Kwaito on Community Radio : The Case of Bush Radio in Cape Town, South Africa

Through qualitative interviews in Cape Town with BushRadio staff and participant observationconducted at the station between 2002 and 2004, this article explores BushRadio 's use of kwaito music, and how it contributes towards a rhizomatic development of community. Located within a cultural studiesframework, this article approaches kwaito as cultural text capable of generating multiple meanings. In particular, it argues that those who work at BushRadio strategically use kwaito music to create and sustain a divided community in search of a new black identity. Furthermore, the article also addresses how kwaito is specifically constructed and contested on the airwaves of BushRadio and by station staff.