Radio Nuru about to start

Radio Nuru now has a broadcast license and a frequency allocated, and hopes to be on the air with an initial programme schedule by July 2009. The station will reach out to the Mwane people who live along the coast. This short movie highlights some of the scenes at the station site and in the town.

Getting Olonga with Henry

Show 16

I was very happy and privileged to get time to interview Henry Olonga, currently in southern England on a speaking tour. He talks about his cricket, his singing, and how he feels today about the 'black armband incident' during the 2003 World Cup Cricket, which forced him into an exile from Zimbabwe. This man is a role model par excellence, and now that I know he can be lured back by the smell of a fine oxtail stew, I hope it will not be the last time Paradise Lost listeners get to hear from him.

Music played in this show:
Rise Again, Henry Olonga, off the CD AURELIA
A Perfect World, Sun Palace off the CD A PERFECT WORLD
Valley, Reza Manzoor off the CD RESTRUNG

Who Remembers Harold Wilson?

Show 15

Happy New Year to Paradise Lost listeners. This show features two short interviews: Rita Gibb, who has been living in the UK for nearly two years, and my brother Rogan, who only left Zimbabwe a month ago. Also included is a clip from the BBCs Radio 4 programme, ‘UK Confidential’ which was dealing with hitherto secret papers from 1976. Something about the way the Labour government dealt with ‘the Rhodesia problem’, I found interesting.

I end with a little bit of nostalgia and music some may remember from the RBC days of Radio Jacaranda.

The Railway Guardsman

Show 14

Phew, moving is pretty hard work! I have arrived in the UK, but my wife Rose is still in South Africa for a little longer. But from my very empty house in Worthing, I finally complete the show with an interview recorded a couple of months ago with ‘Temba Ngazimbe’ who served 30 years with the National Railways of Zimbabwe. This Matabele gentleman has some different, perhaps interesting views. I enjoyed chatting to him when he visited Johannesburg to see two of his children who have lived 'south of the border' for several years. Temba is not his real name of course - he requested the anonymity. One day, that will no longer be necessary.

Is Eddie Cross?

Show 13

I interviewed Eddie Cross, spokesperson for the MDC, in Harare. The interview was in early July. This podcast was edited and put together on the fly, whilst we are in England looking for a house to rent. We relocate from Johannesburg in a couple of months, to Worthing in West Sussex. I will be keen to get some new and different interviews once we are settled and have some decent broadband, so give me a buzz if interested. And no, I don't think Eddie is cross! At least not with me.

Great White Hunter of Marandellas

Show 12

Recently visiting in KZN (KwaZulu Natal) I chatted with Bill & Christine Theron, who farmed in the Marandellas (Marondera) area in the 60’s and 70’s. South African Bill was on a trek north to Kenya, when the life and people of Rhodesia captured his heart. He married Christine, and they farmed in Rhodesia until deciding to call it quits towards the end of the bush war. They reflect on memories of days they still think were amongst the best of their lives. WAXMAIL - go to http://www.waxmail.biz/ and you could send me a voice comment.

Links mentioned:

This is Zimbabwe blog (Sokwenele blog)

The Zimbabwe Situation

The Zimbabwe Pundit

The Bearded Man blog

Harvey Thomas CBE

Show 11

I had the good fortune to interview Harvey Thomas CBE. Harvey is an International Public Relations and Presentation Consultant, specialising in Corporate and Personal Communication, Customer Relations and Event Management. He consulted for Margaret Thatcher’s government for a number of years, and masterminded the PR campaign for FW De Klerk in South Africa’s first democratic election. The discussion includes personal anecdotes of contact with Robert Mugabe, views on how long Mugabe and ZanuPF may hold onto power, and why Zimbabwe is of littel interest to the first world super powers.Mandebvhu brings you his Zimbabwe News Update: on PCN - the Podcast News Network.

WAXMAIL - go to http://www.waxmail.biz/ and you too could send me a voice comment.

The Paradise Lost podcast is a supporter of PodcastSA a website dedicated to podcasting from and about Southern Africa. Visit the website to discover more interesting podcasts from African podcasters.

Yellow Chickens and Bran Flakes

Show 10

I recorded this show's conversation with Dave and Tess, who have lived in Johannesburg for almost two years. In after-dinner conversation, they talk about adjusting, how to leave a country well, and have to put up with yellow chickens. Dave misses Charon's CASINO chocolates, can you believe, and Tess still thinks that Zimbo All Bran Flakes beat the Kellogs stuff any day. Some email comments back from a few fellas ... thanks! Our first ever audio comment from David Clapper in The Netherlands. The show intro mentions I would play some podsafe music, but as the show ran a little longer than normal, I dropped that idea.

WAXMAIL - go to www.waxmail.biz and you too could send me a voice comment.

A Mexican Wave

Show 9

I had a delightful conversation in a garden on a balmy summer night in Johannesburg. Maria (not her real name) a native of Mexico, works for an NGO in Harare. She has been in Zimbabwe for the last 14 years. She talks candidly about what she has seen in her years of work in the country, what she loves about the land, and the problems that beset the economy and political landscape. It’s an interesting point of view. Mandebvhu brings an update of news. Some podsafe music.

Nothing to say to Robert

Show 8

Rory & Paul talk frankly about leaving Zimbabwe and how they feel four years later. They have observed notable differences between Zimbos and South Africans. I play some more podsafe music and Mandebvhu has another news update from home, especially about the closure of the traditional markets at Mbare Musika and recent cases of cholera in Harare.