Local Student Recognised in Top Talent Show

Rhodes University student and aspiring radio personality, Sinazo Kos is inches away from being crowned the freshest and best voice in the Eastern Cape following the announcement that she has made it to the top 10 of the truTalent Competition.

This TruFM talent competition is in search of two budding radio jockeys to join their fold. Kos revealed that the competition had become really tight. When the results were announced on the radio, a total of 26, 000 votes had been cast.

"I would like to say thank you to the Makhanda community for voting for me and helping me move closer to my dream." Next week the top 5 will be announced, and I would appreciate the same measure of support yet again. Ndiyabulela kakhulu [Thank you very much]," said Kos.

Makana Municipality Mayoral Committee Member and Councillor for Ward 12, Mzobanzi Nkwentsha said that they unequivocally supported the candidature of Kos as a top 10 finalist for the TruFM talent search. "This is an indication that Makana breeds a substantial talent pool of young people. We call upon the people of Makhanda to support her and vote for her!" SMS RADIO 02 to 39721," he said.

Rhodes University's School of Journalism and Media Studies senior lecturer, Dr Alette Schoon, said she was extremely proud of Kos and her achievements in the competition and studies. She said Kos has been specialising in documentary filmmaking this year, adding valuable video skills to her arsenal. "She has spent most of this year working with Rhodes University's International Library of African Music to create a documentary about the little jazz towns of the Eastern Cape. She is particularly proud that her hometown, King Williamstown, has played such an important role in preserving this heritage," Schoon said. She added that Kos has also been hard at work on this year's final project, where she worked with Ubunye Foundation, a rural development organisation that works closely with both Ngqushwa and Makana Municipalities. She created audio stories to give young women in their project a voice.

"We are also so proud of Sinazo and the leap she has taken to realise her dreams," said Makana Tourism Acting Director, Prudence Mini.  "She is a great example of the growing trend among local youth that are making strides in the local tourism, hospitality, and media sectors irrespective of the barriers that they may face. So we have every confidence that she will not only go far in this competition but also become a powerful force in the broadcasting industry." Mini added that they had first met Kos when she, alongside other fourth-year TV students, worked with Makana Tourism in collaboration with Sarah Baartman District Municipality to produce quality documentaries and audio content, showcasing local tourism and hospitality businesses and fun things to do and experience in Makhanda. These can be viewed on YouTube by searching for Makana Tourism or from the storytelling platform, Izi.Travel.

Kos has always loved music, radio, and talking, and she has wished to be a radio talk show host or news anchor since she was a child. In her high school days, she discovered a love for public speaking and was constantly on stage as an MC for various events. It was also during high school that she started doing radio auditions. Her dream finally came true when she enrolled at the School of Journalism and Media Studies at Rhodes University, where alongside her studies she became a radio anchor for Rhodes Music Radio (RMR), the community radio station that broadcasts not only to campus, but to the whole of Makhanda. She has been a radio personality for RMR since her first year, when she started as a talk show host and then, over the years, progressed to become a news anchor. 

Kos has also been a sought-after voice artist for student productions. She says she loves doing these, as it gives her a chance to put herself in other people's shoes and to learn about new languages.