It is with great sadness that the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA), the community and small commercial media mourn the passing away of Nosipho Nicolette Tladi, the founder and editor of Nemato Voice.
Nemato Voice is one of the MDDA's funded projects, which is circulated in Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape. Nosipho (known as Nicolette) was a selfless media activist who gave up a teaching career, a job at the Department of Trade & Industry for media of the people. She was born in Bathurst, started working as a freelancer with Grocott's Mail and Coastal News, worked for Drum magazine and published six books. She has become part of our family in our quest to bring access to information and media to the previously disadvantaged communities.

“My first encounter with her was sometime in the late 80's to early 90's when we were all struggling to drive the community media agenda. I was at Bush Radio and she was with Nemato Voice. Our journeys met again when she was at the DTI (where she worked as a Deputy Director - Outreach Programmes) and wanted to revive Nemato Voice. Let us all allow her soul to rest in peace, as she joins the late Tshepo Rantho, the late Chris Gutuza, the late Edric Gorfinkel, etc, all our colleagues in the early 90's in the community media struggles,” said Mr Lumko Mtimde, Chief Executive Officer of the Media Development and Diversity Agency.

The entire MDDA family, the Board, Management and the rest of the MDDA staff members were deeply saddened when they were informed that Tladi had passed away. In celebrating the life of Nicolette, the Agency would like to urge the community of Ndlambe Municipality (Cacadu District) to continue to work hard and always remember the work that Nicolette has done for this community. The Agency will liaise, advise and work with the remaining members of the project (Nemato Voice) in order to find ways and means on how to continue to restore her legacy.

Tladi started work as a teacher but gave it up in 1989 to pursue a career in journalism. After doing a one-year journalism course at Rhodes, Tladi did her practicals at the Ilizwi and the Sowetan, where she was mentored by the then editor, Thami Mazwai. Tladi went on to write six published books, among them Inganekwane, Women in Africa and Voices of Our Own.

As a journalist at Drum magazine, Tladi was famous for her human interest stories and staunch support of women's rights issues. Tladi's passion for community media could never be doubted, as she succinctly put it when interviewed by the Review, July 1994. “Community newspapers have a responsibility to their communities, to help with development, showcase role models the youth could learn from and emulate and also to promote literacy in their relevant communities.”

Words were important to Nicolette, and she followed these up with actions. This gallant fighter went on to start and edit Nemato Voice. Her ultimate dream was to see Nemato Voice grow its readership and circulation to cover the whole Cacadu District and then perhaps the entire Eastern Cape.

On that premise, we can truly say that South Africa and the Eastern Cape has lost one of its born and bred pioneers of the struggle for information and knowledge for the downtrodden masses. Tladi deserves to be honoured for her contribution towards striving and promoting access to information, awareness and excellence in a quest for the development of the Nelson Mandela Metro, Cacadu District and the surrounding communities.

Nosipho Nicolette Tladi was buried on Saturday, 30th May 2009, at Nelson Mandela Township, Port Alfred. She leaves behind her mother, her siblings and children, Khanyisile, 14, and Athabile, 12.

May her soul rest in peace.

Lala ngoxolo Nicolette, MaMotaung. Sohlala sikukhumbula.

[1 Jun 2009 20:43]