The first thing I would like to say about the Inaugural
Golden Plumes Awards is that
“I am sorry I took them for granted!!!” The awards ceremony was the best I’ve been to this year!! Whoever said
"abo Madala ba ya bora” did not know what they were talking about.
I went there expecting to see nothing more than old unknown faces being honoured but I was blown away by the amount of talent that is evidently in South Africa.
Looking back at all those shows that were produced from home over the past 30 years, one couldn’t help but feel this sense of pride about being South African.
In case you aren’t sure, the awards are a tribute to pioneers in Television and were generally celebrating 30 years of television in South Africa.
Everything about the show was fantastic, the organizers deserve a pat in the back for a splendid job and I hope what you guys see on TV this Friday, will be just as great as what I witnessed. From the décor to the food, the beautiful people who were there...he he he South Africans are beautiful bathong!
Ok, Ok, let me stop jumping around and tell you what went down.
We were ushered into the Castle at Kyalami by gorgeous Jozi gals and were asked to take pictures that were printed, framed and given to us right after the show! Now, how awesome is that!!
After taking pictures it was time to mingle while waiting for the show to begin so that gave me an opportunity to check out who’s there with whom.
The first familiar face I spotted was
Siyabonga from Street Journal and you guys know that I adore the boy but excitement was very far from what I felt at that moment. Having met him at the Channel O awards in October, all I could think about when we now met again at the Golden Plumes was
“OMG! I hope he doesn’t notice that I’m wearing the same pants I wore last time”. He didn’t seem to notice, probably coz I made sure we maintained eye contact throughout the conversation.
I also met an addicted reader of Blogiwood & TVSA,
Marang Setshwaelo, who also happens to own
DREAMCATCHER, the publicity company handling press for the Golden Plumes.
It was a humbling experience for me to meet her and don’t you guys agree she looks like Azania Ndoro? Blogiwood is proud to have you, gal!!
As you can see, it was a very colourful event....
As I was busy floating around, my date
Pelo, had to find herself someone to keep her company!
Once the star spotting was done, we all sat done and had our starters. Kasi is very much in my blood so all I knew was that whatever I was eating was delicious. Apparently it was “
Smoked ostrich carpaccio served with a spicy maize cake topped with crisp greens and butternut ragout”...Umm...wait! I ate carpaccio? What is carpaccio?
The Golden Plumes were hosted by
Jeremy Maggs and Basetsana Khumalo and though I would have loved to meet Jeremy, I didn’t spot him after the show but I was glad that I saw Bassie, who was definitely the best dressed woman in the house!
She is looking beautiful and there is just something very graceful about her. The way she conducts herself is really an example to young women who want success.
I thought they did a good job as hosts, I mean, hello! They are Jeremy and Basetsana after all!
The first speaker of the evening was the chairperson of the SABC Board,
Mr. Eddie Funde. Nature threatened to interrupt his speech but luckily he pulled out his handkerchief and started sorting out the mess...Nature is cruel at times and I guess things get worse with age. I wonder if the handkerchief bit will be edited out...
Anyway, he gave his speech and we were paying attention. Normally these speeches are long, boring and we always wonder when the speakers would shut up but the opposite was true at the Plumes. The speakers were fantastic.
Now, I don’t think fantastic is a good enough word to describe
Professor Mbulelo Mzamane, who gave a
Key Note Address.
The professor spent at least 20 minutes talking and I am still blown away by everything that he said. His speech was so good that I thought it would be a sin not to share it with TVSA readers so thanks to Marang from Dreamcatcher, I will make the speech available for you to read.
I wanted to say that “Prof Mbulelo Mzamane tore the SABC to pieces” but that does not sound constructive because all he wanted to do with his speech was to build and encourage the SABC to learn from their mistakes. I don’t wanna say much, I can’t find the words; it was all just too good to be true.
How can South Africa or the SABC be in the shape that they are in if there are people like Prof around?? I don’t get it!
In his speech titled Celebrating Thirty Years of Television in South Africa, Professor Mbulelo Vizikhungo Mzamane started off by saying:
“My brief this evening is not to pull any punches, so fasten your seat belts. And because I am an African but I do not owe my being to anyone of you, I intend to speak my native mind and I can parody anyone I like. These are essential freedoms, like the air I breathe, for which as a creative writer I fought to be free of any restrictions that are extraneous to the creative process and the pursuit of Truth.”
He was right; we really needed to fasten our seatbelts because what followed was “truth” like I have never heard it before.
“He wrote: "A cabinet minister laughingly told me: 'Come election time, all we do is show Eugene Terre'blanche giving his Nazi salute on TV and your voters will flock to our tables in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg'."
“We cannot be content to replace illiteracy with half-literacy. I have still to read a single Honours’, Masters or doctoral thesis written by an SABC employee on staff development. Where does your research and analysis come from?”
“We may have produced pioneering soapies in Mfundi Vundla’s “Generation” and Duma Ndlovu’s “Muvhango”. But local is anything but lekker. Programming at the lowest common denominator for the intellectually challenged is what largely passes for local content. I also see your Content Hub, a wonderful idea on paper, hobbling in no particular direction.”
“In conclusion, I want to add my voice in congratulating some truly pioneering figures we have come to honour, whom I am proud to call my friends from the trenches. Duma Ndlovu for producing the first Tshivenda soapie that is not Tshivenda; Mfundi Vundla for producing the first popular local soapie that is not so popular anymore; Marcel Goulding for the first free-to-air station; Koos Bekker of Naspers and MTN for keeping us fixated on other cultures.”
Yeah, hot stuff indeed.
Entertainment throughout the show was given by OUT OF THE BLUE and they were such a breath of fresh air!! Led by none other than Isidingo’s “Alec Matthews” I was stunned to find out that he could sing, and beautifully so, too! I was not too stunned to find out he can't dance though. He dances like ...umm...am I allowed to say it? Let's just say he dances like you would expect him to.
They sang everthing from Mango Groove to Freshly ground, Malaika and Mandoza's Nkalakatha and the way they covered the songs was awesome!
Another surprise in the group was Mzansi actress, Lucia Mthiyane, who informed me that she is a singer first, then an actress.
I snapped her in the company of Bob Mabena, who was there without Zandile.
When all I wanted was to take a picture of one Mzansi’s talents, Duma Ndlovu asked what the picture was for and at the mention of TVSA, he refused and told me he does not do press.
He later asked me not to take it personally but that was only after I told him I would not watch Muvhango ever again! Really, like I wanted to take a picture of Oprah or Madiba, damn even Madiba does press!!
Oh and guess what I found in my camera?
I was only trying to picture Bongo Maffin, who were performing and there was Mr “I don’t do press”! I see he decided to lose the scarf, good for him.... and our eyes.
30 People were honoured for their contribution in mzansi TV and the one who got a standing ovation, other than my professor, of course, was our very own SHAKA ZULU, Henry Cele!! Someone I talk about in the same breath as I do Madiba!!
Was there ever a better actor in South Africa?? This picture will be framed and put in a special place.
Literally, From “black and white” above, to colour, Noot vir Noot’s Johan Stemmet also received an award for his work and when I exclaimed that he does not seem to age, he told me that he actually feels very old. I should have added, “Old enough to finally leave the show?” but I don’t think I would have handled another refusal for me to take a picture!
As you can see, he was wearing something that did not require one to tone down the colour settings of the TV.
William Smith from the Learning Channel received an award and I thought, “Wow! He really deserves it. This man helped me with my Maths and he is actually a bigger star than any kwaito/movie star because what he gives is more valuable than music or a movie.”
Industry pioneers that were honoured included:
* Riaan Cruywagen, news reader
* Noxolo Grootboom, news reader
* Barry de Jongh, sports and news producer
* Scott Seward, sports cameraman
* William C Faurie, director
* Ed Harper, producer: Usenzekile, drama
* Gray Hofmeyer, producer: Villagers
* Carl Fischer, assistant producer, children’s programmes: Liewe Heksie
* Doreen Morris, presenter
* Koos Bekker, presenter
* Mfundi Vundla, executive producer: Generations
* Frederick Stark, producer
* Garth Japhet, executive director
* Joe Mafela, lead actor
* William Smith, learning channel
* Sias Scott, archivist
* Hans du Preez, writer: Sotho drama
* Baby Joe, Selimathunzi
* Danie Odendaal, Sevende Laan
* Duma Ndlovu, Muvhango
* Angus Gibson, Youth drama Yizo Yizo
* Tebogo Mahlatsi, youth drama, producer: Yizo Yizo
* Danie Ferreira, Urban Brew
* Marcel Golding, e.tv
* Paul Molefe, director: 1994 South African elections
And as is always the case, with award shows, some of the recipients were not there to receive their awards.
The show lasted about 3 hours but I still enjoyed every minute...well, except the few minutes when one guy from OUT OF THE BLUE tried to change Nkalakatha from Kwaito to RnB. Where did they get him???
You guys can catch the Golden Plumes Awards on SABC 3 - Friday, 22 December 2006 at 8pm.
Don't miss them!! I'm tempted to give them 9/10 but we'll leave it 8/10, simply because I rushed to get there, only for the show to start an hour late.