Anetta started Dizindaba Media (Pty) Ltd in 2007. The company owns a small commercial newspaper, Dizindaba Iphephandaba lesiXhosa an 8-12-pager that started printing in February 2010. The name “Dizindaba” means “news reveal”.
The publication was started to bridge the information gap that exists between isiXhosa and other languages and to service the vastly under serviced isiXhosa community. The plan was to revive the language and the culture of reading in these communities.
Dizindaba’s focus is to empower, inform and educate communities with news that is true, authentic, fair and unbiased. It covers community, economic, political, church and sports news. The content comprises Western as well as Eastern Cape news as the newspaper’s target audiences come mostly from the Eastern Cape. People love to know what is going on in their hometowns.
Currently Dizindaba prints 10,000 copies on a weekly basis. It is distributed at taxi ranks, bus/train stations, schools, clinics, government departments, churches, football clubs and door-to-door in some areas.
Through their online platform the publication aims to reach and service their audience outside the Western Cape and those who don’t have access to the printed version yet.
Anetta grew up in the rural areas surrounding Paarl. Since then she has accumulated a wealth of experience in management, administration, facilitation, marketing and sales – all critical skills required for the smooth running of newspapers.
Her experience as a project manager in the Department of Labour in a provincial ABET project, came in handy as she dealt with the newspaper’s in-house distributors and personnel.
After 12 years in the media industry, Anetta is now a self-made graphic designer with a number of empowerment courses under her belt from Rhodes University and other institutions such as the FP&M Seta. Currently she is also a Xhosa teacher on a local Radio Station (Radio KC). Anetta is doing her Bachelor of Theology Honours. She loves outdoor activities, reading, exploring and experiencing new things.
Fun Facts
1. Do you have any hidden talents or obsessions?
I love singing and ministering.
2. Who is your celebrity crush?
Madea, Joyce Meyer and Sarah Jakes.
3. Do you collect anything? (Art, shoes, books, etc)
I love collecting books, bags and shoes.
4. If you were given the opportunity to have lunch with the President, what would you say to him?
I would start with the formalities, greeting, introducing myself and thanking him for the opportunity to have lunch with him.
Because this is a lunch meeting, I would steer the conversation in an informal way first, but then once in his comfort zone, I would ask him the following questions:
- Mr President would you support a woman president and why?
- What is your definition of women empowerment?
- Do you feel in your own opinion enough has been done to empower women in all spheres of life?
- The government made a clarion call in 2007 to South Africans to uphold and preserve indigenous languages, culture, etc., because research showed that western culture has influenced the dwindling/fading of indigenous languages and culture. What mechanisms has the government implemented to ensure that this is addressed?
- The government talks about media diversity, in your opinion Mr President what is media diversity?
- Do you feel the government/presidency has done enough to ensure that the media landscape is transformed in South Africa?
- What funding has the government made available to ensure independent black owned media houses/publishers who publish in indigenous languages in the country are funded effectively?
I would then thank the President for lunch and suggest a write-up in our publication.
5. Everyone has at least one annoying habit, what’s yours?
Humming along with a song in public. Chewing my fingernails.
