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	Shashi Jaggeth takes calls from listeners on culture and religion

What is your position at the station?

I am the religious programmes coordinator and I am on the management committee of the radio station.

And do you broadcast?

Yes I do. I present a programme on a Friday morning between 9am and midday and the show is called Narivani which means 'Voice of Women'.

It deals with various women's issues.

I also present a talk show where we concentrate on cultural and religious issues.

What kind of programmes does the rest of the station broadcast?

Well I also present a show on a Wednesday afternoon.

Various people present them during the course of the week and they concentrate on entertainment and light-hearted programmes.

The shows are broadcast in Hindi and in English.

Do you think presenting in the Hindi language benefits the community?

We have found that in the last ten years, since the radio station has been broadcasting, more students are enrolling to study the language.

This is wonderful for us as it leads to the promulgation of the language. It's been going excellently so far and it has been an inspiration.

Who is your target audience?

We try not to focus on politics.

Well the Narivani programme is mainly targeted at women, but we also have other programmes where we teach Hindi language and culture.

These go out every morning and evening.

What's the main topic of discussion on the women's programme?

Each day is a different issue.

Monday is health for example. Guests are invited to discuss issues concerning women's health. Diabetes, menopause, pregnancy - all those things are discussed.

Tuesday is set aside for educating women as far as consumer forums are concerned. We also concentrate on the kitchen, the ways you can prepare a meal and attend to guests.

Wednesday is aimed at empowering women.

Thursday the focus is light-hearted, such as beauty tips and clothing.

On my Friday show I concentrate on religious and cultural aspects and we also have a talk show, where I have a specific topic and invite people to express their views and opinions.

It's been a turbulent year so far in South Africa, what with Thabo Mbeki leaving office and the split in the ANC. Is politics ever discussed on your shows?

We try not to focus on politics as our station is not aligned to any political party and we certainly don't want to get involved in any of that.

Do men ever contribute to your discussions?

Absolutely! In fact during my talk shows I have lots of men calling and it is very heart-warming because the men want to talk about becoming more involved.

Our aim and objective is to empower women to now stand up and say, 'This is what I can do for myself'.

For example if their wives are going through pregnancy or the menopause or if she wants to choose a career and is confused.

They make a wonderful contribution.

Do they not feel left out because they don't have their own phone-in show?

Well no because when we have our shows we actively ask them to call in and offer their opinions.

It is just accepted by them that we concentrate on women.

And our aim and objective is to empower women to now stand up and say, 'This is what I can do for myself'.

I have really empowered myself by being at the radio station. I do my own programmes, I handle the technical side.

How did you get into broadcasting?

Since I was young I have been very passionate about my language.

So I took on the study of Hindi and thankfully excelled, so I started teaching the subject as well in a local school.

I left that job because there were other things that I wanted to do, and when the radio station started I thought it was my forte.

I am a people person and very confident. This with my command of the Hindi language enabled me to take on a programme and I've grown ever since and never looked back.

And do you have a family?

Yes, I have a family of six. I have been blessed with four sons.

The youngest is 21, the eldest 30.

And how does family life fit in with your work life?

Well you know generally women are excellent at multi-tasking!

I am proud of what I do. I take care of my family. I don't have anybody to help me. I do everything myself such as my meal preparations and so on.

It's all about planning and time management.

You are lucky enough to live in a beautiful city like Durban. In the current global downturn, how would you persuade visitors to spend their holiday money?

It's the best climate that you can get. I think this really suits people who live where the weather can be harsh.

It is also a very friendly city, full of fun and it is always bubbling with different activities.

Have you seen positive developments in Durban ahead of the World Cup in 2010?

It's been going well so far. Everything seems to be on track. I haven't seen any drawbacks so far.

Are you four sons going to be watching the football?

Absolutely, they are crazy about it and my house at the weekends is like a sports field.

Radio Hindvani broadcasts from Durban on 91.5 FM

This article appears in the January - March 2009 edition of BBC Focus on Africa Magazine.

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