Recognition for EC’s homegrown talent

WHAT started out as a vision to honour homegrown talent will become a reality this weekend when the inaugural Eastern Cape Entertainment Stars Awards take place in East London.

The mastermind behind the initiative is actor Tazz Nginda, who played the role of a detective in Mzansi Magic’s iGazi drama series.

The awards will start off with a comedy night tonight, an awards gala tomorrow and end off with a music festival on Sunday at Absa Stadium. The ceremony will take place at Abbotsford Christian Centre and the comedy will be held at the Venue@Hemingways.

Nginda said it was sad how Eastern Cape artists who make the province proud had never been celebrated by their own people. He added that the entertainers were the same people who inspired the youth in the province and he would use this platform to reach out to them.

“There is a great deal of talent that hails from the Eastern Cape, not to mention our artistic legends, both living and dead, who have continuously given hope to youth and adults from the region who aspire to follow in their footsteps.

“Pride begins at home and we as the ECESAwards would like to be the first to champion that movement,” Nginda said.

Some of the artists who will be performing at the music festival on Sunday at the Absa Stadium include the award winning Nathi Mankayi, who recently released his second album titled Umbulelo Wam, Vusi Nova, Msaki, Amanda Mankayi, Amanda Black and Jessica Mbangeni among many. Muthaland/ Ghetto Ruff Records, which Mankayi and Vusi Nova are signed under, confirmed to the Daily Dispatch yesterday that the entertainers were looking forward to coming to their home province to celebrate the ECESA.

Tickets for the festival cost R180 and are available at nutickets, ticketpro, CNA, Edgars and Jet stores. —