Category: Celebrity

Johannesburg, 8 August 2024 | Penquin, a leading brand and communication agency in South Africa, is proud to announce the launch of the #MyVoiceIsBeautiful campaign, a significant CSI initiative to raise funds and awareness for the TEARS Foundation. This campaign aims to empower women and break the cycle of silence surrounding domestic violence and sexual abuse.

Moonchild Sanelly, known for her vibrant personality and fearless voice, is a dynamic advocate for survivors and the leading figure in this impactful campaign. With her energetic presence and unwavering commitment, she hopes to inspire and empower survivors to reach out for support and share their personal experiences. By doing so, she aims to break the silence surrounding domestic abuse and encourage a sense of community and solidarity.

Moonchild Sanelly hopes that her involvement in this campaign will not only raise awareness but also encourage survivors to seek the help they need and deserve. As a survivor of abuse herself, Moonchild is determined to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected, fostering a supportive environment where every voice is heard and valued.

In the last year 67,358 women in South Africa were reported as victims of domestic violence. In the hands of abusers, the concept of family privacy can be a powerful tool, shielding abusers from accountability and rendering survivors voiceless.   By speaking out against domestic abuse, and providing somewhere for survivors to talk anonymously, the Tears foundation helps to give a voice back to victims.  In today’s world, the need for women’s voicers to be heard has never been more important.

The #MyVoiceIsBeautiful will encourage survivors of abuse to share their stories whilst protecting their identity, and will feature powerful narratives that highlight the resilience of survivors.  Messaging will be shared across multiple media platforms with impactful visual materials, social media graphics, posters, and digital ads.  Penquin will produce videos and voice notes featuring Moonchild Sanelly, urging individuals to share their experiences anonymously. These vocal contributions will be anonymised with AI, and integrated into a collective song composed by Moonchild, celebrating unity and resilience. This song will be released and proceeds from the song will go to the TEARS Foundation.

Additionally, Penquin will develop radio and online advertisements with powerful messages to inspire survivors to share their stories and seek support.

“We wanted to get involved in such an incredible campaign because we believe in the power of voices to drive change. The #MyVoiceIsBeautiful campaign aligns perfectly with our values at Penquin, and we are committed to supporting the TEARS Foundation in their mission to provide a safe and supportive network for survivors,” said Veronica Moleele, CEO of Penquin.

The TEARS Foundation was founded by Mara Glennie, a survivor of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), involving grievous bodily harm.  After recovering, Mara established the foundation to provide support for victims of rape and abuse, enabling them to find the assistance, comfort, and compassion they need.  The foundation provides crisis intervention, advocacy, counselling, and prevention education services for those impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, and child sexual abuse. All services provided by the TEARS Foundation are confidential and offered at no charge.

“I am incredibly proud of the #MyVoiceIsBeautiful campaign and immensely thankful to Penquin for their support and funding. Their commitment to this cause shows that they truly understand the importance of breaking the silence and empowering survivors to find their voices,” said Mara Glennie, Founder and Director of the TEARS Foundation.

The #MyVoiceIsBeautiful campaign invites everyone to join the cause by sharing their voices and helping to provide access to crisis intervention, advocacy, and counselling for those who need it. To donate to this incredible initiative, visit www.tears.co.za/myvoiceisbeautiful. Together, we can create a world where survivors are heard and supported.

If you or someone you know has been sexually abused or assaulted, dial 08000 TEARS (0800 083 277) or the free 24-hour USSD helpline on *134*7355# for immediate help.

HOUSE OF BNG OFFICIAL SPONSOR FOR MISS SA

Leading South African born media personality and style icon, Bonang Matheba returns to the the Miss South Africa pageant stage this Sunday as it’s official host.

Her House of BNG Cap Classique is also the official Miss South Africa celebration sponsor.

Having a long association with Miss South Africa over the past decade, Bonang Matheba first hosted the pageant for its 60^thanniversary in 2018 then returned in 2019 when Zozibini Tunzi took the title and was later crowned Miss Universe. The pageant welcomes back Matheba, or Queen B as she is affectionately known as a host and sponsor.
 
This year international renowned media personality Matheba has played an even bigger role, having been on the journey with the finalists as a judge on the Miss South Africa television series Crown Chasers, which was broadcast for five weeks on SABC 3.
 
Matheba says she is delighted to be hosting the show once again and stated the following:
 
“The Miss South Africa pageant is one of the biggest television productions in the country, so I am very excited to be hosting the show for a third time this year. It is an institution in this country. I remember gathering around the TV when I was growing up and watching flawless African women like Basetsana Kumalo and Peggy Sue Khumalo being crowned at Miss South Africa.
 
From a young girl cheering on her favourites in front of a TV to becoming a judge, the pageant host and now even one of the official sponsors of this event is an absolute honour. I love that I can showcase my talent even more this year and be an intricate part of the show in it’s entirety.”
 
The fact that is airing on the SABC this year means that it is accessible to all South Africans, and that’s very special to me. I started my career on SABC years ago, so this is really iconic to be hosting the one of the biggest tv productions in the country, on the nation’s biggest broadcaster, giving everyone access to watch and experience it”
 
 
Bonang Matheba, who owns the luxury beverage brand House of BNG, was the first black woman to become a member of the Cap Classique Producers Association. Of course, the lucky woman who is crowned Miss South Africa 2023 at the glittering pageant on Sunday will be celebrated with the raising of a glass of bubbly from the House of BNG.

Miss South Africa 2023 will be crowned at the SunBet Arena at Time Square in Pretoria on Sunday, August 13. Booking at Ticketpro.
 
Miss South Africa is presented by Weil Entertainment in association with Sun International.
 
SABC3 is the official broadcast partner.

Aline has marked its launch in blockbuster fashion! The agency has announced that it has partnered with the Grammy Award winning artists Zakes Bantwini and Nomcebo Zikode, as well as the multi-talented musician, media personality and multimedia entrepreneur Boity Thulo. This impressive roster of A-listers instantly makes Aline one of the foremost talent management agencies on the continent.

Apart from being a talent agency, the company is also a producer of live shows, content and experiential events and concerts. Sibo Mhlungu, CEO of Aline, explained the new partnership, “We represent storytellers who shape culture while accelerating their growth through deepening connections with consumers, and forging partnerships across entertainment and media as we position our clients for success. We’re indebted to Tshepo Mahloele for believing in us and bringing this vision to life.”  

“Aline is a testament of the depth of quality and expertise that we have as a country and a continent and we are proud to have it as part of our Arena. Already in Arena we have celebrated giants in the forms of Lucky Dube, Mahotella Queens to name a few and we welcome the Aline to the galaxy of stars,” says Chairman Tshepo Mahloele.

“This speaks to a new dawn in talent management, event production, as well as African arts, film and music. Locally developed and globally competitive content coming from the continent to the world by world-class media and entertainment practitioners who have worked tirelessly to perfect both their craft and market-related standards.” 

The long-term goal of this new company is to forge a lasting legacy representing African talent and producing shows at the highest level by Africans. This new expansion will also see the agency begin the process of expanding its offering over time beyond music and into film and other creative arts. 

Aline is the product of a partnership between Independent Media Group Africa and The Music Arena. Helmed by CEO Antos Stella, The Music Arena is the overseer of the world-renowned Gallo Records, which is one of the continent’s most storied record labels. “This is a game changer for the music industry bringing together a massive repertoire of talent that has such global appeal”. We have been working on The Music Arena and our strategy for a long time and this is the first of many announcements,” says Antos Stella.

The Music Arena is also home to media and content business Content Connect Africa, which facilitates Gallo’s music and distribution wing. IMG Africa on the other hand is one of Africa’s foremost talent agencies and a recognised curator of world-class live concerts and events. Founded by Zakes Bantwini and Sibo Mhlungu, IMG Africa is known for its unique ability to create moving billboards by enhancing and maintaining brand relationships through tactical decision-making and brand alignment.

The talented presenter, host and MC received nominations for Music TV Show Presenter of the Year and Social Media Influencer of the Year at the prestigious Basadi In Music Awards following a stellar year in the media space. 

Roughly a year on from bagging her first prime-time TV slot as the new presenter of Channel O’s Massive Music, Pamela Mtanga has been rewarded for her excellent work in the multimedia space with nominations for “Music TV Show Presenter of the Year” and “Social Media Influencer of the Year” at the prestigious 2nd annual Basadi In Music Awards. 

“Ecstatic is the word I would use to describe how I feel,” said the talented presenter, host and MC shortly after receiving news of the nominations. “To think at some point I was afraid to take on TV presenting though I was borderline obsessed with the stage, that really speaks to your dreams scaring you and you having the curiosity to go for them!”

Coming from a background of hosting corporate gigs, Massive Music required Pamela to step out of her comfort zone and enter into a more casual setting. Never one to shy away from a challenge, she executed the new role to perfection. 

“I always tell people I have split personalities. My director on Massive Music told me to tap into the Pam you see on social media – the one that’s witty, always dancing and communicating in the most casual manner as opposed to the Pam you will find at a business summit or event stage. It was the perfect platform for me to showcase that side of me and to date, Massive Music is the highlight of my entire career because it was show, production team and environment written in the stars.”

Now, having shown incredible consistency and an uncanny talent for engaging a range of audiences, Pamela is one of the most recognised and highly in-demand personalities in South Africa for a range of presenting, hosting and MC’ing gigs. 

“I feel that I am about to take off! The first couple of years of my career were about finding my feet, finding out what my voice is in the context of entertainment and what my brand stands for, and now, it is time to firmly walk in that direction. My story is one of being a young black woman doing it and now the journey speaks to not only occupying spaces but also creating them for the next generation.”

Outside of entertainment, Pamela recently founded her own hair business, Honey Comb Hair. Since it launched in early May, the company has taken off in a huge way and positioned Pamela as a young, savvy female entrepreneur on the rise. Previously, she had a hair business when she was in grade 9 right through to university. That particular chapter came to an end when she started working and her MCing schedule started picking up. However, she promised herself she would one day revisit her dream of owning a salon. 

“I saved all the money I made from Massive Music and when the show ended, I took a leap of faith and invested my savings into the hair business. The business is barely 2 months old and it is growing tremendously! Knowing that I am responsible for the livelihood of families through the staff that I employ is quite daunting but equally rewarding.”

“I am stepping into a completely new realm where my talent is not the service I am offering, I am selling an actual product that I have to constantly market and find new ways to develop. I am learning, growing and constantly asking myself, ‘What’s next?’”

Follow @Pamela_Mtanga on all social media platforms.

Follow @HoneyCombHairSA on Instagram.

Grammy Award-winning singer Nomcebo Zikode has noted with great concern the false reports circulating across mainstream media that all is well in her widely publicised dispute with Open Mic Productions. Nomcebo would like to categorically denounce these false and injurious reports and publicly set the record straight on the current status of the matter. 

The truth of the matter is that a court order was obtained in late 2022 which ordered Open Mic and Nomcebo to enter into a joint venture agreement and settle the outstanding issues between the two parties.

These outstanding issues were first made public when Nomcebo announced that she had not been paid any of her due royalties from the record-breaking global hit single, “Jerusalema” or her project, “Xola Moya Wam’”. This remains the case to date.

Despite the court order that was obtained, and Open Mic’s commitment to remedying the matter, they have failed to come to the party per the stipulated timelines.

“Nomcebo is eagerly awaiting the finalisation of this matter so that she can continue with her recording plans and put out new music to further her career as a recording artist,” explains Sibo Mhlungu, CEO at IMG Africa (Management to Nomcebo Zikode).

“We are unhappy with Open Mic’s delay, as we had jointly undertaken to adhere to clearly stipulated timelines on submission of all required information, which remains outstanding, thus prolonging the matter. Should this not be resolved in the coming weeks, we are certain that we’ll be going back to court.” 

No further statements will be issued on the matter.