South Africa embraces award ceremony at stakeholders' conference

It was a day of joy for South African artiste, Mkhululi Siqula best known as ‘Heavy-k DRUMBOSS’ as he receives his 2014 AFRIMA Trophy at the All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA stakeholders’ conference held on Friday, July 10, 2015 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, The Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Accepting his award for 2014 “Best Male in Southern Africa” category featuring Professor in “Beautiful War”, Heavy K echoed his words with excitement “At my age winning and carrying this (AFRIMA) trophy, it is overwhelming, like am so excited right now.”

“I just thank AFRIMA and fans across Africa, it means a lot to me. I regretted for not being at the last edition but I will be there at the AFRIMA 2015 edition in November 13 - 15, Lagos” He concluded.

The AFRIMA South Africa stakeholders’ conference featured panelists from Southern Africa region; Artiste, Malaika’s Tshedi Mholo (South Africa); AFRIMA Sponsorship and Communication Director, Matlou Tsotsetsi (South Africa); AFRIMA Jury members from Southern Africa, Delani Makhalima (Zimbabwe); Assistant Communication Manager, ONE campaign, Yannick Tshimanga (South Africa). The panelist from AFRIMA secretariat include Chairman, AFRIMA International Media Committee, Steve Ayorinde (Nigeria); AFRIMA Executive Producer/President, Mike Dada among others from the AFRIMA secretariat.

The conference which brought together artistes from Southern Africa, the media, AFRIMA partners and other music industry stakeholders was centered on the vision, mission and transparent adjudication process of AFRIMA as well as the 2015 AFRIMA Entry Submission which closes on Monday July 20, 2015 and other build up events which include the Africa Music Summit; and the AFRIMA Music Village, towards 2015 AFRIMA ceremony coming up later in November, 2015.

Also receiving an award at the Johannesburg conference, Collin Mokgaotsi, the label manager of Mi Casa on behalf of the group (trio of Dr. Duda, J'Something and Mo-T) for 2014 “Best African Electro” category for track “Jika”, “Thank you AFRIMA for recognizing our work and thank you for bestowing us with the award. We also thank all Africans that voted for Mi Casa, we love you.”

Speaking as a panelist, the Award-winning South African Afro-pop, Malaika’s Tshedi Mholo (South Africa) “I am happy to be on AFRIMA panel. I have seen awards across Africa but AFRIMA is more than an award. It is a platform to sell our story, our uniqueness, and our culture as an Africa to the rest of the world.

The conference today has definitely enriched my knowledge that we (Artiste) are in business to sell Africa through our songs, our dressings, and our life style which is in line with the vision and objectives of AFRIMA aimed at showcasing Africa as a center of possibilities, development, peaceful and prosperous continent."

The All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, the continental initiative conceptualized to celebrate, showcase, reward and promote the rich African music worldwide, thus reaching out to the millions of fans, and propelling African music to glorious pinnacles beyond the borders of Africa. AFRIMA will be broadcast to over 84 countries across the world on 109 television stations in November where the 23.9 Karat gold plated AFRIMA trophy will be given to winners.