TSHOLOTSHO-BORN maskandi artiste Mxolisi Mavundla is on the verge of making history after he was nominated in the South African Volunteer Awards (Sava) 2014 best newcomer maskandi category.
SAKHILE MOYO OWN CORRESPONDENT
The awards are meant to reward individuals, government departments and institutions who have selflessly contributed to community development.
Zululand FM organises the awards and winners will be announced on December 20 in KwaZulu-Natal. Nonhlanhla Ngcobo, the organiser of the awards ceremony, confirmed that Mavundla, popularly known as Zinjaziyamluma, had been nominated.
“Zinjaziyamluma was nominated and a lot of people are voting for him. It looks like they love him,” she said.
“People are the ones who choose their artiste and we count the votes for the winner.”
Zinjaziyamluma has played in various places in KwaZulu-Natal, the home of maskandi music, with various South African artistes. He has played with artistes like the late Sebedlile Ntshangase and Bonakele.
His songs are popular in KwaZulu-Natal television stations, uKhozi FM, Soweto Television and Tshwane Television, among others. He said he was overjoyed by the nomination.
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“This nomination means a lot to me because it is my first time to get it as a solo artiste,” he told Southern Eye Lifestyle.
“This nomination will encourage me to work hard on my music and reward my fans who nominated me.”
He said he was getting many invitations to perform at various places, an indication that his music was gaining popularity.
In August he performed at the Heroes’ Day gala in Plumtree.
Some of the nominees in his Sava category are Sama winners Thokozani Langa, Bonakele, Mtshengiseni Gcwensa and councillors, headmasters as well as presenters for stations such as uKhozi FM and Metro FM.
Zinjaziyamluma has two albums — KoBandayo (2013) and Itraffic (2014).
His nomination came after another South Africa-based group Imbizo Messengers were nominated for the best iscathamiya in the South African Traditional Merit Awards (Satma).
Imbizo Messengers lead vocalist Phuthumani Cele was ectastic about the nomination.
“This nomination is a testimony for the good work we have been doing for all the years,” he said.
“This will motivate us to work harder. Even if we do not get the award, the nomination more so in a foreign land is a victory for us.”
Imbizo Messengers’song Come Along Thandiwe is often used as a signature tune for traditional music programmes on ZBCtv.
The group was formed 1991 in Filabusi, and they moved to South Africa in n 2000.
They have performed in Spain, Czech Republic, Italy, Austria, Germany and United States.
