment that South Africa made its intentions clear to host the FIFA 2010 World Cup, there were many - mainly non-Africans - who made it unequivocally clear that FIFA had messed up in awarding this tournament to South Africa. How could a country, fresh out of apartheid, battling poverty, crime and HIV among others, even consider competing with the most developed nations in the world in hosting this global sporting spectacle?

Let’s admit it, we ourselves were sceptical for most of the last six years as SA doggedly went ahead in preparing for the event. The debate heated up even more as 2010 dawned and all sorts of boogieman stories were told to put people off from coming here. We saw expected figures of visitors drop ahead of the event, but thankfully, as the tournament got underway and the scary stories were proven wrong, the figures picked up once again to finally exceed expectations.

Crime

The three biggest issues that stood out were crime, terror and our own ability to organise an event of this magnitude. Everyone “knew” SA was one of the most unsafe countries in the world, but few can deny now that the event is over - that the success of the World Cup proved these fears wrong. Some statistics show that crime actually dropped because of increased police vigilance. It seemed even the criminals listened to the call for all of SA to be on good behaviour. So even the crooks who robbed World Cup tourists in the north took time to ask their victims if they were enjoying the World Cup. That was one for the books!

The special courts set up for the World Cup were quick and efficient and for the most part one got the feeling that police were always right on top of the situation. Whether these special courts can perpetuate their good work after the World Cup - given the backlog and other troubles in the legal system - is another question. The point is it worked when it needed to.

Even when security guards went on strike at various stadia, it was SAPS that took over so smoothly that people waiting in line for the matches hardly knew anything was wrong. The challenge now is to find ways to draw the success of these iniatives into our every day lives. It is one thing to have 40,000 extra cops for the World Cup to make the streets safer. It is another to do it afterwards. But the fact that they were able to do it once means it is can be done again and as the public we should exert pressure to ensure it happens.

Terror

Then there was the infamous terror threat on the World Cup. I have to wonder where it really started. Anyone who has two brain cells knows that if you want to surround something with negativity you must raise the terror issue. And there were those faceless manipulators who tried it again. Whether it was the efforts of the SAPS, intelligence services working hand in hand with global authorities or simply the grace of the Almighty, these fears proved worthless, thank God.

The closest anyone came was a senseless attack by Al Shabbab in Uganda, killing 74 people who watched the World Cup final. Of course, intelligence sources are unlikely to reveal details of any real threats on the World Cup and if the truth was told, I’m reluctant to even wonder about it. It is enough that by Allah’s mercy there were no terror attacks or any serious incidents around the World Cup. (It would be interesting to hear what Hussein Solomon has to say about it though.)

Infrastructure & Organisation

The one thing we all wondered about was whether we would have the infrastructure in place in time to efficiently organise a sporting event of this magnitude. To quote President Jacob Zuma, not only did we make use of our own skills in SA, we also met all the targets well ahead of time. Airports, roads, transport…you name it and it was in place.

And as the tournament progressed, everyone we spoke to - from tourists to visiting teams - had to admit that they could not fault the orgnisation of what FIFA president Sebb Blatter called an “unforgettable” World Cup. Was it the best one yet? Who knows. It certainly was the best this country has ever done. It proved the cynics wrong and you could see how South African were inspired by this belief.

As the World Cup progressed, the enthusiasm and patriotism among South Africans grew to levels not seen since 1994 and in some ways I think it has been even better. In 1994 we were like a young bride - wide eyed, eager but not knowing what to expect. In 2010 we were a country that has been challenged to deal with the post apartheid world. More than that, we had something to prove and the ideals of Nelson Mandela to live up to. Small wonder there was not a dry eye in the house when Madiba made a special appearance at the closing ceremony to give his stamp of approval on the event. In his estimation, surely, if winning the 1995 World Cup was big, then hosting the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup had made the circle much bigger!

Forward

In the final VOC online poll conducted on the World Cup at the weekend, less than 2% thought South Africa had done badly in hosting the event. 63.5% thought SA had done an excellent job, recording 5 on a scale of 1 - 5. 31.7% thought SA had done a very good job with a rating of 4, while 3.2.% rated SA’s performance as average with a score of 3 out of 5. 1.6% gave SA a rating of 1 for doing very badly.

Now as we all feel the withdrawal symptoms set it, there has to be a measure of optimism among South Africans to tackle the challenges we are still confronted with. This optimism - as reflected in our polls and other surveys - is a huge counter to the negativity and pessimism that dominated in this country ahead of the World Cup. I have never seen so many South Africans of all races rally behind Bafana Bafana and the homeboys rose to the occasion in their final match.

I have never seen so many non-soccer loving South Africans embrace the sport and this event just because they were South African. And it is this spirit that is needed for all of us to put our shoulder to the wheel to tackle our other challenges. Having dealt with the World Cup far beyond our own expectations, there is no reason why we cannot resolve our other challenges with equal enthusiasm, commitment and success.

VOC team

But in as much as the World Cup was a challenge for South Africa, it was no less a challenge for us at VOC. So I would be remiss in not giving recognition to the teams who did the work behind the scenes. First, I must take my hat off to Irfaan Abrahams of Sports Breyani.

From the moment he sat down with me over a meal a month before the World Cup to thrash out a plan to cover the event, he lived up to his nickname as Vinnige Fanie and came up with over 60 hours of WC coverage in the World Cup Lounge which made this event our own. Shanaaz Ebrahim and her news team as well as the production teams under supervisors Mishka Daries, Goolam Fakier and Roshana Gordon then made sure they were on hand to attend to the execution on air while our marketing teams made sure we got what we needed to pull it off. 

Drawing in soccer heroes and gurus from our own community, our overall coverage not only presented a unique take on the World Cup, but also succeeded in bringing non sports lovers to adopt the game and get enthusiastic about it. We heard this every time we opened the lines. The greatest complement was when we our listeners called in to echo the message we have been repeating as part of SA Muslims 2010 - This is our country and our time as Muslims to show how much a part of this country we are by opening our arms to the world and showing them our best side.

So to all those who made it a success - thank you. It was a once in a lifetime event and to coin an American phrase - “We did good, South Africa!”

PS

Finally, shukran for all the uplifting messages and duas. Alhamdulillah, it is getting better every day. After three weeks in bed with a back problem, I am now learning to walk all over again and pretty soon I should be able to set aside my Ferrari walker to get around. It’s a painstakingly slow process and learning to be patient is not easy. But I am too grateful to complain, especially for my family for their care and my team at VOC who are holding down the fort very well. Please continue to make dua that I may soon be able to return to work, insha Allah. Ameen.

It has been a very challenging week for me and it has given me so much reason for pause that I could not let the opportunity pass to share it, not because it is more personal than my other blogs, but because it has been such a humbling and eye opening experience that relates to the simple things that one so easily takes for granted.

A few months ago a friend and I went to a shopping mall and were just about ready to take the lift when an elderly lady, leaning heavily on a stroller, and her middle aged daughter pushed ahead of us to get to the lift. The daughter entered first and held the lift open for her mother. We hung back since the elderly lady moved very slowly as she pushed her wheeled support frame.

From a slow crawl, the old lady suddenly picked up speed and made an unexpected charge to get into the lift. It was like watching something out of a comic strip - like the early bird who stands there spinning his wheels long before he finally speeds off. It was such a surprising movement that we could barely hold back our laughter. We were not laughing at the elderly lady, but her charge - like a matador racing into the arena to get the bull - was hilarious. This week I had lots of reason to think back on that moment, but it was hardly hilarious.

According to my chiropractor, about 93% of people suffer some form of back pain or the other. It sounds fairly innocuous and it certainly starts off that way. But boy, when it makes itself heard, it is something unbelievable. Something as simple as sitting slouched forward at your desk, can apparently cause a great deal of damage, I’ve learnt.

And if you add that to the tendency to carry around heavy bags, work long hours and don’t get enough exercise, you have a recipe for trouble. So I’ve been building up to a back “crisis” over the last six months and then last Friday, it hit the skids in a big way.

Imprisoned

What was intended to be a session with the specialist to sort out a back that stiffened up when I slept and ached like crazy when I woke up, turned into nightmare where I found myself virtually imprisoned in my own body, unable to drive, walk, sit up straight or even comb my hair without excruciating pain.

I narrowly survived meningitis as a child, a breast cancer scare four years ago and the toothache from hell. But nothing…I mean nothing, prepared me for the level of back pain I have felt in the last week or its crippling impact on the quality of my life. And the irony is, once you ask around, you find out how many other people have been in a similar position, crying like a baby for the pain to stop.

Okay, now before you think this is all a pity party, let me get onto the real reason for this blog. As someone who cherishes my independence above all else, the idea of relying on others to get the simplest things done, is unimaginable. It is not something you can ever be prepared for. But I found out the hard way this week that no one is immune to it.

I am used to doing things for myself, doing it fast and them moving onto the next thing. But suddenly, flipping over from one side to another in bed is like Mission Impossible. Being able to sit up straight and brush your hair is a major achievement. Getting up out of bed and walking normally is a dream. So you find interesting new ways to cope.

Coping

Suddenly you realize the dual purpose of having an office chair at your desk with wheels. If you cannot straighten up and walk from your bed to the loo, then you can get all the mats out of the way and lean on the arms of the chair while you push that out in front of you. It means you are mobile, even if you are grunting every step of the way because my misaligned spine is pressing on a nerve, causing the muscles to remain locked in a spasm. The excruciating pain is made worse by the fact that the muscles are further inflamed.

You pretty soon figure out that simple things like taking a meal, a shower or even going to the toilet is a luxury. Even lifting the stinja jug, making wudu or dressing become complicated chores that can only be accomplished with a great deal of help from the loved ones around you. My brother kindly got me a knopkierie - if not to lean on when I stand up, then to hook over the things you cannot reach.

Besides from my mother - may Allah bless her abundantly for her patience and care - my nieces have been taking turns playing nurse. I could never imagine that I would need someone just to move my pillows, plug in my phone, get the remote or pass on my medication, let alone being on hand to help me make it to the bathroom. For the first time, my 17-year old nephew is my designated driver, charged with getting me to and from the doctor’s appointments.

Respect

It has been almost 40 years since my mother last dressed me and while this has been a humbling experience, the part that really gets to me is the sense of panic one feels when your body quits on you…those quiet moments when you are lying on your back battling to turn or to sit up and realise you cannot do it; when your body goes into spasm and you realise you cannot breath; when you pray harder than you ever have in your life for the pain to please abate and make every bargain known to mankind with the Almighty just to get some relief…

It is then you realise how much you have to be grateful for. Sitting in a wheelchair for the first time in my life gave me a new respect for what the disabled are forced to deal with every day. It made me realise that this physical body is granted to us in trust, as an amanat that must be taken care of and can never be taken for granted.

More than that, it made me realise that no matter how strong or independent one might be in the prime of your life, no one is an island. There comes a time you will need others and if you are lucky, they will be there for you. Moreover, one realizes that when illness and pain comes knocking, it opens the door to a conversation with you Creator that you had better not miss out on.

Amid all this, the idea of work is very far from my mind. I’ve managed to get some of it done, lying back in bed with the laptop or leaning as far back as I can in my office chair while sitting at my desk for short periods. Again, it does not come without much discomfort, so it is not a priority for me.

Thus my regular onliners will have to put up with the website being updated only once a day and not every few hours as they have become used to. I am much better this week, alhamdulillah and I make dua that another week or two of total rest and treatment will have me back at work again by mid-July. But until then, I’m taking some time out, thanks to my station management and staff who are able to keep the ship afloat while my loved ones at home take care of the rest.

Things like this happen for a reason and I am determined not to let it be in vain. In the meantime, keep a good thought, insha Allah.

“You may choose to ignore the real haj matters, but it will gain momentum and history will be unkind to biased journalism.”

This comment posted on the VOC shoutbox on Friday came from a frustrated individual who has been part of a campaign to fight for cheaper haj packages. Over the last few months I’ve seen emails that have been sent backwards and forwards from all corners of the country as part of this campaign which is being spearheaded by Islamic tv station, ITV.

Then on Sunday 6 June, Hajj Watch led a protest at the South African Haj and Umrah (Sahuc)’s annual road show in Cape Town. In speaking to Hajj Watch PRO, Jakes Rawat, he said they were becoming more active in creating awareness on the need for more affordable haj packages and by taking the matter to the street, they were taking the fight to Sahuc. In his view, talking to the regulator was useless and only mobilizing the public would make a difference.

Hajj Watch vs Sahuc

“Sahuc has no interest (in this). We have written them numerous letters and they have not had the courtesy of replying even once. So now we want to take the fight to them and tell the people that the processes involved in regulating the haj either does not take place or is rather skewed against the consumer,” Rawat told VOC’s Breakfast Beat.

He said the road show in Cape Town - the final one in the annual provincial roll out to enlighten pilgrims on the practicalities of haj - was a case in point. While Sahuc described the road show as an awareness program for pilgrims to ask questions about the haj processes while perusing haj packages offered by accredited operators, Hajj Watch said pilgrims’ money is being used to foot the bill for the event.

“Sahuc foots the bills for the meals. Last year they spent R82,500. Why is the regulator feeding people, while the operators are marketing? Surely this is hujjaj’s money that they have collected from haj registration and Sahuc fees. The business of Sahuc is to regulate, not to feed people while the operators market their wares,” Rawat said.

Point taken, but I also remember the same Hajj Watch accusing Sahuc not too long ago of not reaching out to the public often enough. Now when it is happening, it is still not good enough. However, there is merit to his point. Maybe the answer would be for the operators to then foot the bill?  

Protest

Speaking to chairman of Sahuc Western Cape, Mustafa Murudker, he said it had been inappropriate for Hajj Watch to use the road show as a protest when there were better ways of dealing with their concerns. “I really felt that was not the avenue to discuss anything. I think our offices are there. We have had deliberations with them and as Muslims let’s get together, and not wash our washing in the public like that. I felt it was inappropriate. They wanted me to stop and talk to them, but I felt I had no mandate to talk to them about it.”

But Rawat said this was “bending the truth” since there were numerous letters on record where Hajj Watch had tried to engage with Sahuc without success. “We had an agreement with them to work together. But they reneged on that. If they believe we are being untruthful, then correct us. The time has come to stop playing games. Let’s focus on the plight of the hujjaj instead and get working.”

According to Rawat, it was of concern that over the last few years, it has been mainly the “rich” who have been able to go for haj. “And with the restrictions placed on hujjaj by Sahuc, we are never going to get the ordinary people going for haj any more.” While litigation always remains an option, Rawat said, Hajj Watch thought it better not to waste money on lawyers, but use their energies to take the fight to Sahuc. That I have to applaud.

Affordable haj

Now let’s unpack some of the other issues. Firstly, Hajj Watch and ITV have a legitimate right to fight for more affordable haj packages. I think we all agree that haj has become incredibly expensive. I first went on haj in 1983 and my dad relates that our haj packages at that time was R3,000 - and that included stop overs in other countries. He came back with enough of our spending money for us to go back for haj two years later.

In 2003, our haj package was R14,000 per person. Today you can add another R20,000 to that to get to an average package, minus airfare. It is no joke for a hardworking simple person. But by the same token, there is something like inflation and the cost of living that is on the rise. And let’s not forget the market crunch which we are only now getting out of. I’m no financial fundi, but to my simple mind, these are matters that must be considered.

The other factor that cannot be excluded is profit mongering. There are people, both locally and especially in the Kingdom, for whom haj is business. There are not interested in soft-soaping prices for the hujjaj. The Kingdom is on a mission to modernize and Arab money has pulled out of Western countries to invest in the Arabian Peninsula. Those investors who have put up huge monstrosities in and around the Haram want a return on their money. And if they have to push the price of accommodation up, so be it.

Profiteering

So to some extent, local operators have to play the game, but they are not in it for charity either, so they too will add a markup on their packages. The question is - when does it go too far? Sahuc and the haj operators say there is no compulsion in the market. It is the haji that decides on the package that suits his or her pocket and they have a range to choose from.

While there are a few non-profit haj operators among the 30 odd accredited operators this year - a number that has dropped every year - it remains intriguing to me that the majority of hujjaaj choosing choose more expensive packages. According to Sahuc, 60 - 70% of hujjaj are still buying packages that are in the medium range, mainly because they want a certain quality of service and accommodation. Now this is where it gets interesting. When one fights for cheaper haj packages, should it dominate the market or should the individual haji continue to be given the freedom to choose?

Previously operators were given a cut of the haj quota and come hell or high water, they had to fill it. Today the choice is mine as haji to choose the operator of my choice and if I am smart, I will go investigate - speak to previous hujjaj who traveled with that operator; meet with them time and time again if need be…until you are satisfied that they can deliver; make sure your contracts are in order and of course, listen to VOC’s coverage (lol).

More seriously, the old adage of “buyer beware” puts the onus on me to make sure I get what I want and if I don’t, there are measures in place to take action or make a noise about it. If I don’t, I have no one else to blame but myself.

Media role

No we are accused of media bias because we supposedly are not giving massive exposure to this campaign. But we base our coverage on a simple principle. How interested is the public in this issue? We have implemented enough tools - from our comments line, to comment boxes, shoutbox, daily polls, email, fax and anything in between which allows us to get a pretty good sense of the public sentiment. If we didn’t have a fair idea, we would be out of business at VOC.

I have not been covering haj matters from today. Over the last few years I’ve had the opportunity to watch from the front row as one fight after another took place in the haj industry. To tell you the truth, I am tired of all the finger-pointing, personal agendas, claims and counter-claims. It is ugly and worse yet, it takes us nowhere.

I’ve had the occasion to stand in a studio playing referee on more than one occasion to a bunch of hotheaded males. There should be a file somewhere of the complaints filed against me because some individual was unhappy with how I handled things. It should make interesting reading in my memoirs some day. It has taken me to beyond the point of saturation. So today I prefer to stay far away from such drama and focus on the work than can and needs to be done, based on what the public shows an interest in.

Sensationalism

A young journalist wanting to make his/her mark and who does not mind to sensationalise, will have a field day with this beat. We have seen even Muslim journos at main stream media picking up on this. I’ve long passed that point. And I’m not the only one. While people have freely passed around material around this campaign, I am not picking up any burning passion among the greater Muslim public to join this battle. Although many agree that packages should be more affordable, people generally go about their business when they focus on haj.

They need crucial information to help them make key decisions within a limited time frame and I have not met many serious hajis who have had much time for lobbying. It is those who are justifiably disgruntled who are more interested in the lobbying process. They are perfectly entitled to do so and I wish them well in this regard.

However, my focus is on assisting the person who will be going for haj this year with the information most needed now. If that is perceived as a media bias, than so be it. In the end you cannot please everybody every time. But for me the idea of fighting over haj is totally unpalatable. Haj is a divine invitation. If Allah calls you, He will open the doors for you to get there. So why would I want to do His work for Him?

On Air

Meanwhile, you can stay tuned for the following issues on Open Lines in the coming week at 12pm:

• Saturday 19 June (8pm) - Zain Bhikha discusses his new CD launched for the World Cup (repeat)
• Monday 21 June - Have Islamists hijacked the SA Palestinian agenda? (repeat)
• Tuesday 22 June - What makes a good radio ad and is ours up to standard?
• Wednesday 23 June - Is radio the place for fatawa? (repeat)
• Thursday 24 June - Muslims and the World Cup - progress report

The one great thing about being a journalist is that if you are lucky, you get to have front row seats at all those hallmark moments in life. The FIFA 2010 World Cup is here and the emotional high that is sweeping across the country is something to behold. A while back one of VOC’s soccer gurus, Farouk Abrahams, told me that if you have never been to a World Cup event before, you have absolutely no clue what will hit this country. Increasingly over the last months, as we saw our country preparing for this massive, global sporting spectacle, I’ve had to admit Farouk was right on the money.

There is no way we could have expected the magnitude of the work involved and even now that the job is practically done, we are still learning. The fact that about 6 people were hurt at the FanFest on the Grande Parade on Thursday showed that despite the best arrangements, there will always be better ways to do something and we will have to take it on the nose. The fact that - as positive as one would like to be - there are these constant little stories of some idiotic South African who preys on the World Cup tourists - is much to the embarrassment of our nation.

Getting behind SA

But despite these negatives, what I really want to marvel at is the incredible spirit that I saw rising across South Africa this week. (Sadly Cape Town has been slow, but we are getting there. Kom ons nie vandag nie, dan kom ons more - If not today, then tomorrow!) Having quit watching TV over the last two years, I’ve been mainly viewing developments online and the picture that emerges is one of a nation that is jubilant.

I am no fan of Johannesburg, but I take my proverbial hat off to them for leading the charge in displaying SA patriotism to the world across the diverse spectrum of this nation. There were  incredible scenes in Sandton this week when Bafana Bafana - who has been the most maligned South African sports team in modern history and with very good reason - suddenly became the hero of the hour as thousands thronged streets in green and gold to wish them well for their first match against Mexico on Friday.

Of course the picture could completely change if they don’t make it past the first round, but that is different story. For now, the sense of patriotism, the proud manner in which we show off how a country that is still regarded as third world has been able to achieve so much - despite the many challenges we still face - marks a moment in history. I remember the vibe around the 1995 World Cup and this is even better.

At that time we were like the new bride - starry eyed, in love with our democracy and totally blind to reality. 16 years later we have seen and lived daily with our challenges - rampant crime and corruption, poverty, lack of delivery….the list goes on. So when we now wave our flags to welcome the world, we are not saying those challenges are gone. We are merely saying, this is a moment to treasure, to celebrate and share.

And as a journalist, these are the moments that give me goose bumps. Call me a sissy, but when I put up my SA flag in my car it means something. When I hear my countrymen blowing that stupid vuvuzela that sounds like a hoarse duck, my heart skips a beat. When I sing our national anthem it stirs my soul and when I see Madiba - the man whose magic made this World Cup happen - it tugs at my heart strings.

SA Muslims

I have never been prouder of this country and of what we have been able to achieve as a nation. But what I am proudest of is what South African Muslims have been able to pull off here. While our brothers and sisters who live as minorities in Europe are battling rising levels of Islamaphobia, we are constantly in the forefront of figuring out how to do things better. Our ability to achieve things with dialogue and tolerance as a nation, has also seeped into this often divided Muslim community, I’m happy to say.

Just look at what we have achieved over the last month. First there was the mythical Muslim extremist threat on the World Cup which was debunked. While still unproven, Muslims rallied behind our leaders in making sure everybody knew that we will have no part in such extremism. When the Mail & Guardian cartoon saga exploded, disaster loomed. But again, Muslim leaders learnt from our past mistakes and deftly handled the situation in a manner that even won understanding and appreciation among non-Muslims.

When Israel attacked the Gaza Freedom Flotilla and pro-Palestinians across the globe protested, the City of Cape Town held it breath. There was every chance that a protest in Cape Town where Muslims dominate, could run rampant and cause havoc on the eve of the World Cup. About 5,000 people showed up and boy, did we prove them wrong!

The cherry on top now with the arrival of the World Cup is the tremendous work that has been done by SA Muslims 2010 which culminates this month. A simple idea born a few months ago had snowballed into a national drive that saw base camps set up in all nine host cities from where Muslim visitors to the World Cup can be assisted.

According to Ahmed Sheik - one of people who spearheaded this project - SA Muslims 2010 has seen us give practical expression to the idea of organizing Muslims as a community nationally. “From my limited experience in the Muslim community over the last 20 years, this is the first time that we’ve got a single campaign, going across communities, across SA, united under one banner, truly vibrating on the same wavelength to portray and showcase Muslims and Islam in this country,” he told me on Thursday.

That, he said, was unique and we must thank Allah for His Grace in allowing this co-operation and spirit of collaboration. But the best part was that in doing this pioneering work, they have now begun interacting with Muslims in the UK and Brazil and will be liaising with them on how to initiate similar efforts when they host the next Olympics and Soccer World Cup. More than that, all the hard work that was achieved by SA Muslims 2010 should extend beyond the World Cup, Ahmed said and I cannot agree with him more.

VOC coverage

Meanwhile, the World Cup also gives VOC other work to do. This year we celebrate our 15^th year. Over that period we have had memorable events to cover, but none as big as the biggest sporting event on the globe. Amid the problems of fighting for accreditation for community media and the strain of preparing for other critical events like Ramadan which will be on our doorstep in two months time - there was no way we could not bring the World Cup to our listeners.

Because no matter how many other media may be covering this event, what makes VOC unique is the fact that we interpret everything from our own unique perspective. As such, we had to find a way to bring you this event. So if you are a soccer fan, you can look forward to 60 hours of coverage over the next month in the form of news, spot reports, fixtures, results and lots of analysis with our own homegrown soccer fundis.

In this regard, I have to thank my colleagues at VOC, who in the last few days caught the ‘gees’ like you would not believe. Even those who are uninterested in soccer, were waving flags; family were dragged in to decorate the studios in proudly SA colours; staff worked late into the night to rope in colleagues to do special packages. Our marketing staff did a yeoman’s task in lining up clients to make it all happen…and in between photo shoots and recording stints there was time to practice blowing the vuvuzela! (Check out all the pics on the Photo Gallery)

But beyond news, there is another side to the story. VOC is a proud member of SA Muslims 2010 - not because we support the World Cup - but because we are proudly Muslim and proudly South African. This gives us a double duty to welcome the visitors to our country and to take it a step further by showing them just how far Muslims in SA have come.

But if you are not a soccer fan, we beg your indulgence over the next month. We hope that while you may not care to blow a vuvuzela, you can at least join us in being patriotic in welcoming our guests and showing them the privileges that we have been able to enjoy as Muslims in this country. The FIFA 2010 World Cup is here and VOC welcomes its visitors to Cape Town. So share the feeling, Kenako.

On Air

Meanwhile, you can stay tuned for the following issues on Open Lines at 12pm this week:

• Monday 14 June - Are Muslims hijacking the Palestinian struggle in SA?
• Tuesday 15 June - Meet Community Builder Anwah Nagia and reflections of the 1976 youth (repeat)
• Wednesday 16 June - Celebrating Youth Day - how far have we come?
• Thursday 17 May - Youth and HIV/Aids (repeat)

This month it is exactly a decade since I joined VOC as a fulltime staff member. I dislike doing a blog that is personal, but given the fact that this is the longest I have been in one particular job, I beg your indulgence as I try to take a trip down memory lane in order to track how far we have come. 

Although I was one of the first journalists who was called to do duty when VOC went on air only for five days in 1995, I drifted off to do other work once the trial broadcast ended. I only returned to VOC in 1997 while working on my dissertation on the impact of Muslim community radio on Cape Town. At that stage I had been working in corporate communications at Sanlam and the two men who today work alongside me on station management, Imam Allie and Moegsien Khan (seen here), were the first to approach me to return part time on air.

I did this for the next three years, hosting the financial advice program MoneyTalk before the late Dr Achmat Davids, then station manager, thought it might be a good idea to team me up with the late Boeta Miley Jacobs on Saturday mornings. More than a decade later, this show still exists as Saturday Live and remains hugely popular, although I have bowed out over the last year due to other responsibilities.

In April/May 2000 VOC’s station management decided to rekindle the VOC news room. It was the early days of radio and with little infrastructure and plenty of politics, the newsroom had been closed down in favour of a less troublesome, outsourced option. However, the station realized the need to offer its own unique brand of news and hey presto, I was called up.

With only a year of in-service training at SABC radio, I had spent more time working on community publications and was not altogether sure I had a clue what was expected of me as news editor at VOC. But by that time I had spent five years in the corporate world, drifting further away from my real passion - journalism. Here was a chance to return to something I loved, even if I had to take a 25% salary cut. But with it came the chance to be a pioneer and I rather fancied that notion.

Untested environment

The scariest thing about working in community radio is that it is such an untested environment. No one has a templet for you of how to do things. You pretty much have to figure it out as you go along and I can assure you that it scared the you-know-what out of me on more than one occasion. On the other hand, the energy of the youth often gives you a blind doggedness that steps right over any fears you may have and…well, I probably invented the word stubborn. It also helped that I hated the word ‘quit’, especially when I think I’m right. Boy, I would have hated to be my HOD in those days!

So on 1 June 2000, the VOC newsroom was reborn on the second floor of the old Jamieson Street studio. The space was small and cramped. In summer you boiled like a lobster on coals, in winter you froze your hiney off and on dark nights, you prayed like anything that the creaky floorboards and staircase was not a visiting ghost.

It was heady, groundbreaking days for an inexperienced, eager female crew. Warda Sylvester - now with the Daily Voice - and I were the only two trained journalists and within two weeks we were joined by a shy trainee who was too scared to count to three, but felt she had a calling to be in news - Raudah Lee. Today Raudah is a producer with CII in Johannesburg. But what we lacked in those early days in terms of equipment and skills, we made up for with enthusiasm, as seen here when Raudah launched a solo protest outside the studios to go to Iraq once the war broke out.

Given the station’s equipment at that time, we started off very well. VOC invested in a brand new computer for us, complete with a snazzy lazer printer and internet access which we guarded jealously. At that time, there was only one other computer in the presenter’s room with internet access, and one downstairs for admin purposes. Staff fought bloody battles to get to use this equipment! (Let that be a wake up call to our staff today who are far better off than they can ever imagine.)

Staff

The one thing we never had a shortage off was eager beaver volunteers, many of whom have subsequently gone on to do other things. Philip and Nicola (seen here) were the first two German interns to join us and they were to be followed by between 30 - 40 foreigners in the ensuing years who spent a few months in the VOC newsroom. At least the same number of local interns and full time journalists came through our doors.

Today many of them have moved on - Yazeed Kamaldien (freelance), Nurunisa Allie (e-tv), Nurene Jassiem (Die Burger), Aisha Kassiem (Cape Times), Lavern de Vries (The Argus), Jihad Omar (UCT), Siraj Jones (Die Son), Phiri Cawe (Independent Newspapers) and so many others came, learnt and went. Seen here were some of the familiar faces at our fifth anniversary gettogether.

Fortunately over the last few years, some of them also stayed and developed into more senior positions. Warda Sylvester became the first journalist to take over from me in 2004 as news editor when my portfolio was expanded to also include production. Her departure paved the way for Jihad Omar in 2007 to take over briefly before Shanaaz Ebrahim - who has also been here in different capacities for seven years - seized the reigns as news editor. Today she has grown massively into this role, capably assisted by her team of four reporters - Tasneem Mohamed, Dorianne Arendse, Faatimah Hendricks and Aqeela Bawa.

Expansion

It has been an incredible experience to learn things from the bottom up and see VOC expand its infrastructure as we became better skilled. From just two reporters and an intern in 2000, a production department was added, along with a website in 2002. Today that has developed into a fully fledged programming department which includes presenters, the news team, production team and the web team.

Late last year we took another step forward when we promoted three staffers from producers to shift supervisors (seen here) - Mishka Daries, Goolam Fakier and Roshana Gordon. Each of the shift supervisors are now responsible for a team of three which includes a producer, sound engineer and intern with the sole task of looking after on air programming around the clock, making my task so much lighter. Along with Shanaaz, this 20-something team has now reached the first level of management, another first for VOC. It is a very long way from those early days when I had no clue what production meant and even less of an idea what a producer was supposed to do.

It has been an amazing journey - filled with lots of drama, internal struggles to figure things out, soaring stress levels, two letters of resignation (lol)…but all of that fades into insignificance by the poignant moments and many highlights over the last decade. The ability to make a difference in the life of our community and to influence their thinking is as powerful as the ability to pass on the skills you have acquired to others. In that I have been immeasurably blessed and I continue to be blessed with the unstinting support of my station management and staff in my news/programming department who learn every day.

Our journey is not over and the challenges that remain are many. But for now I have so much to be grateful for. As much as I have been able to help in the development and growth of VOC, the station has given back to me 10 fold in so many ways. Looking back at my initial fears and excitement upon taking on this job, I can honestly say that I still feel the thrill every day of coming to work and for as long as the passion is still there, I don’t plan on going anywhere.

On Air

Meanwhile, you can stay tuned for the following shows in the next week:

• Monday 7 May - Racial Terminology - when is it offensive? (repeat)
• Tuesday 8 May - Zain Bhikha releases new World Cup single
• Wednesday 9 May - What makes a good radio ad?
• Thursday 10 May - Is radio a good place for fatwas?

Talk delivered at VOC Autumn Banquet, Saturday 29 May 2009, Pinelands

This week it is exactly a decade since I joined VOC as a full time staffer. Given the fact that it is less than two weeks to the 2010 World Cup and the South African Muslim community has just successfully navigated a potentially explosive situation on the M&G cartoon saga, it is an appropriate time for reflection.

When I first left the corporate world to take on a job in a community based organisation, I had three pressing questions:

• Is this environment stable enough for me to earn a livelihood
• Do I have the skills and experience to do the job
• And can I make a difference in my community?

Ten years later has delivered enough proof for me to answer all three questions in the affirmative. That it leaves me with an entirely new question today - how fast are we able to evolve to meet the growing demand of our listeners and what do we need to make it happen?

When community radio became a reality post democracy, it came at a time when many predicted the end of radio. But 16 years later - far from dying out - we have seen a reawakening in the world of radio. While mainstream radio is delving into its archives to bring back the things that made radio so popular in the past like radio dramas, we in community radio are pressed with an ever increasing demand from an audience that now has the privilege to shop around.

Competition

They no longer tune in to us 24/7 just because they are Muslims. That only works in Ramadan. They are now far more selective and can play hopscotch on their radio dial to tune in only for what they are interested in. More than that, they want what they want now and not a minute later and in that competition we have to compete not with community radio, but with every other media that people have access to in broadcasting, print or online.

The only way to meet that need, experience has shown us, is to prioritise  two things - a) keep the focus on the community and b) work your niche. To illustrate these two points let me quote you two examples. It is 12 days to the World Cup and Cape Town has been slow to catch to catch the vibe. One big reason is because so little is being done at grassroots level to draw people in.

By contrast, when the World Cup trophy began its SA fan tour in Cape Town a month ago and VOC was the only community radio to broadcast live from Athlone, the spirit of the World Cup lit up the Cape. People - including those not interested in soccer - were drawn from all over to share in this once in a lifetime experience.

No wonder after a long battle, FIFA this week conceded and finally began accrediting community media, because they realized that it was pointless to give access to the world’s media when people on the ground are excluded. So in the next month we will be bringing you 60 hours of World Cup coverage from our unique angle where the focus remains on the community.

Niche

As for working our niche - I think we did that rather well this week when we led from the front on every aspect of the biggest story this year for SA Muslims - the infamous Zapiro cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. While the mainstream media shied away from the cartoon controversy, they carefully gauged and tracked how we were dealing with the matter. That put the onus on us not only to ensure that we stay well ahead of the pack in covering every conceivable angle, but also that we maintain the highest standards in doing so - not just on radio, but also online.

So if you ask me  if VOC as a Muslim community radio station has a place in the home today, given all the challenges and competition available, then the answer is an unequivocal yes. VOC’s biggest selling point is the fact that we know our audience and while we have lots of room for improvement, the one thing we do get right is to focus on the issues that matter the most to this community and for the most part, we do it well. I think we can boast a couple of awards to back that up.

Partnerships

But we will be able to do that better if we take a page from the experience this week of the United Muslim Forum of South Africa - where Muslims from all walks of life - from the ulema, to professionals in both the corporate and community environment, along with media activists - took hands, navigating troubled waters with cool heads and coming up with a solution that once again proved that SA Muslims have something to teach the world.

Tonight is an occasion for us to meet with our listeners and our corporate partners while raising funds for our operations. It is a partnership that is imperative for our continued existence. Earlier this week when I interview Ml Zakariyya Philander of SA Muslims 2010 - an initiative that VOC is proud to partner in - he gave me a terrific quote to emphasise this point and on which to end.

“It is an exciting time to be a South African. We are presented with so many opportunities. People would be crying in the rest of the world for the opportunities that we as South Africans have. And this is another opportunity, but the beautiful thing about it is that the way we mobilize ourselves now - the efficiency in our delivery - will set a precedent for what we will be embarking on in the future. We are creating a new community, a dynamic one that is no longer caught in masjid micro politics, but a community that is going forward.”

So thank you for being here and for partnering with us in working towards that new dynamic SA Muslim community.

On Air

Meanwhile, you can stay tuned for the following shows in the next week:

• Sunday 30 May - SA Muslims 2010 getting ready for the World Cup (repeat)
• Monday 31 May - Israeli attack on Gaza Freedom Flotilla
• Tuesday 1 June - Muslims & HIV/AIDS (repeat)
• Wednesday 2 June - Q & A on Iddat (repeat)
• Thursday 3 June - (From 11am) Live coverage of the  Gaza Freedom March in Cape Town
• Monday 7 May - Racial terminology, when is it offensive? (repeat)
• Tuesday 8 May - Zain Bhikha releases new single
• Wednesday 9 June - Is radio the right place for fatawa?
• Thursday 10 May - What makes a good radio ad?