Radio Freedom
Encyclopedia
Radio Freedom was the radio propaganda
arm of the African National Congress
during the anti-Apartheid struggle from the 1970s through the 1990s. While the broadcasts were from different radio station
s (including those of Tanzania
, Zambia
, Angola
, Ethiopia
, and Madagascar
), their station identification
s all sported the trademark introduction familiar to many from the KLF song "3 a.m. Eternal
": machine-gun fire, followed by a variation of
Winnie Mandela
and several people featured in Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony
credit Radio Freedom as a significant comforting, rallying, and organizing factor in the fight against Apartheid.
Listening to Radio Freedom in Apartheid-era South Africa
was a crime carrying a penalty of up to eight years in prison.
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
arm of the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
during the anti-Apartheid struggle from the 1970s through the 1990s. While the broadcasts were from different radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s (including those of Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
, Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
, Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, and Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
), their station identification
Station identification
Station identification is the practice of radio or television stations or networks identifying themselves on air, typically by means of a call sign or brand name...
s all sported the trademark introduction familiar to many from the KLF song "3 a.m. Eternal
3 a.m. Eternal
"3 a.m. Eternal" is a song by The KLF, numerous versions of which were released as singles between 1989 and 1992. In January 1991, an acid house pop version of the song became an international top ten hit single, hitting #1 in the UK Singles Chart and #5 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and leading to...
": machine-gun fire, followed by a variation of
This is Radio Freedom, the voice of the African National Congress and its military wing Umkhonto we SizweUmkhonto we SizweUmkhonto we Sizwe , translated "Spear of the Nation," was the armed wing of the African National Congress which fought against the South African apartheid government. MK launched its first guerrilla attacks against government installations on 16 December 1961...
...
Winnie Mandela
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela is a South African politician who has held several government positions and headed the African National Congress Women's League. She is currently a member of the ANC's National Executive Committee...
and several people featured in Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony
Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony
Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony is a 2002 documentary film depicting the struggles of black South Africans against the injustices of Apartheid through the use of music. The film takes its name from the Nguni word amandla, which means power.The film was Produced by Sherry Simpson Dean...
credit Radio Freedom as a significant comforting, rallying, and organizing factor in the fight against Apartheid.
Listening to Radio Freedom in Apartheid-era South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
was a crime carrying a penalty of up to eight years in prison.