Awards event to honour local stars
THE first annual Eastern Cape Entertainment and Sports Awards honouring artists from the area will be held tonight at the Abbotsford Christian Centre in East London, to be followed by a music festival on Sunday.
The brainchild of Motherwell actor Mthetheleli “Tazz” Ngida and Mandla Makwela, the awards are set to recognise artists and sportsmen and women from the province who have excelled and raised the flag for the Eastern Cape.
Ngida said the awards were a long time coming.
“There is a great deal of talent that hails from here, not mentioning our artistic legends living and dead, who have continuously given hope to youth and adults from the region who aspire to follow in their footsteps,” Ngida said.
The Ecesa awards are an equivalent to the Fame Awards, which recognise talent from Limpopo.
Artists expected to attend and those honoured include Black Coffee, who became the first South African artist to win a BET award earlier this year in Los Angeles; and hip-hop’s new “IT” boy, Emtee.
Emtee will also perform at the Ecesa Music Festival at the Buffalo City Stadium on Sunday.
Other artists to perform at the festival include the likes of Nathi, who became an overnight sensation with his hit track Nathi; KwaMagxaki musician Vusi Nova; and former Idols SA contestant Amanda Black, who recently released her first album, Amazulu.
Ecesa winners will come from 10 categories, some of which include music, television, fashion, film, fine arts and sports.
The awards gala will be co-hosted by Metro FM presenter and Idols SA judge Unathi Msengana and television personality Siyabonga Ngwekazi.
Tickets for the awards gala range from R350 and the gala starts at 7pm. Sunday’s music festival is at 2pm for 3pm. For more information contact Songezo on 078-839-1901.