Tibuya Emasisweni 2013/2014 Issue No.2 Roaring Success Theatre Lions of eMbalenhle are in seventh heaven after winning a theatre and drama festival. The festival uses arts and culture to address issues of skills development. Read more onMpumalanga’s the group’s rise gotto the talent: top on Exhibit page 4. A Musa “The Voice” Sukwene proves that Mpumalanga is fast becoming a major player in the South African entertainment industry by winning Season 9 of SA Idols. Read more on Page 6. Editorial 3 Mpumalanga DCSR is the best in SA 4 Mpumalanga aims to produce champions 5 Musa wins Idols crown, hearts 6 Gogo Qwelane still teaching at 92 8 Seven young writers identified in competition 9 Gathisa moves from Employee to Employer 12 Cricket Champs are developed in Malekutu 13 Holy Word now available in isiNdebele 15 President Machel remembered 16 Mpumalanga Athelete wins Bursary 17 Sibanyoni is an Intonga poster girl 19 e welcome our readers to the New Year with another edition of Tibuya WEmasisweni. 2014 promises to be an exciting year and we are indeed looking forward to continue serving our people with renewed vigour and dedication. As South Africans, we Mthobisi Nhlapho have reasons to be proud as we are celebrating Tel: (013) 766 5009 20 years of democracy in our country. We owe Fax: (013) 766 8253 it to Tata Nelson Mandela to make sure that our Email:[email protected] country continues to become the envy of other countries and we take this opportunity as the Nokuthula Mabena Tel: (013) 766 5168 editorial team of the magazine to thank Madiba Fax: (013) 766 8253 for gallantly fighting for freedom in our country. Email:[email protected] We must go all out and register to vote in the coming elections so that we can participate in democratic processes of our country. In this edition, we report back and share successes that we have recorded in implementing our mandate. We are a hard working department and this is shown by the fact that South Africans voted for us as the best Arts and Culture Department in the country at the South African Traditional Music Achievement Awards and our own Musa was voted as the Idol for 2013.We urge all our readers to engage with us on issues of service delivery so that we can improve our performance. We value every input and our contacts are available in this newsletter. Mpumalanga DCSR is the best in South Africa pumalanga reigned supreme at would not have been possible without them. the 2013 South African Traditional During the awards ceremony, the sounds of M Music Achievement Awards (SATMA) Vusi Nova, Mfiliseni Magubane and Pitch after the Department of Culture, Sport and Black Afro got MEC Manana and her delegation Recreation (DCSR) was voted as the best Arts dancing the night away. Even the Premier of and Culture department in the country. the Eastern Cape, Honourable Noxolo Kiviet In its 8th year, the SATMA were held in the was not immune to the infectious sounds and windy city of East London in Eastern Cape. cringe-worthy gags served by comedians and artists alike. Mpumalanga continued its reign in other categories of the awards which were hosted by Mpumalanga’s own Kedibone Mkhabela and Lunga Tshabalala from KZN. The other winners from our province were: • Make Shelangubo for Best IsiSwati Album • Saaiplaas Boys for Best IsiNdebele Album Make Shelangubo and her Band Member after winning an award. • IKwekwezi FM for Best Traditional Music Programme Tensions mounted on the first leg of the two- day event as DCSR was among the nominees • Nothembi Mkhwebane for Best in the category for Best Department of Traditional Outfit for the night Arts and Culture and went head-to-head against Gauteng, Western Cape, Northern Cape and North West. As a result of the countless votes from the people of Mpumalanga and various parts of Mzansi, the Department took home this coveted award. Two of Mpumalanga’s Golden gems, Ray Phiri and Nothembi Mkhwebane got everyone on their feet and proved to all that they are still Mzansi’s best after all these years. It was a journey well travelled as Mpumalanga DCSR and its artists came out victorious. Now the race is on to host the SATMA in the province that oozes talent which the world deserves to see. This is surely a historical feat as it was the Department’s first SATMA nomination which MEC Sibongile Manana and DCSR officials receiving the SATMA MEC Manana and her delegation victoriously brought home. The MEC went on to thank the people of Mpumalanga for their awe- The MEC went on to thank the inspiring support thus acknowledging that it people of Mpumalanga for their awe-inspiring support 4 Mpumalanga aims to produce champions ho do you go to when you want to examine the state of boxing in WMpumalanga and South Africa? The answer is simple. You have to look no further than Mr Paul Tshehla, who is regarded as an oracle of boxing in the country. Tshehla has a photographic memory of boxing events of the last 47 years and has an eye of sporting talent from a mile. It was only logical that Tibuya Emasisweni spoke to him about the current state of the sport and the Mpumalanga Boxing Indaba. “I am happy the way the Boxing Indaba went,” he told the magazine. According to him, the gathering was a great way to start the revival of the sport. He is one of the people who believe the only way to solve a problem is to acknowledge there is a MEC Sibongile Manana, Mr Lawrence Ngobeni and Mr Paul Tshehla. problem. “Minister Fikile Mbalula encouraged communication between Boxing South Africa and This is a far cry from the days when the province its stakeholders, which is what is needed,” he said. was teeming with boxing talent in hotbed areas of Mhluzi, eMalahleni, Secunda, Ogies The Boxing Indaba came about after Sport and and Siyabuswa. The province once boasted Recreation and Boxing South Africa agreed the first professional woman timekeeper in on a strategy to return the sport in the country Thandie Nxonono and the first professional to its former glory. It is disheartening to female judge in Africa in Lizie Thela. note that boxing was once the second most popular sport in the country behind football. What could be done to turn things around? “We Since then it has dropped off the radar and must invest in development,” answered Tshehla, disappeared from TV sets. This is what moved who has trained arguably the best pound for pound authorities to act and try to save the sport. boxer in the country, Mr Lawrence Ngobeni, the former Junior Welterweight Champion. Ngobeni The process started to unfold at provincial level is one of three champions he has trained including where provinces were asked to come up with his son, Anton, who was the junior featherweight inputs to the national indaba, which was held at champion and Tshepo Mashigo who was Junior the end of September last year. Mpumalanga held Middleweight Champion. its indaba in the same month in eMalahleni. It was here that luminaries of the sport such as Tshehla Tshehla, who has been involved in boxing discussed Regulatory Framework for Boxing; since 1966, is changing things around one Marketing and Promotions; the Development of tournament at a time. He has teamed up with Boxing in the Province and Scientific, medical Culture, Sport and Recreation to host amateur aspects and capacity development. tournaments around the province. “Without fail, we have hosted a tournament every month,” Besides these topics, the indaba had to answer he said. He described them as a launch pad the following questions: Why there is no licensed for the next big star. Nobody is more qualified boxer and only one licensed promoter in Thinus to talk about unearthing talent than the man Strydom in the province? Other worrying statistics who has produced three national champions. are that the province has only 15 male open boxers and only one female open boxer; five boxing clubs; “Through these tournaments, we will produce a 10 coaches; five ringside officials and six boxing national champion,” concluded Tshehla. administrators. 5 Musa wins Idols crown, hearts ubbed the best season in the history of the Every week Musa and Brenden impressed the competition, South African Idols season judges and viewers and garnered more fans Dnine exhibited majestic musical talent. through their stellar performances of “Via Orlando” Young hopefuls from all over the country and “Nice and Slow” with both getting a thumbs came out in droves in the hope of following up from Mr hard-to-please-Randall. Their duet of in the footsteps of last season’s winner, R Kelly and Usher’s “Same Girl” further cemented Khaya Mthethwa from KwaZulu Natal. their Idol status as it displayed their vast talent. Nicknamed “The Voice”, Musa Sukwene made history when he became the first contestant ever from Mpumalanga to win the competition. Having previously said that music is his medicine, Musa went on to mend many broken hearts with his beyond perfect renditions of some adored classics. Musa went on to put his fans in a trance when he performed during his Homecoming ceremony held in his hometown, eMalahleni. With the DCSR and eMalahleni municipality on tow, a convoy ushered Sukwene from his home, through KwaGuqa township where he brought Musa singing the song “Via Orlando” at the Idols contest one young lady to tears after seeing him in the flesh. After showing the Idols team and viewers Softail Lounge where it all started, Sukwene took Thousands stood before Gareth Cliff, Unathi the crowd at Highveld Mall down memory lane Msengwana and Randall Abrahams hoping to when he performed the classics.