KwaZulu-Natal Acting Premier Sihle Zikalala and MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation Bongi Sithole-Moloi will today attend Amagugu Esizwe Gala Dinner at Alfred Duma Indoor Sports Centre, in Ladysmith. The dinner is in honour of the founder of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Dr Joseph Shabalala.
Zikalala remarked: “This evening we will pay homage to one of the country’s cultural giants, Dr Joseph Shabalala who embodies all what Isicathamiya as one of the nation’s music genres is all about. This is a music type which is proudly South African that had seen Dr Shabalala and his group catapulting it into the greatest heights of the cappella music performances.”
“It is a common course that heroes and heroines do receive recognition when they had departed this world. We are grateful that this is not the case with Dr Shabalala and Ladysmith Black Mambazo who have become the country’s prominent cultural exports the country and the continent had ever produced.”
“It should be noted that Dr Shabalala, the Ladysmith Black Mambazo and other musicians composed and performed during the apartheid era. They gave us hope during the most difficult period in our history when the majority of our people were oppressed by the most brutal system.”
“Over the past 57 years, Ladysmith Black Mambazo has won four Grammy Awards and nominated 15 times. Critically, as the inheritors of a great legacy, our task now is to ensure that this legacy is protected, nurtured and passed on to generations to come.”
Media is invited to attend events scheduled as follows:
Date: 31 March 2017
Venue: Alfred Duma Indoor Sports Centre
Time: 17h00
Media to note the event of the renaming of Klipriver to Dr Joseph Shabalala Secondary School scheduled for the 1st April 2017 at 14h00. The unveiling of plague will also be attended by Acting Premier, MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation, MEC for Education Mthandeni Dlungwane.
Please RSVP to MbalaneN@kzndac.gov.za or Regi Khumalo on 079 7516108
Enquiries:
Ndabezinhle Sibiya
Cell: 082 375 4742
Lethukuthula Mtshali
Cell: 081 037 8321
