New South African Awards honours the Legacy of Extraordinary Citizens
Johannesburg: A diverse spread of South Africans will be honoured at the upcoming Siyabakhumbula Tribute Awards to be held at the Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, on June 4th.
Minister of Arts and Culture, Mr Paul Mashatile, will deliver the keynote address at the event which is intended to posthumously honour a number of extraordinary South Africans who changed the landscape of the country.
Among those being singled out at this year’s Siyabakhumbula Tribute Awards are Dr Allan Paton, novelist and author of Cry, The Beloved Country; Moffat Zungu, a photographer whose works shaped the way the world perceived South Africa; Hansie Cronje, South Africa’s famed cricket legend and Dr T W Khambule, a gifted mathematician.
The Siyabakhumbula Tribute Awards are received by family members of the honorees and cover many different areas of South African life including journalism, the arts, sports, administration and education, amongst others.
Now in their second year, the awards were conceived after Vhutsila Arts Ensemble’s Mzwakhe Mbuli saw a need to pay homage to those South Africans who have played an important role in creating and building a democratic South Africa. Both prominent and ordinary citizens are honoured in these posthumous awards. “Too often, people forget what they should remember, but remember what they should forget,” says Mbuli.
The Siyabakhumbula Awards are also being used to highlight the challenges faced by South Africa’s physically disabled citizens. Presenters, performers, and honourees will demonstrate the fact that disabled individuals have as much a role to play in South Africa’s society as the able-bodied.
In order to maintain the level of integrity that the Siyabakhumbula Awards earned in the first year (2010), the awards are built around a consultative process with all the family members in terms of gathering facts and historical documents such as photographs, which also play a descriptive role in the ceremony.
The 2011 Siyabakhumbula Awards honourees include:
· Solomon “Sticks” Morewa – SA soccer administrator
· Dr. Allan Paton – Novelist, author of Cry, The Beloved Country
· Henry “Black Cat” Cele – Acclaimed actor, of Shaka Zulu fame
· Zodwa Mshibe – Journalist
· Jacob Morake – Former boxing champion
· Dr David Webster – Anthropologist
· Cyril “Kansas City” Mchunu – Popular radio and television presenter
· Paul Ndlovu – Tsonga disco king
· Matthews “Loop en val” Motshwarateu – Gold medal winning long distance runner
· Mad Joe Sennakgomo – Tap dancer
· Sam Williams – Film and television personality
· Zakes Nkosi – Saxophonist
· Ndaba Mhlongo – Comedian
· Elliot Makhaya – Entertainment journalist and editor
· Scarra Sono – Soccer maestro and father of Jomo Sono
· Theo Mthembu – Boxing trainer
· Alfred Nokwe – Veteran actor, father of Tu and Marilyn Nokwe
For more information on the 2011 Siyabakhumbula Awards, contact Mzwakhe Mbuli on 0827044325
