An ode to broadcaster Charles Ndawu: Dies aged  75

The original Radio RSA Chichewa Service had Tony Machilika, Mike Mlongoti, Joe Dawe and Charles Ndau. They used to come on air at 7 CET. These guys were massive. During the dawn of multiparty democracy Radio RSA was a ‘must listen’.

Joe Dawe was the most serious of the quartet. All of them were unique in their own way. Tony, who went on to become GM of the English Service, used to do a ‘Zaanyamata’ show on Thursday. It was massive.

I liked Charles Ndau’s easy manners. He would say pretty much anything on air. He left me wondering, “Is it because his bosses can’t understand a thing he was saying?”

These guys helped make who Shyley Kondowe and Kamlepo Kalua and Unandi Banda what thry are today. They would be allowed to say anything about Kamuzu Banda. Shyley went on to found Malawi first credible NGO, MIDEA, Kamlepo ended up a bitter critic of pretty much any government that were until he sneaked into Parliament via Ama, Unandi is who you know him now.

Chihana also had a grand time with his haughty Chichewa on Radio RSA from 1992.

I think the first to retire was Mike Mlongoti or Joe Dawe. Was Mike Zambian? Is he the same guy who ended up in Cabinet or some government spokesman in Lusaka? Later these guys were joined by my friend Chaipa ‘Double Chai’ Hiwa, our own Chidzukulu cha Ajogwe and the songbird Maria Chidzanja-Nkhoma also joined. A Zambian, Mzondi wa a Sakala, also joined. I think Mzondi and Chaipa are still there at SABC, somewhere.

Some of us, who were aspiring to be print scribes, started admiring the radio because of the ease people like Charles Ndau made telling stories on air.

The Radio RSA times were times when listening to radio via shortwave an adventure.

Dead at 75, Charles Ndau lived a full fruitful life!

 

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Aggrey Goodluck Mandele
Aggrey Goodluck Mandele
9 years ago

The very first guys to join Radio RSA-Chichewa Service were Mike J Mlongoti, Joe J Dawe, Sanderson Jimu and Charles J Ndau. Tony Machilika found his way in due to the death of Sanderson Jimu in a road accident in Lilongwe while on leave. Mike J Mlongoti lived at Nkhunga, T/A Kanyenda in Nkhotakota district before relocating to Kasungu. He died about two years back in Soweto, SA and got buried there. He never joined politics in his life. Of the four, Joe J Dawe voluntarily ritired first to take up family responsibilities here at home due to the death… Read more »

Arthur G.M. Mtambo
9 years ago

MIKE MLONGOTI, ASK LIKOMA PEOPLE WHERE HE WAS ORGINATED.

dyson
9 years ago

Rip

hfty
hfty
9 years ago

Komanso nthawi zina nanu Anyasa zolemba zanu, basi kungoyikana munews kudziwana kapena chani? pali ode apa yooneka?

clement
clement
9 years ago

Accreditation is usually given to politicians leaving REAL men on the ground. Media people, Faith leaders and NGO advocates are ‘quickly’ sidelined and forgotten when Promised land has been reached

Bolero
Bolero
9 years ago

Get facts right before writing. Its not about telling a tale. Don’t leave us guessing the way you did in your article

opportunist
opportunist
9 years ago

These guys were great .RIP

Fifty Something
Fifty Something
9 years ago

Raphael, how old are you? For those of us who are older, we remember this guy best moments from the seventies. My father used to tune to radio RSA Chichewa service every seven o’clock in the evening then. These guys had the most entertaining programs. The Shyely Khondowes came much later in the early 90s.

lilian
lilian
9 years ago

Good piece.MHSRIP.by the way where is Shyley Kondowe who was Strategist for JB?

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