Owen Ndlovu Memorial: Son's Emotional Tribute to Slain Broadcasting Pioneer

• Owen Ndlovu, a community broadcasting pioneer and artists' rights activist, was remembered at his memorial service on Wednesday
• His son uThingo delivered a tribute that shook mourners, revealing how his father's presence shaped his own path in life
• Colleagues described Ndlovu as one of South Africa's first community sports broadcasters and a man who took SAMRO to court using his own money

The memorial service for slain community broadcasting pioneer Owen Ndlovu drew broadcasters, musicians and community figures on Wednesday, but it was his son uThingo who delivered the tribute that silenced the room, as reported by Africa Daily.

"If it wasn't for my father, I would have a criminal record," uThingo told mourners, reflecting on how deeply his father's steady presence had shaped his life. Still visibly searching for answers, he said he kept asking himself how he had not seen the danger closing in. He closed with a commitment made on behalf of everyone in attendance:

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Owen Ndlovu's pioneering role in community radio

Vusi Leeu, a friend of more than three decades who knew Ndlovu from their shared time at Soweto Community Radio, now known as Jozi FM, described him as "among the first generation of community broadcasters in South Africa" and "one of the few sports journalists in community radio" during an era when the format barely existed outside state broadcasting.

Fellow Jozi FM colleague Dennis Madondo recalled the moment Ndlovu's instincts first showed:

"Owen raised his hand to do sport and, within a day, he had come up with a programme to cover sport."

Those who worked alongside him credit that kind of initiative with helping demonstrate to the SABC that community radio was a legitimate broadcasting force.

Chris Bongo, who collaborated with Ndlovu at the SABC from 2002 and brought him onto his own venture five years ago, remembered a colleague who "brought a lot of energy" to every newsroom and studio he entered.

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Artists' Rights Battle That May Have Cost Him His Life

In his later years, Ndlovu shifted his focus to fighting for artists' rights. Eugene Mthethwa, chairperson of Artists United, a position Ndlovu himself handed to him, said his friend had warned those close to him:

"I am prepared to die."

Ndlovu had reportedly funded a legal case against SAMRO out of his own pocket because the union lacked the resources. He was killed just two days before that case was due back in court. A bag recovered after his death contained SAMRO documents.

For uThingo, none of that history captures the full measure of his loss. He did not request sympathy at the memorial. He made a promise instead, to continue the work and uphold the standard his father set.

Source: Briefly News