Latest news with #Makhathini
The Citizen
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Nduduzo Makhathini on spiritual understandings anchoring his music and remaining modest
Makhathini was recently awarded the Deutscher Jazzpreis, the German Jazz Prize, in the Live Act of the Year International category. Makhathini was recently awarded the Deutscher Jazzpreis, the German Jazz Prize, in the Live Act of the Year International category. Picture: Supplied (Robert Winter) South African artist Nduduzo Makhathini is one of the world's most recognised pianists, composers and live performers. His live performances are capable of taking you on both a spiritual and artistic journey. He is calm, soft-spoken and quite unassuming. Like Rihanna, he is appreciated at home and beyond the borders of his home country. But like an unknown session musician, he has the humility to remain in the background while simultaneously contributing to some renowned bodies of work, without making a fuss about it. Makhathini was recently awarded the Deutscher Jazzpreis, the German Jazz Prize, in the Live Act of the Year International category. The awards shine the spotlight on the diversity and creativity of the German and international jazz scene. ALSO READ: SA Gen Z's love for new-age Maskandi and Americans' craze over Amazayoni music Modest Makhathini However, in his acquisition of these accolades, Makhathini has remained modest, saying Ubuntu informs this. 'I feel very strongly that when we get these rewards, they are responding to moments that have really past for us artistically,' says the 42-year-old. '…they give me a sense of humility and acceptance that all things we are doing now can only be seen or acknowledged much later and some of it when we're not in this world and that just gives me so much humility.' Makhathini is the first South African artist to be signed to revered international Blue Note Records. Modes of Communication: Letters from the Underworlds, his debut album under Blue Note Records, was named one of the best Jazz Albums of 2020 by The New York Times. He has won the South African Music Awards (Sama), a Metro FM award, and a slew of other accolades. The award-winning musician is a former Head of the Music Department at Fort Hare University and left the role in 2023 to join the University of KwaZulu-Natal as an educator and researcher. ALSO READ: DJ Doowap takes SA street culture to Germany and France Makhathini's musicality He says all of his work is anchored in spiritual understandings. 'It's just really a way of making sense of the intangibility of sound and music and the fact that it is something that we feel [or] sense but do not really see or can even touch. That for me is enough to suggest that music has a transcendental quality.' This transcendental quality, he says, is what people are sensing all around the world. 'So I feel very honoured to receive an award for something that resides within the realms of the intangible, which makes a confirmation that it is really something that is felt and people gather around it all around the world,' he shared. Makhathini has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including both young and established artists, such as the late Zim Ngqawana, Thandiswa Mazwai, and the younger Tumi Mogorosi. 'I've been blessed to collaborate with some of the best musicians from around the world,' says Makhathini. He mentions names like Wynton Marsalis and Billy Harper. Collaboration is fundamental to jazz music, and most acts are comprised of a band, which necessitates collective effort. 'Collaboration is very fundamental in jazz, this music in itself originated as communal music and communal because it was a musical of displacement, a music of homelessness and music of protest during catastrophic moments where people were commodified as slaves,' shares Makhathini. ALSO READ: Siphephelo Ndlovu on his hiatus from music, getting into the family business of TV, as he returns to stage Live at Untitled On Friday, he will share the stage with South African trumpeter Ndabo Zulu and the Soweto Central Chorus. He says the show is part of a project he's been working on, where he challenges himself as an artist to break new sonic barriers. 'I challenged myself by stepping into unfamiliar territory by way of configuration, by way of sound, by way of repertoire,' he says. 'So this is one of those, and I'm really excited to keep going with this idea of an ongoing rehearsal because it liberates the ways we think about being in the world, forgiveness, continuity, space and time concepts and expanded notions of being in the world.' NOW READ: 'Bucket list checked': Zakes Bantwini graduates from Harvard
The Citizen
11-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Beware of illegal refilling
However, to save additional money, some individuals may unwittingly buy unsafe, illegally filled LPG cylinders. 'If an unauthorised party/person fills the branded cylinder of a legitimate company, instead of the owner of the branded cylinder themselves, or an approved distributor, then it is considered illegally filled,' explains Nomkhosi Makhathini of Easigas. 'The South African National Standard, SANS 10019, requires that all LPG cylinders must be handled and filled by competent and authorised persons, and illegal refillers are usually not adequately trained on how to handle LPG.' Makhathini outlines the dangers of buying an illegally refilled cylinder: * Illegal refillers take no liability for accidents. * They do not check theintegrity of cylinders beforefilling them, which couldresult in leaks. * Illegally refilled cylinders are not maintained. * Cylinders filled illegally are often under-filled and sometimes filled with ill-suited substances to increase the weight artificially, meaning consumers will pay more per kilogram of gas. This not only shortchanges buyers but also results in LPG that burns inefficiently, making it more expensive in the long run. * Cylinders can also be overfilled and pose a major threat to the public. * Dealers who buy illegally filled cylinders are breaking the law. * These cylinders could leak or rupture at home with devastating consequences for the public. Six tips to identify illegally filled cylinders: * Examine the seal: Every cylinder should be sealed with a plastic wrap featuring the gas supplier's official branding and a serial number verifying where it was filled. * The seal's branding should match the logo printed on the cylinder. * Check the last recertification date: This information is found on the neck ring and should be less than 15 years old to ensure the cylinder remains safe for use. * Look for dents: A cylinder should have a symmetrical shape without any distortions or visible damage, as dents may compromise its integrity. * Inspect the foot ring: A dented foot ring would not pass a legitimate LPG supplier's safety standards, as it could indicate structural weakness. * Assess the physical condition: Be wary of signs of corrosion, burns, bulges, or any illegal repairs or modifications. These could suggest exposure to unsafe conditions or inadequate maintenance. * Perform a leak test: Apply soapy water around the valve. If bubbles form, there is a gas leak, and the cylinder should not be used. 'Consumers hold the key to addressing illegal refilling through their purchasing decisions. By making informed choices, they can protect themselves and their families from harm while supporting a regulated industry that upholds strict safety and quality standards,' she concludes. Should you suspect your cylinder has been illegally refilled, report it to SAPS or the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association of South Africa (LPGSA). At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Scoop Makhathini reveals his journey from child-free living to embracing fatherhood
Scoop Makhathini has recently opened up about the intricate layers of fatherhood and the personal choice he made to embrace a child-free lifestyle earlier in his life. Image: Scoop Makhathini instagram In a revealing conversation on 'The Relebogile Mabotja Podcast', Scoop Makhathini, the charismatic South African television presenter known for his engaging personality, opened up about the intricate layers of fatherhood and the personal choice he made to embrace a child-free lifestyle earlier in his life. Makhathini, whose real name is Siyabonga Ngwekazi, recounted his evolving thoughts and feelings toward parenthood, painting a picture of independence entwined with emotional complexity. Once filled with apprehension regarding becoming a parent, Makhathini now navigates the challenges of raising a teenager with a sense of calmness. 'It was scary, it still is. I think it's calmer now,' he shared, highlighting the myriad responsibilities that accompany fatherhood. His initial fears were rooted in a profound desire for freedom and a fear of forming emotional ties that could lead to inevitable pain. 'I never wanted to be a father. I wanted to be a free-flowing soul on this earth,' he expressed, revealing that the connections he fostered with family deepened his anxiety about emotional vulnerability. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading
