RADIO TRANSKEI

Transkei, Umtata · 1977-10-26

Official

Click any photo to see it enlarged.

front

Cachet: The cachet on this cover uses a bold target style design of concentric orange and green rings radiating from a transmission tower positioned in the lower left corner, visually representing radio waves spreading outward across the country. The words "radio Transkei 1st anniversary" curve around the inner rings in playful lowercase script. A single bird sits perched partway up the tower, a small human touch amid the otherwise graphic, technical design. The series marking "1.6" sits in the bottom corner beside a small logo. Two stamps run down the right side of the cover, both illustrated by A H Barrett, showing announcers at work in the studio, one wearing headphones at a microphone and the other reading from a script. Two Umtata postmarks, each built around a stylised radio wave and tower icon reading "Radio Transkei", cancel the stamps.

Info card

RADIO TRANSKEI Radio Transkei, the official voice of the Republic of Transkei, was established on 26 October 1976, the day of independence. Its first broadcast was made at 20h00 that evening. (a) Three SABC officials were seconded to the Transkei in September 1976 to prepare the studios and control rooms. These officials were joined by Transkeians, some of whom had experience in broadcasting, which they had gained with the Xhosa Service both in King William's Town and at the Umtata studios. (b) The present staff, who are all Transkeians consists of: 1 Programme Manager 4 Announcer/Producer/Translators 1 Librarian 1 Typist/Telephonist 3 Operations Assistants 2 Part-time Announcers (c) Radio Transkei began with one hour of broadcasting each day, but subsequently two hours were added. At present the broadcasting times are 06h00 to 07h00 and 20h00 to 22h00 daily. A comprehensive programme of music and quizzes and educational, instructional, news and religious broadcasts is prepared and presented to listeners. (d) The present studios are housed in a building that has been adapted for broadcasting purposes. Equipment was purchased from the SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) and installed by SABC technicians. At present the service is non-commercial and is operated as a subsection of the Department of Foreign Affairs. (e) The facilities available for the service are adequate but as the service expands and develops, a proper complex will have to be considered. (f) It is proposed to extend the broadcasting time to five hours a day in the near future. The following should be noted: (i) Radio Transkei broadcasts on FM. (ii) There are four transmitting masts providing coverage for the entire Transkei. (iii) Radio Transkei has rapidly gained popularity among listeners as is evidenced by the more than 13 000 letters and postcards received monthly, only six months after the service started. (iv) Programmes are mostly in Xhosa and occasionally in English and other languages. T. Mcinga Programme Manager

Additional information

This cover is postmarked on 26 October 1977 in Umtata. It carries two stamps illustrated by A H Barrett marking the first anniversary of Radio Transkei, the official broadcaster established on the day of the territory's independence in 1976. Only six months after launch, Radio Transkei was already receiving more than 13 000 letters and postcards from listeners each month, a striking measure of its popularity in such a short time.

Theme: Heritage

Condition: FineGood condition. Minor wear or small imperfections, but overall well-presented.

Addressed: No

Signed: No

SAPO serial number: 1.6

Estimated value: ~US$0.1

This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.