VOC will be featured in an insert of a South African documentary on cultural and religious identity on Sunday. Executive producer Shaffee Shaik said the documentary  ‘320 years of Islam in South Africa’ with reflect on the country’s Cape Muslim history going back to Tricentenary celebrations in 1994.

“VOC played a pivotal role in serving Muslims in the Cape being the voice of the community and breaking down barriers. Currently it still plays an instrumental role by taking the role of propagation and being on top of news and actuality programmes,” says Shaik.

At the time of VOC’s launch in 1995, there were not as many community radio stations licences being granted. After the first democratic elections, the country had started to liberalise media broadcasting. Diverse interest groups were given an opportunity to apply for a broadcast license, when the broadcasting authority ICASA opened up the process in 1995.

After sharing a frequency for 18 years, VOC finally attained an independent commercial frequency in June 2013, which it reclassified as a community licence.

“VOC took a leap and made a breakthrough in getting its independent licence,” says Shaik.

The programme will air on Identity this Sunday, 6 July at 11am on SABC1. VOC (Nailah Cornelissen)