Mentorship early in the career of a broadcaster is very important. While technical skills can be learned through courses and practice, many of the qualities that make a person a great broadcaster are developed through guidance from experienced professionals. Blessing was blessed to have a good mentor to guide him, and he paid it forward by mentoring other young people who were interested in radio broadcasting. Blessing said, "I come from Harding in KwaZulu-Natal and became a preacher at the KwaSizabantu Mission in 1989 under Rev. Erlo Stegen. He asked me to assist as the news editor at Radio Khwezi, despite my lack of experience. We started with no equipment, relying on notes from other radio stations. "Our small team, led by the late Fano Sibisi, faced many challenges. Our broadcasts were built on faith, often reading news over the phone. Gradually, we improved, thanks to prayers and support, eventually expanding our coverage with vehicles provided to us. We began using volunteers from local universities to help build our team.
"As our audience demanded more current affairs coverage, we forged a partnership with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in Durban, which taught us effective reporting techniques. We always emphasise journalistic ethics, inspired by Rev. Stegen's vision for Radio Khwezi. "Looking back over three decades, we are thankful for our achievements and the growth of our social media presence. Ethical journalism remains central to our work, and we continually remind our staff of its importance. We have won more than 50 awards over the past three decades. However, we recognise that we cannot lower our standards and must continue to improve. At Khwezi, God comes first, followed by our community. Our station manager, Daniel Wunderlich, is an exceptional leader and keeps the team united. We function as one big family."
Blessing was thrown into the deep end but quickly learned on-air skills. Over the years, he tried to learn industry standards and ethical guidelines. The regular feedback he receives from listeners helps him improve and share his knowledge and experience with others. He was given an opportunity, took it, and made the best of it. Training is very important at Radio Khwezi. That is why mentorship at this community radio station is so successful – the two complement each other. It has produced high-quality, award-winning broadcasters over the years, many of them under Blessing's loving mentorship. He truly is a blessing to others and to Radio Khwezi.
(Read more about Radio Khwezi and its achievements in our sister publication, Devoted, by following the link: https://devotedmag.co.za/magazines/#flipbook-radio-khwezi/1/)