Fashioning Modern Africanism

The teaser gives fans their first glimpse of the actors who landed the coveted roles. Rising star Mbalenhle Mavimbela ( Skeem Saam ,  Isipho ) will play Hlomu, the journalist who falls in love with a taxi driver, not realising that when you marry a man, you marry his secrets. Mqhele will be played by Bonko Khoza, who burst onto the acting scene as Jabz in the multi-award-winning film  Necktie Youth  and has since appeared in the likes of  Professionals  and the Emmy-nominated  Roots .    “I got to spend some time with Mbali and Bonko on set and they are great – new, fresh faces,” says Dudu. “They’ve already developed a chemistry and should do justice to the characters.” “Mbalenhle and Bonko are fairly fresh faces in the industry; there isn’t any one role or character that audiences can instinctively affix to them,” says showrunner Gugu Ncube-Zuma. “As a result, they will truly embody and be known intrinsically as Hlomu and Mqhele. What solidified this decision was their undeniable chem

Big Daddy SA teamed up with award winning producer Dj Micks. Through this collaborative effort they engineered a unique sound which  challenges what ampanio could evolve into. ‘Ngiyabonga’ is the first of a 3 part single series. Born Silas Mudau, this Venda national captures the essence of Africa through his distinct desire to create music that will spark joy in others lives.  Big Daddy SA grew up in the lush green and scenic village  of Tshimbupfe-Hamanavhela in Venda, his childhood was where the spark  of music ignited, through church activities and various music competitions music became second nature to Big Daddy.  Upon reaching university Big Daddy SA also decided to study the theory of music as an additional subject.  The richness of Big Daddy’s love for music stems deep from a place of worship as well as from a distinct place of belonging. Big Daddy SA had a long relationship with music as a young teen to his early twenties to the point where he released a gospel album in 2005 a

While some women have broken boundaries within the DJing landscape of South Africa, it’s no secret that there is an unignorable wide gender gap that exists within this sphere of the music industry, and it is not because of any lack of talent. In male-dominated industries, such as this one, the barriers to entry for women are deeply entrenched, making it much harder for females to break through. There are a number of factors that attribute to these barriers, such as, biasness due to false gender perceptions, lack of access, and so on. South Africa’s number 1 vodka brand, Smirnoff 1818, has decided to launch a new initiative called Shaya Ingoma. The Shaya Ingoma platform calls on all up-and-coming female DJs nationwide to enter the first for the brand female DJ search. Through Shaya Ingoma, Smirnoff 1818 aims to narrow the gender gap and shine a light on some talented upcoming female DJs. This empowerment platform will be focused on unearthing, promoting and offering multiple opportuniti

The 24-year-old – who comes from KwaSokhulu in Richards Bay – graduated with a Bachelor of Law from the University of Pretoria. She is also a model and a dancer. Mswane received R1 million in cash as well as a further R3 million worth of sponsorships and prizes, including the use of a fully furnished and serviced apartment at the luxurious Central Square Sandton, with fabulous interior décor by Vursa, and a Mercedes Benz C-Class Sedan for the year of her reign.   The two runners-up were Moratwe Masima, a qualified doctor from Midrand in Gauteng, and BCom Law degree student Zimi Mabunzi from eQonce (King William’s Town) Eastern Cape. Both received R175 000.   These Top 3 will represent South Africa at the world’s three most prestigious pageants – Miss World, Miss Universe and Miss Supranational. The person going to which competition will be revealed in coming days as the Miss South Africa Organisation decides which candidate would do the best at which pageant.   The new Miss South Afric

When Showmax announced they were making a telenovela inspired by Dudu Busani-Dube’s bestselling novel  Hlomu the Wife,  overjoyed fans immediately took to social media to offer their casting suggestions for the lead roles of Hlomu and Mqhele.   Now Showmax has confirmed that Mqhele will be played by Bonko Khoza, who burst onto the acting scene as Jabz in the multi-award-winning film  Necktie Youth  and has since appeared in the likes of  Professionals  and the Emmy-nominated  Roots .    “I read the book a couple of years ago and was a fan from the moment I put it down,” says Bonko. “Fast forward to 2021 when I got sent an audition for the series. I’m really excited to bring to life this incredible piece of writing. Dudu created a compelling work of art and now we get to breathe life into it, put faces to names and show it to the world.” Showmax has also confirmed the casting of  Mqhele’s family, the  Zulu brothers, with  Kwenzo Ngcobo ( Imbewu ) as Qhawe; Sipho Ndlovu ( Isibaya ,  The

All the allure of live is set to return to local fashion as relaxed lock-down levels allow Mall of Africa to stage South African Fashion Week Autumn/Winter Collections on the runway to a select VIP audience from 28 – 30 October 2021. The shows featuring 29 top designers, will then again be streamed from 4 November to a wider audience including international media, designer clients and local and global followers of fashion. The 2020 show broadcasts were viewed by over 73545 people worldwide and have therefore become a key new addition to the amplification of SA fashion marketing, says director Lucilla Booyzen. This will be followed by the SAFW Trade Show in the Crystal Court at the Mall of Africa with 40 designers of men’s and womenswear as well as accessories ranging from footwear and handbags to costume jewellery and millinery from 31 October - 1 November and the SAFW Pop Up Shop where fashion lovers will be able to interact and buy directly from all the participating designers from 3

  NELSON MAKAMO PRESENTS 'BLUE' Globally recognised & collected, acclaimed South African artist Nelson Makamo this past weekend opened his first independent solo US exhibition, presenting a latest body of work  BLUE. In plans since 2017, the exhibition has been put together independently, and brought together an all female group of dynamic and progressive Black professionals who helped curate this landmark show. Due to the diversity in the contemporary art landscape in inner city Los Angeles, Nelson and his team ultimately selected this location earlier this year to showcase his first US solo exhibition. Currently one of the world’s most sought-after visual artists of our generation, this well celebrated 39 year old South African artist has managed to solidify his iconic artistic signature, steadily placed him on a global stage. Nelson Makamo's artwork has resonated with a global audience over the past decade, with his work featured in various prestigious public and pri

South African Media Personality and business woman Bonang Matheba announces she has terminated her relationship/partnership with her previous management - and her legal team is currently investigating the possibility of criminal conduct by the company and its representatives In what got twitter on stand still #BonangStatementSpace Matheba says "Some very disturbing news! So, over the last few year's  I have been in business .. in a business relationship with a management group to represent my brand. I've put my trust in them and gave them stewardship over brand Bronang to build and support it across all mediums including entertainment, fashion and entrepreneurship. Today, I announce that I have terminated that contract with them and they no longer represent me or any of my business ventures. Furthermore, I have instructed my lawyer's to investigate the posibility of criminal conduct by the company and it's representatives. I will revert over the next few days with

The year may have been slowed down by lockdown levels adjustments and scaled-down live concerts, but the music did not stop. The Gospel music scene continued to praise and brought about new music, worship songs and hymns that have made it into the sought after recognition list of the Crown Gospel Music Awards. On the 11 th  October 2021, The 14 th  Annual Crown Gospel Music Awards unveiled the nominees for 2021 via Facebook live streaming hosted by Zanele Mbokazi-Nkambule, founder of World Gospel Powerhouse and Executive Producer for the Crown Gospel Music Awards. Following the impressive number of entries received this year, Takie Ndou bagged six nominations followed by Ayanda Ntanzi and Xolly Mncwango with five nominations each. The newcomer category saw a large volume of worthy contenders coming out on top to claim the crown for their offering.The consistently most popular category will definitely see fans delighted and on the edge of their seats anticipating a showdown to see which