10 Questions with Silethemba Magonya

By Nqobile Mafu


Meet Silethemba Magonya a singer and dancer from Zimbabwe , who has over a decade of experience in performing arts industry.From 2002-2009 she has travel around the world with the renowned award-winning group called IYASA. Later in 2006 till now she toured with Mother Africa as a singer and dancer.

1. Ngiyesabanews: Please can you tell me a bit about yourself/background

Silethemba: Well, l'm currently a female vocalist at CirqueAfrica, where l do all the backing and lead vocals with a live band .Before that , l have worked at CirquePhenix's in Paris , CirqueAfrica in Australia and Circus Mother Africa in Germany .l really love and enjoy the work that l do .

2. Ngiyesabanews: How did you get into the performing arts?
Silethemba: I guess there's always been a passion for "arts" from my tender age at my primary level I  have been a member of junior choir and I started  my dancing skills when I was  7 years old.My professional work experiences with IYASA nurtured me into the industry leading to my current job and projects.

3. Ngiyesabanews: What were auditions like for your Mother Africa Circus project?
Silethemba: honestly I didn't have so much pressure because we auditioned as a group but only 3 individuals were chosen and I was one of the elected,so really it was not a big deal but ,surprise surprise I was in .

4. Ngiyesabanews: How much do you practice when you get a new part or a new piece to perform?
Silethemba: I'm not a perfectionist but I work my craft out till  I'm satisfied. Thanks God I work with vibrant talented musicians and acrobatics .We sweat it all out ...

5. Ngiyesabanews: How do you handle mistakes during a performance?
Silethemba: Unfortunately mistakes are part of life and sometimes the audiences don't get to know or see .although ,I always try to act as natural as possible I don't let mistakes take away my moments .At the end of the day I know my audience is on my side they want me to succeed and will forgive any error. So I just focus on their smiling warm faces and remember they 're out to enjoy.

6. Ngiyesabanews: What are three things that you look forward to before getting on stage?

Silethemba:  1. Sharing my energy with the audience by involving them in the performance

                     2. Warm welcoming faces 

                     3. Great show, every audience is new and different everyday so its paramount to give the best.

7. Ngiyesabanews: What have you gained from performing
Silethemba:Freedom of expression , being on stage gives me the liberty to share what is within through music .

8. Ngiyesabanews: How do you balance your artistic career with other obligations, such as socialising with friends and family?
Silethemba: Its hard cause am always on the road traveling around the world but , like in any other career there's always working hours , day offs and leaves .Time with family is of top priority to me,when am not at work I spend most of my time with my daughter....priceless moments .

9. Ngiyesabanews: Is there something you would like to do more in the future?

Silethemba:Yes, absolutely ,an Activist for a "Girl" child's rights .So many times a lot of females in the industry get abused in so many ways and the abusers always get away with it .We need a voice to speak up a voice for the rights and a voice for change.

10. Ngiyesabanews: What advice do you have for young upcoming artist.?
Silethemba: Run your own race at your own pace , don' t be pressured by people or social media .Nobody holds a manual or control buttons for your life . Be you and be the best version of yourself.

President Enmerson Mnangagwa survived an assassination during his rally in Bulawayo

Footage from the blast at White City Stadium appears to show Mr Mnangagwa leaving the stage after addressing supporters when a device went off.

He was not hurt, his spokesman said. But senior officials are among those injured, Zimbabwe media say.

President Mnangagwa came into power last November, ousting his former mentor Robert Mugabe.

"President Mnangagwa has not been injured and is at Bulawayo State House," presidential spokesman George Charamba was quoted as saying,

"Investigations are under way and more details will be given to the public."

ROILBAA DONE, THANK YOU BULAWAYO FOR THE SUPPORT

By Raisedon Baya

Now that the RoilBAAs are done it’s time to look forward to the next project. However, a little bit of reflection and thanks giving is necessary. The RoilBAAs proved once again that faith can move mountains. The journey to this year’s awards was a charmed one. It was more of a miracle than anything. Everyday felt like walking on water. 

First, we started on zero and had a crazy budget of over $50 000. When we announced the budget some “social media experts” laughed and called us crazy. We were told we were being overly ambitious. The good part is the awards has a team of believers and hustlers – the six of us ran in our different directions, pitching, hunting, begging, negotiating all in an effort make the awards happen the way we wanted. 

Our idea from the beginning was that we should try as much as possible to let Bulawayo support the awards from all directions and across the board. We believe that the wider the base of support the more sustainable the awards will be. So there we were, in people’s faces, in their emails, inboxes, DMs, all trying to raise the $50 000 needed to make the awards bigger and better than the inaugural edition. 

In our current economy fundraising is one of the most difficult things to do. But someone has to do it. Knock on people’s doors, email, DMs, inbox, meetings. Anything and everything. Three months to the awards and we had raised less than a tenth of the budget. We were looking failure in the eyes and very scared. You can imagine the nights and even the mornings – they were unbearably uncomfortable. I know as individuals there were moments we all considered the prospect of calling off the awards. 

But we believed. We believed and continued to push until Busisa Moyo and his United Refineries Limited jumped on board and announced they were taking the title sponsorship under their Roil brand. With United Refineries’ announcement we all breathed easily, slept peacefully as we were now certain the 2018 awards would take place. The beauty of the United Refineries deal was that it was genuine and had no unreasonable strings attached. From the onset United Refineries understood it was an arts event meant to celebrate local talent and arts achievers. All they said was we hope to push our products too while celebrating Bulawayo arts. And that arrangement worked well for both parties. 

 
 


The coming in of United Refineries gave the awards committee a serious boost. It put hairs on our chest, and our walk changed. Other corporates heard what we were about and expressed interest. They jumped on board. The likes of Netone, Fortwell, ZOL, PROTON BREAD,CITE, Sunday News, BoomCity, ZITF, Longrich, ZBCtv and many others. Never in the history of arts in Bulawayo have so many corporates been interested in an arts event. So we take this time to thank all the corporates that jumped on board and made the awards a success. Thank you for the belief, for the trust and for supporting Bulawayo. Thank you to individuals like Nodumo Nyathi, Vusa Mkaya, and others that supported in cash and kind. 
On behalf of the committee thank you to artists. All artists with a connection to Bulawayo. Thank you to all who believed from the beginning, and even those who didn’t. Thank you to all artists who submitted works for nomination. Thank you to all nominees. Thank you for your patience and for dressing up for the event. Your hard work made the running all over the city worth it. Thank you to the winners too. Keep Bulawayo’s flag high. 
Thank you to Bulawayo residents. You heard the call and responded. You came, paid and dressed up. You made the event what it was. A resounding success. There is always talk that Bulawayo rarely supports her own but you proved otherwise. You came in full force. Thank you to the media, to all social media activists who screamed RoilBAA everyday. 2018 is done. Let’s do it again, on a bigger scale, in 2019.

10 Questions with Nkululeko Dube, The-So Called Mafia

By Nqobile Mafu

Comedian Carl Joshua Ncube abruptly brought the Bulawayo arts scene down from the high of hosting the recently held Bulawayo Arts Awards when he suggested that there was a clique of arts practitioners that were holding the city’s arts scene to ransom. Ncube, speaking in a Facebook discussion interview with Iyasa founder Nkululeko Dube, said that there were eight people that acted as if they were mafia dons, creating the impression that the Bulawayo arts scene was their private playground. Ngiyesbanews interviewed Nkululeko Dube who's currently on tour in Europe.

1. Ngiyesabanews: Pliz can yu tell me a bit about yourself and your background?
Dube: I am the director and founder of Inkululeko Yabatsha School of Arts ( IYASA). I hail from Plumtree and started arts at a tender schooling age at Mzingwane High School and through my university and college education. I am greatly inspired by South African arts guru Mbongeni Ngema of the Sarafina fame. I am a father to, 2 lovely boys Mbongeni Dube and Vuyolethu Dube.

2. Ngiyesabanews: I understand you where in Mpopoma High before you became the Director of Iyasa;can you describe a real-life situation that inspired you?
Dube: Well my involvement in the arts was a process rather than instant. I worked a lot at school with colleagues like Babongile Skhonjwa ( Skyzz Metro). I would also say Mbongeni Ngema had a huge influence in my life. I was also mentored by a lot of insipirational people like Cont Mhlanga, Albert Nyathi, Sihlangu Dlodlo, Nomadlozi Kubheka, Styxx Mhlanga among others. Working with the Mpopoma High School drama club that took the country by storm further catapulted my vision. I know a lot of people refer to the political controversy l got stuck in as a part of it but that was just a hiccup that propelled me from a comfort zone into the wilderness. It was the time l decided to go professional.

3. Ngiyesabanews: Explain what you do in 50 words?
Dube: l mentor young artists in music, dance, Theatre, poetry and various other genres. I then provide and find platforms for them to showcase their talents locally and internationally. I nurture unknown fresh and upcoming talent hence the reference to being a school of arts. I also work with schools in developing arts.I train and guide young artists in their journey into becoming ultimately big. For examples Sandra Ndebele, Futurelove Sibanda, Nkwali, DJ Prince, Silethemba and Pepsi Magonya, Tsungai Tsikirai, Michelle Msopero and many more are there to validate our efforts.


4. Ngiyesabanews: As a family man since you are always on tour,how do yo accommodate your family time?
Dube: I spend half of the year at home and half of the year abroad. My partner she's an administrator in the arts so we spend a lot of time together, sometimes they travel with me.

5. Ngiyesabanews: kkkkkkk, Dube baba, can you tell me, about the Mafia Saga as you are on the top of the list?

Dube: Hahahaha! So the list is out? And I am top of it? That is news to me. What l have seen is speculation in various platforms including the press and yes my name has been mentioned. Well, we live in a democratic era . If you ask me the mafia is a product of fertile imagination. To me the names thrown around are names of people that are doing good things in the name of arts and for the city. We should celebrate them. Yes I work with all of them. It is strange that when we all worked divided and in our corners people said it was the reason for our lack of progress. Now we bring our efforts together, create synergies, again we are accused of being in the mafia. I focus on what l do. I have no time to stop others from progressing their dreams. My conscience is clear on that one. Surely l can not dismiss those that a complaining totally. Yes maybe someone, somewhere has used dirty tactics against their efforts; but to say there is an organized mafia designed to do that in the city is a total exaggeration. After all half of the year l am out of the country. If claim is l am part of a mafia,I can safely tell you that is a figmentation of reality because l have never been in any meeting or any plan plotting the downfall of anybody. That defeats my purpose in the arts which is to promote upcoming talent.

6. Ngiyesabanews: Before you where the big five, now the number has escalated to eight,the empire is growing and now you are labelled as the Mafia, tell me more about this Mafia Saga?
Dube: Is it not strange that the same people who were named the Big five are again named the mafia. I am not the best person to explain what this is all about but Carl Joshua Ncube the comedian made the suggestion in an interview l had with him on a social media platform. Honestly to me it shows that l am relevant to the arts scene. I would worry if l had any sinister intentions. I help a lot of young artists and to me if they are content all these claims are baseless and won’t deter me. l help, mentor and sponsor. That is not the essence of why l help them.

7. Ngiyesabanews: Is it possible to give me the list kkkk?

Dube: Unfortunately l am not the source and neither do l believe in it.

8. Ngiyesabanews: What has been your biggest challenge as an artist?
Dube: I could write a book on this. I have challenges everyday. We operate in a not so ideal arts sector compared to other developed countries. That means we need to treble our efforts to be seen, to be valued. Many of my challenges are born from that. Resources. Policies that are almost non existent. Above all working with young people is a challenge on its own.

9. Ngiyesabanews: How do you feel about the internet in the arts business?
Dube: The internet has brought the world to our doorsteps. It is easier to connect to sell to be relevant but again only if we put it to good use. Most of us spend time using it as a battlefield rather than a platform for business.

10. Ngiyesabanews: What changes would you like to see to the arts industry and what advice do you have for young upcoming artist?
Dube: We live in an era where Talent is no longer adequate to make it to the top. I would love to see young artists develop themselves and not only rely on Talent. I also hope our country can come up with policies that make Zimbabwe a fertile nation for the growth of the arts as a business. Zimbabwe has not reached its potential



For More Info about Iyasa visit their website:
http://www.iyasa.net/index.php?id=home
https://m.facebook.com/Inkululekoyabatsha/?locale2=en_GB&soft=bookmarks

Those who want to be interviewed and future in our column you can contact us on our email: mmep@hotmail.co.uk or Whatsapp 00447410847876

10 Questions with BAA, Winner Matesu Dube

By Nqobile Mafu

It's almost a week since the awards took place at Bulawayo Large City Hall, tears and joy still buzzing in Bulawayo especial in Njube suburb where Ngiyesbanews came across with an award winner. Matesu was so delighted to be awarded the Outstanding Theatre Director at the 2018 Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards on the 26th of May for the play Ihloka, written by Thabani Moyo. The play Ihloka also got the Outstanding Theatre Production award and also the Outstanding Actor went to Ishmael Muvingi.

(1.) Ngiyesabanews: Pliz can yu tell us a bit about yourself/background?
Mate: My name is Matesu Dube, born and bred in the city of Bulawayo. I am an award theatre arts director.

(2.) Ngiyesabanews: What’s the name and the meaning of your group?
Mate: Umkhathi Theatre Works is the name of my group. Umkhathi means weather in Ndebele language. As a performing arts ensemble we perform different art forms that range from traditional dance, theatre to music that’s why the name Umkhathi comes from.

(3.) Ngiyesabanews: When did your group was formed?
Mate: Umkhathi was formed in 1997 by a group of people that included myself, John Phiri, Mthandazo Sithole (late), Alexander Mhlanga, Richard Mahachi, Maqawe Moyo and Tsoka Ndlovu.

(4.) Ngiyesabanews: Tell us about your achievement in BAA awards?
Mate:Well it was nice for us to scoop 3 awards in the Theatre category at the Roil BAA on the 26th May 2018. I got the Outstanding Theatre Director award, Ishmael Muvingi got the Outstanding Actor award and our production, Ihloka got the Outstanding Theatre Production award.

(5.) Ngiyesabanews: What did you like the most about BAA awards?
Mate: The awards are well organized and I think they are currently the best event in Bulawayo and Zimbabwe as a whole.

(6.) Ngiyesabanews: is it possible to name three artists you’d like to be compared to?
Mate: Well I am my own, god created us in a unique way, so I would like to be compared to anyone else though I admire other people's works.

(7.) Ngiyesabanews: What has been your biggest challenge as an artist?
Mate:My biggest challenge has been to look for funding, for productions that I would like to do. Funding for costumes, stage set, lighting and other things to produce a show that I want; in a professional way.

(8.) Ngiyesabanews: How do you feel about the internet in the arts business?
Mate: The internet is good, it makes us market our works and connect with people in different parts of the world.

(9.) Ngiyesabanews: What changes would you like to see to the arts industry, that will allow you to make a living from your projects?
Mate:The government must remove tax and duty for imports of art equipment. Funding should be availed in the country. The government and corporate sector must work with artists in their projects.

(10.) Ngiyesabanews: What advice do you have for young upcoming artist?
Mate: Love the art in you not yourself in the arts. Learn from the people who are already in the game. Also I would to thank the writer,of Ihloka, Thabani Moyo for believing in me and Umkhathi Theatre Works. To the cast of the play Ihloka, I say congratulations you made us proud. I love you all guys.


Those who want to be interviewed and future in our column you can contact us on our email: mmep@hotmail.co.uk or Whatsapp 00447410847876