A PETROL HEADS ASSEMBLY
Shell Gaborone Motor Show 2024 unites motoring enthusiasts
THE 9th edition of the Shell Gaborone Motor Show took place this past weekend at The Fields Mall, Gaborone.
Petrol heads assembled at the motor show for a family friendly event to admire their favourite cars and to check out newer car models and auto market products and services. This year’s theme for the two-day event was ‘Revolutionising Mobility Using Cars as a Catalyst for Innovation’.
Shell Vivo Energy Botswana, Communications Manager, Khumoyame Thuso, said the theme this year ties in well with their Shell brand, which, for over 100 years, has been synonymous with innovation. “This makes our association with Botswana’s biggest automotive event a natural one,” Thuso said.
She further said the Shell Gaborone Motor Show is the opportune collaborative asset for key partners in the automotive industry in their widest range to benchmark and exchange ideas in fostering innovation and accelerating development of future mobility solutions for our customers.
The event was officially
opened by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, Bareng Malatsi, who noted the importance of motor shows to the automotive industry.
The PS said Motor shows offer a chance for the industry to showcase their very best to the market in which they operate. He said the show also offers an opportunity for dealers and manufacturers to get valuable feedback on their products while at the same time offering their unique service platform. “It is encouraging to see the motor industry come together to a showcase like this as this is evidence of the confidence that exists on our economy and the nation at large,” added Malatsi.
“As the ministry, we back the motor industry’s success by facilitating the delivery of efficient transport and communication infrastructure and services for sustained socioeconomic growth and prosperity of Botswana,” he said.
Stanbic Bank Botswana, who are one of the key stakeholders of the annual event, unveiled a P25 000 sponsorship.
“Our sponsorship showcases our unwavering commitment to supporting initiatives that promote innovation, technology and the advancement of the automotive industry,” said the bank’s Head of Business and Commercial Banking, Lesego Osman.
“We pride ourselves on the strong connections we have with our clients and their passions, cars being one of them. We further recognise the importance of events like the Gaborone Motor Show in providing the much-needed support and resources to the businesses and entrepreneurs that drive the industry,” he said.
The landmark 10th anniversary of the Shell Gaborone Motor Show is scheduled for the 9th - 10th May, 2025.
DINTLEONTHETRACK first started putting tracks together when he was just 10 years old – an age when some of us still have trouble tying our shoelaces!
Best known for his moving RNB love ballads, which got ladies young and old in the mood, the versatile muso is now making a name for himself as a producer. Let’s meet the man behind the legend…
Who is Dintleonthetrack and what does he do?
Dintle Balole, better known as Dintleonthetrack, is a 22-yearold multifaceted artist who hails from Oodi and is currently based in Gaborone. I am a producer, artist, songwriter, and captivating live performer.
For such a young man, seems like you’ve been in music for the longest time. When did this journey start and what inspired you?
I started off in 2012 as a deejay. I didn’t consider it serious but that was the start of something. I then ventured into production. Inspiration came from my dad always playing the piano for me in my childhood days.
So, can I safely assume your parents supported your decision to pursue music as a career?
Honestly, I’d like to believe I was fortunate enough to have parents who were determined to support my musical journey from the jump. But, like any other parent, they expected me to keep a good academic performance. My parents have always been supportive. I remember this one time using headsets to record until my dad vowed to buy me some recording equipment, and he did.
As a singer, you’re best known for your love songs. What was the inspiration behind them, seeing as you were still a teenager when you penned these hits?
I’d get inspiration from my everyday experiences about love. Might be something I went through myself, or a friend’s experience, or just someone I knew. That’s just how I made my RNB love songs; I got the content around me.
Your name often pops up in local projects, like ATI’S soon-to-be-released singlem ‘Nama Mogodu’, where you are acknowledged as the producer. When did you start producing?
Back in 2014, I transitioned into producing after deejaying for a short while. By then, I had a laptop, so I’d always watch Youtube tutorials and try imitate what they are doing. As time went on, I could create my own beats from scratch without having to use tutorials. So, I guess it’s a practice thing. Producing was my first love before I could even imagine making my own songs. So, with ATI, he had always known me as a producer than a vocalist because I used to reach out to him since 2015, trying to work together, so it was bound to happen. We have more songs where I also feature as a vocalist.
Any projects in the pipeline?
I actually just released a single, ‘Addicted’, with Baksten Chance and Dlozinyana; please do check it out.
Which local artist would you like to collaborate with?
I’d like to collaborate with Hanc, and anyone who’s dope really, and actually putting in the work. I think Hanc and I would blend in so well in a song - that’s one of the collaborations that not only I want to see, but the people also.
What are your current thoughts on BW’S entertainment space?
There’s a lot of promising talent in BW’S entertainment space, especially now - but again the industry remains stagnant because it doesn’t carry them. This is why some of these talented people end up finding jobs, going back to school and stuff like that. It’s not easy being in the BW entertainment space.
Five things people don’t know about you?
1.
I was actually deejaying before production
2.
I do not watch football though I enjoy playing it
3.
My artistry isn’t just through music, I have also drawn from a young age
4.
I freestyle most of my songs on the mic
5.
I designed most of my previous music cover arts