Durban - South Africa’s Grammy award-winner Zakhele “Zakes Bantwini” Madida, has called on the eThekwini Municipality to increase its budget for Durban’s artists to allow for more opportunities.
Bantwini, 42, was speaking at his home welcoming hosted by the Durban Creative Industry and the City of Durban, at the King Shaka International Airport on Wednesday.
According to Zakes, artists play a pivotal role in the promotion of the city as the ultimate destination, and that the absence of funds made it difficult to promote the eThekwini while also making an income.
“The city is doing better, compared to other municipalities, however they could do better. We are at the space where Durban could be leading when it comes to Arts and Culture and I think in this particular country, people must think ‘Durban’ if they wish to be entertained.
“I think Durban has the potential to become the go-to city when it comes to the arts and I think that the municipality might have overlooked that and tried to compare themselves to other cities but I think there is just a low-hanging fruit which is the arts, and I think if Durban could really just make sure that the art and entertainment industry is in Durban, then tourism and businesses would be sorted. It would be a positive ripple effect,” he said.
Zakes who hails from the KwaMashu township has been the toast of the town since scooping the accolade in the ‘Best Global Music Performance’ category at the 65th Grammy awards held in Los Angeles. The triumph was for the hit single ‘Bayethe’, alongside Nomcebo Zikode and Wouter Kellerman.
He said that being on an international stage and sharing the platform with major international artists felt surreal to him.
“It was a great feeling being there and it made me realise that I am also a big name. If we have not yet recognised our potential as South Africans, then it is long overdue. We are also international artists who are well respected. They recognise that we have got what it takes,” he said.
The multi-platinum selling record producer and singer sent shock waves across the entertainment fraternity last year when he announced that he would be releasing his last offering titled ‘Abantu’, and planned to step away from the music scene as a recording artist to focus his energy on other aspects of his life, including his studies, and business venture, ‘Studio’ a company Lounge venue at The Rockefeller in Cape Town.
Zakes has been entertaining fans for 15 years. He has also released four albums, including ‘Ghetto King’ and Love, Light & Music 2’, and enjoyed international success with his record-breaking single Osama featuring Kasango. Bantwini also had music heads jamming to ‘Imali’, which came after Osama.
The Durban University of Technology alumnus studied jazz in the former Music Department at DUT’s City campus.
He urged upcoming artists to dedicate themselves to their craft.
“You have got to dream so big that people laugh at you. You have to be able to do that. Since you do not have capital, the only thing that you have is your mind and what you can think of. Once you think of something that you want, you will find people that will take you there,” he said.
Sharing their secret to success, Zake’s manager, Sbonga Mhlungu encouraged upcoming artists to prioritise their education and work hard as it would allow them to access more opportunities in the entertainment scene.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE