Redi Tlhabi

In the absence of good leadership, the media is the only hope people have.

Redi Tlhabi is a self-confessed news junky. She always has her finger firmly on the pulse of current affairs and she hungers for information, lively discussion and stimulating debate. Just the right criteria for her job as current affairs presenter on Talk Radio 702 and 567 Cape Talk.

Redi is a vibrant, educated woman. Her talk show has proven to be extremely popular because she appeals to South Africans of all races and economic backgrounds. She comfortably crosses cultural lines, from suburban housewives, through to academics, politicians and the least-empowered listeners in townships. Redi believes that her listeners expect her to be well-prepared on current affairs, so she extensively researches a broad spectrum of issues. She is known to be outspoken, she dares to challenge authority and she believes passionately that leaders and newsmakers are accountable to the public.

It all began in 1990, when a 12-year-old Redi watched the release of Nelson Mandela from prison live on television. While millions of people around the world will remember the moment as a turning point in global history, her only thought was: "That should be me shoving the microphone in his face and talking to the camera."

From that moment on, Redi had only one ambition: to be a news reporter. She has spent her career working up the ranks, ambitious to host her own current affairs show and passionate to raise public awareness and hold South Africa’s leaders liable for their actions. The media provided her with the ideal platform to do so.

She thrives on working for a prominent independent broadcaster and welcomes the freedom she is given to express herself and discuss controversial issues on air. She is critical of the state-owned public broadcaster, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), which has become contested ground for political parties. Under the apartheid regime, the SABC was used as a propaganda tool and Redi feels we should expect more from the current leadership. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and it would be refreshing to see a public broadcaster that exposes the truth no matter the subject.

Redi’s concern is not that the government is clamping down on the media, but rather that journalists and the press are censoring themselves. She wants to see the press being critical and vigorous in questioning government legislation and decisions. It is not the questions asked that concern her, but the difficult questions that go unasked, in particular, those that challenge the accountability of leaders.

Redi feels that politicians are not discerning, that they do not understand the vital role of the press and that they expect the media to be PR officers for government, trumpeting its achievements. But she refuses to be a puppet for the government and the public breathes a sigh of relief to listen to someone who dares to speak out and takes on politicians, business leaders and government.

The topics raised on Redi’s talk show are broad and varied. She expects a lot from the people she interviews and has little patience for those who waffle around the topic instead of confronting the issues head-on. Equally, she expects a lot from her listeners. She expects a savvy audience, one that asks telling questions and is willing to use her talk show as a platform to voice their issues. She wants to hear her listeners demanding answers from their leaders.

She opens the floor to the public, asks her listeners to set the standard of discussion and is quick to challenge what is being said. She calls for more public outrage on issues of crime, sexual violence and abuse against women. These are issues that she finds disturbing, but feels must be regular topics of discussion on her show. She knows and appreciates the power of radio broadcasting, providing listeners with answers, raising awareness and keeping socially unacceptable issues at the forefront of public debate.

Redi Tlhabi is clearly passionate about news, but what is it that makes her remarkable?

It is not that she has run the 89km Comrades Marathon twice, nor is it the mountains of books and newspapers that she ploughs through, nor is it her achievements as a young woman building a successful career in post-apartheid South Africa.

Redi is a voice which represents thousands of South Africans. Her passion for truth and her commitment to a free and uncensored press is an inspiration. South Africans are desperate to see the promise of the ‘Rainbow Nation’ being fulfilled, and Redi represents the hope of Mandela, who said: "I dream of the realisation of the unity of Africa, whereby its leaders combine in their efforts to solve the problems of this continent." She dares to challenge politicians, business leaders and government, not because she is against them, but to hold them accountable for their positions of leadership.

She says it best: "You want me to ask the questions that you are most comfortable with? Hell, no!"

Johnny Clegg is a unifying force. He is the perfect example of somebody who has immersed himself in another person’s culture. He is the ‘white Zulu’. He was willing to get out of his comfort zone. As a white South African, he did not have to do that, but he chose to cross the cultural barriers and gain a real understanding of the Zulu culture and language. It is so appealing and what this country needs - that we get out of the cocoons that confine us to what we know. Johnny Clegg inspires me.

Come and experience the magic!

Copies of the book "Remarkable South Africans" by Line Hadsbjerg are available via SA - the Good News.

Contact Camilla for more information.
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