Introducing the Richmark Sentinel

Wavelength 49 (Pty) Limited would like to introduce you to our new website the Richmark Sentinel.

The site, which will comprise news, lifestyle and sport, is designed to provide a venue for all South Africans and Africans to meet, gather, debate and swap ideas and information while highlighting the fact that we are PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN and AFRICAN.

Our main goal is to provide a site which PROMOTES THE NEXT GENERATION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS who will be writing not only in English but the other official languages as well. We will as such also be covering inter alia AFRIKAANS, ZULU and XHOSA. This entails a number of journalists and writers of all races but with the emphasis on reaching a breakdown to match the demographics of South Africa. My idea is not to focus on writers who have degrees but rather anyone who is able to express themselves coherently, is enjoyed by the readership and can best describe the views of their community to their fellow South Africans and Africans.

Xenophobia and the election has taught us that South Africans tend to speak at, rather than “to”, other people based upon a lack of knowledge and insight into their backgrounds, culture and attitude towards this country and its people. We will accordingly be aiming at removing barriers created by ignorance and opening up channels of communication that will afford readers the opportunity of presenting their views and thereby hopefully removing resentment created by a lack of knowledge.

Richmark, our primary sponsor, is itself an example of how people of all races, gender, cultures and religion can work in harmony. On any given day religious Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Christians — many in their traditional garb — work side by side to promote the group. All races not only working together but socialising after hours. This is the South Africa that we will be promoting on site. Accordingly we will be striving to transmit views that recognise and uplift us all while carrying on the fight against prejudice wherever we encounter it. As such I will be looking to the religious groups to give their views as well as the gay community, women’s groups and all others that have been targeted or suffered discrimination in the past. Communication is vital in this fight against prejudice and indeed to the future of our constitutional democracy.

A vital cog in that machine, as its most important watchdog and provider of information, is the South African media. Richmark and ourselves are extremely proud of the growth and courage shown by the local media in light of the challenges posed by a new multiracial South Africa. Accordingly we will be carrying the headlines from all of their sites with a link that will take our readers over to the Mail & Guardian, Moneyweb, IOL, News24 and all the rest. If, as we are hoping, the site takes on an international audience, they too will have immediate access to these local sites which are — to my mind — a credit to our country.

On Thursday evening Richmark was a proud participant of the South African Rugby Legends Association (SARLA) awards dinner. It was confirmed thereat that SARLA, whose patron is King Goodwill Zwelithini, will be commencing Legacy Parks in conjunction with the South African Police Service in order to feed and educate the street children of South Africa on a huge scale. This rugby body, which was started by members of the Richmark Group and the rugby fraternity, now comprises Soccer Legends and Cricket Legends as well. They have been HIGHLY proactive in uplifting poorer communities in South Africa and have now started in Africa as well. Richmark believes that wealth and technology must be shared among Africans if the continent is to grow. The new website shares that vision and will be aiming to promote our fellow African states as well as South Africa.

In terms of politics the views of all parties will be put forward and their members invited to participate as much as possible. We will also be trying to bring you as much news from as many people on the ground as we are able to in order to gauge how these politicians are being received. This will include the good with the bad. As we witnessed at the SARLA event the world, with the faith they place in us to host their major sporting events, holds South Africa in far greater esteem than we do ourselves. We hope to remedy some of that by balancing criticism of the government with the good news. In this regard we will be trying to convince the government to be more proactive in telling us where they have achieved results. In terms of criticism don’t concern yourselves that we will be too kind, my readers know that where there is corruption and ineptitude they’ll be getting it with both barrels.

The site itself we believe will be one of the most innovative of its kind worldwide and we trust that over the next few months you will become as excited and attached to it as we are at the start of this adventure. It also means that we will be having one or two teething problems along the way which we trust will not detract too much from your enjoyment.

Let the journey begin.

** The Richmark Group are primary sponsors of the Richmark Sentinel which is wholly owned by Wavelength 49 (Pty) Limited. The sponsors will have no say whatsoever in the editorial content or running of the site and accordingly will accept no liability for the content thereof. Richmark are keen to promote the next generation of black journalists and the image of South Africa and Africa and in accordance therewith have sponsored the site. Their input is strictly limited to that of a sponsor and unless a specific article or item is from the sponsor they accept no liability or responsibility for the content of the site.

** The introductions in Zulu and Xhosa were not written by the writer. (Wish I could have) They were done by Siyabonga Ntshingila and a very modest Xhosa chap who would just die if you knew his name. Sort of the Xhosa kugel (bagel) of Sandton doll.