Conta��s lifelong dream coming to life

Bruce Ndlovu
ITa��S hard to imagine the sphere of Zimbabwean arts without Cont Mhlanga, ita��s like a Chicago Bulls of the 90s without Michael Jordan.

The arts doyen seems to quite simply have done it all, from theatre pieces that laid bare the fabric of Zimbabwean society to TV shows that showcase the good, bad and ugly of modern day Zimbabwean society, as he brought to the small screen the countrya��s triumphs and despairs.

So when the veteran playwright announced that he was capping his pen and leaving the page bare for younger minds to write the scripts that will send tongues wagging today and tomorrow, many doffed their hats and bade fond farewell to one of the titans of the countrya��s arts scene.

However, Sunday saw Mhlanga ready himself to tick one of the few boxes that remained blank on his to-do list.

September 11 saw Skyz Metro begin testing as it readies itself for broadcast before the expiry of its broadcast licence at the end of the month.

The sometimes uncertain sound that reached those that tuned into 100.3 FM was the beginning of the end of the stationa��s year-long struggle to finally bring music and programming tailored for the people of Bulawayo by the people of Bulawayo. It has been a long winding journey which has taken many unforeseen and unwanted detours, as eager Bulawayo listeners experienced the euphoria of triumph and the sadness of disappointment in equal measure.

After various proposed launches that suffered still-births, Bulawayoa��s first ever radio seems to be on the verge of cutting its umbilical cord as it takes its first tentative steps in the world of radio broadcast.

For Mhlanga, the station is also the fulfillment of a dream that has been over two decades in the making. The seeds of that dream were sowed when Mhlanga started operating an own in-house radio station in the early 90s from Amakhosi Cultural Centre, while he also initiated the stationa��s own online station, ww3 as a way to test the waters before the advent of Skyz Metro FM.

Mhlanga was spurred to dream however, by a local DJ, who had denounced Bulawayo musicians. It was a sin that Mhlanga was never to forget.

a�?There was a famous DJ at Montrose who changed everything for me. One day I went with a group of Bulawayo artistes to the studio and he told all of us to go out because artistes from this city stink.

a�?That DJ went on to popularise South African music in Bulawayo. That day was the turning point for me. I remember leaving the studio determined to run my own station,a�? he said.

From the makeshift studios of Mbare, Hararea��s young chanters forged a new dancehall sound that is holding the whole music industry by the throat, strangling the life out of genres that have failed to capture the imagination of the new generation. For Mhlanga, the station is now a chance for Bulawayo artistes to also establish a sound that people from Matabeleland and Bulawayo at large can identify with.

a�?Matabeleland is a Cosmopolitan region made up of various sub-cultures and cooked together these sub-cultures can come up with a truly global sound that is uniquely Zimbabwean. There are already a number of sounds in the country but they are still inherently Harlem or South African in their nature.

a�?Making a new sound is not something that will happen overnight but it may take six to 10 years. Radio should play peoplea��s music and tell peoplea��s stories so these next few months are a testing period for the station,a�? he said.

The debut of Skyz Metro has also convinced Mhlanga to make a trek from his humble Lupane abode, to the busy streets of Bulawayo. Mhlanga will be in Bulawayo on Monday to give the stationa��s content a listen, while he also has his sight fixed on the upcoming Intwasa Arts Festival.

a�?This is not about Cont concluding his journey. The dream was not ever about me but about the people of Bulawayo. I am Skyz Metroa��s number one listener. For the next two weeks I will listen to their content and if its rubbish I will tell the CEO its rubbish. If ita��s poor I will tell them that theya��re a waste of space on the airwaves but if ita��s good I will say it is so. For the next two weeks I will see whether this was a dream worth having,a�? he said.