BASA Today’s new host delivers culture-packed show

Last edited: January 27, 2010

Posted by Business and Arts South Africa

BASA Today on Radio Today, 1485 am, gets a new host.

BASA Today has long been a favourite of South African arts lovers – and 2010 sees new host, Zingi Mkefa, kicking off the year with a jam-packed programme of cultural entertainment.

Mkefa began his career in the arts as a dancer, choreographer and composer for the First Physical Theatre Company.

After receiving a Fulbright Scholarship in 2006 and completing his Master’s Degree in Journalism at New York University, he returned to South Africa as an independent arts critic and cultural commentator for a variety of publications, most notably the Sunday Times.

Now Mkefa is in the driving sea of BASA Today, an hour-long show each Sunday from 11h00 to 12h00, sponsored by Business and Arts South Africa.

The new-look BASA Today kicked off on Sunday January 17th with an interview with Hugh Masekela and James Ngcobo on their latest collaboration, Songs of Migration. The programme also featured Michael Coulson's commentary on the contemporary art scene in Johannesburg.

Sunday January 24th saw Mkefa interview Sello Maake ka-Ncube who is currently acting in The Pen at the Market Theatre, as well as Florian Uhlig, the Artistic Director of the Johannesburg International Mozart Festival. Once again the programme also featured Michael Coulson's commentary on Johannesburg’s contemporary art scene.

1485 is a community radio station, broadcasting in English to the mature listener in the greater Johannesburg area, with a signal extending from Alberton in the south, Midrand in the north, Randfontein in the west and Benoni in the east.

The station also broadcast nationally, as well as to eight English speaking Southern African countries, on DStv Audio Channel 169.