Guitars were strummed and drums rolled as some of the country’s top gospel musicians, alongside budding artists, belted out their best at Usasazo High School, in Khayelitsha , during the much awaited award celebration show on Saturday September 23.
The school hall was filled to the rafters with gospel lovers from all walks of life and among the performers were Lusanda Mcinga, Nobathembu, Khanyisa and M-Siya.
The event was held to celebrate the achievements of Anele Buka and Onke Jalamba who walked away with awards from the Ingoma gospel awards which were held last month in Johannesburg (“Local artists bag Ingoma awards”, Vukani, September 21).
Mr Buka walked away with the Best Street Marketing award for his fifth album titled Abanethemba Elinjalo while Mr Jalamba bagged the award for best community radio gospel presenter and has just released his first gospel album titled Akalilibali Indinga.
The winners in both categorises were decided by public votes.
The two said that for months they had been pleading with the people to support them and felt that it was fitting that they thanked them.
While there were technical glitches which resulted in the show starting late, that did little to dampen the spirit of the audience and organisers.
Nokubonga Mayekwa said she came to the show to support the two award-winning artists because they were from Khayelitsha.
She said it was important for locals to support their own musicians.
Ms Mayewka said as people of Khayelitsha, they were rallying behind the two gospel artists.
Mr Jalamba thanked their fans for their unwavering support as well as the other artists who attended the show.
He apologised for the technical problems they experienced, and said the audience showed them that they were loved in Khayelistha.
Mr Buka said he had no words to express his gratitude to all the people who came out to support them.
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