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SMag's annual Heritage issue honours Mzansi pop culture with some of the most exciting entertainers of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Ahead of their much-anticipated performance at the Delicious Festival this weekend, Boom Shaka lands on the first cover. The trailblazing kwaito group takes a stroll down memory lane as they mark their 30th anniversary. The remaining members Theo Nhlengethwa, Thembi Seete and Junior Sokhela are also back in the studio working on new music. Inside, in a personal tribute, the trio remembers the sheer brilliance of the late Lebo Mathosa.
Fresh off their run on America’s Got Talent (AGT), sibling musical trio Biko’s Manna and Mfundo grace the second cover. In their cover story, their musician parents Ayanda Nhlangothi and Sebone Rangata detail how Joburg’s hipster haven Maboneng Precinct holds a dear place in the backstory of the trio. Before finding viral superstardom they started as street performers with their father in Maboneng – A Place of Light.
The new rose of Bolobedu, Makoma Mohale, blossoms on the third cover. By scoring the titular role in the epic drama Queen Modjadji, inspired by the mystique power of the Balobedu rainmaker, 2024 has been a year of breakthroughs for the 27-year-old actor, who also has a lead role in the daily drama Scandal!.
Suffice it to say, in 2024, TikTok is more entertaining than pay-TV and it’s all thanks to content creators such as @papi.nicetingz – real name Atlegang Songo. The 23-year-old from Soshanguve, Pretoria, front the cover of SMan. His over-the-top skits featuring various alter egos in drag have made him one of the most exciting local content creators to keep social media users glued to their smartphones.
Sokhela on Mathosa: Lebo was a hard worker and she loved music with her whole heart. When I was writing music, I would write for Lebo’s voice. When you are in the army, you have your generals – Lebo was that.
Mohale on how her role in Queen Modjadji helps her reconnect with her roots: On a personal level, I didn’t know much about the Balobedu culture, even though it’s part of my heritage. This role helped me discover so many of our customs and traditions – how we present ourselves, how we communicate with our ancestors, how we dress and how we approach elders.
Rangata on being criticised for taking an approach of self-directed education with their children (Biko's Manna and Mfundo): People didn’t just accept that they were following a different direction of education. When we were busking in Maboneng, people were telling me that I was wasting the kids’ time. Had we continued with the traditional education system, I don’t think Mzansi would be talking about these kids or that they would have ended up at AGT.
Songo on convincing her family to let him be a content creator: Before I got my role on The River last year, my mother said she was giving me until 2024 to make this whole TikTok thing work. When she first saw me on TV, that’s when she understood how big a deal this was. She, my family, and people from my neighbourhood have been so supportive. Whenever I’m shooting, my whole street goes silent – they know when the tripod is out, Atlegang is busy. I appreciate them for that.
