QUMBU-BORN award-winning Maskandi music trio, Abafana Baku Qumbu, are appealing for public votes after being nominated for best IsiXhosa artistes at this year’s annual South African Traditional Music Awards (SATMAs).
Abafana Baku Qumbu, a group formed in 2019, won the song of the year award at the Eastern Cape Music Awards (ECMAs) last year.
“We feel honoured at being nominated in this year’s SATMAs, which are arguably the biggest music awards in the traditional music and art industry; hence we are appealing to the public to vote for us in their numbers, just as they did and got us the award at the ECMAs last year,” said group member, Mcebisi Baliwe, who is popularly known as Mdlungu in Maskandi music.
Baliwe formed the Abafa Baku Qumbu group, together with Asavela Mfundisi, otherwise known as Umgqakwe Ongenabani, and Cinga Goqa, who is known as Ihlwempu Elizithandayo.
They released their debut 13 track album, titled Ndiyanqonqoza, in November 2019.
Baliwe said they would be releasing their 15-track follow up album in November this year.
Meanwhile, Willowvale-born traditional music show radio host, Thembelani “Jikijwa” Sikilishe, is also appealing for public votes, as he has been nominated in the best community radio presenter category at this year’s SATMAs.
Jikijwa, who recently joined Kouga FM, as the host of their new traditional music show, called the Iyatsho Ingoma Maskandi Music Show, bagged his nomination for his time with Ngqushwa FM, where he had been hosting their traditional music show since 2017.
The multi award-winning Jikijwa already has best community radio DJ and best community radio programme award accolades he won at the Eastern Cape Music Awards in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
“My appeal is to the public to cast their votes for me in numbers so I can win the award. My dream is to one day work for one of the SABC radio stations so that I can remind the nation of our heritage and unite the nation through traditional music,” Jikijwa said.
He hoped it would be third time lucky for him this time as he previously made the cut as a finalist in the best community radio traditional music presenter in 2018 and 2019, without winning the award.
Votes can be cast for Abafana Baku Qumbu in the best IsiXhosa artiste category by texting SATMA242 to 49495 or SATMA124 to the same number to vote for Jikijwa in the best community radio traditional music presenter category at R1.50 per SMS.
Voting lines are currently open until November 27.
The South African Traditional Music Awards finals will take place in Mpumalanga on November 27.
