Ladysmith Black Mambazo congratulates SA musicians on their Grammy wins

The isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo has joined other musicians and South Africans in congratulating Zakes Bantwini and Nomcebo Zikode for scooping their first Grammy award. Together with Wouter Kellerman, they won the award for Best Global Music Performance with their song “Bayethe”.

Bantwini and Zikode are from KwaMashu and Mpumalanga townships in the Durban metro respectively.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo won five Grammys over the years. The group’s manager Xolani Majozi believes the award will open doors in the music industry.

“We congratulate Zakes Bantwini and Nomcebo Zikode for winning the Grammys. This is such great news for the South African music industry as it shows that our music is more and more recognised on global stages. This will open doors for them as artists and also it will make a way for new talent and pave a way for other artists to follow in their footsteps. And we wish them all the best and let’s be a winning nation.”

“We are proud of @ZakesBantwiniSA , who hails from KwaMashu and @Nomcebozikode , who is from Mpumalanga Township in Hammarsdale for flying the South African flag high and putting the province on the global music stage by winning this Grammy Award.” #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/q9NLz2fF2o

— KZN Provincial Gov (@kzngov) February 6, 2023

Woohooo we won the GRAMMY for the ‘Best Global Performance’ for our song ‘Bayethe’ a collaboration with @Nomcebozikode and @ZakesBantwiniSA … proudly South African 😍 @MorningLiveSABC @Anele @DStv #GRAMMYs #FlutePainter🎶🎶 #WouterKellerman pic.twitter.com/hfseEhwM81

— Wouter Kellerman (@wouterkellerman) February 6, 2023

Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has congratulated South African musicians for scooping their first Grammy award.

The spokesperson of the KwaZulu-Natal premier Gugu Sisilana explains, “The trio bagged the award for the Best Global Music Performance during the prestigious 65th Annual Grammy Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles last night. The Premier said the Grammy Award for Zakes Bantwini and Nomcebo Zikode affirms the contribution that they have made to the music industry both locally and internationally. We celebrate the success of the son and daughter of the province who are a beacon of hope and an inspiration to many young people in townships and rural areas.”

‘Depth of talent in SA’

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) congratulates the South African artists for winning the Grammy Award, saying “this victory once again reaffirms the depth of talent in South Africa’s music industry, which is globally recognised and appreciated.”

The party claims that the trio has not only made South Africa proud but also demonstrated that “resilience  and dedication are key to success in a country where the arts are severely neglected.”