BY PHUMZILE NDLOVU
MBABANE: And the best creatives are…
The Eswatini Creators Awards (ECA) on Saturday recognised the best creatives in the country in a glittering ceremony held at Sharma House.
The theme was African Bling, which most adhered to. This publication spoke to a few of the winners, namely Young Zesh, who was crowned Artist of the Year, Best MC Award winner Thamie Pastor Bae Ndlovu, and Thembinkosi Mthetwa, who spoke for the Makoti Festival, which came out on top as the Best Curated Event.
Artist of the Year Young Zesh, born Mzwandile Ginindza when asked if he knew that he would be crowned the winner, said, “Yes, I knew I was going to win even though it was a tough competition. I was positive, and a lot of people were voting for me, so I had it in mind that I might win. It was not easy competing with the best in the industry, but I was pushing and hoping for the best.”
He went on to add that it was his first time winning the Eswatini Creators Award. “I’m happy that I received this award; it’s very important; it’s not just a music award. The Eswatini Creators Awards are one of the biggest award ceremonies. I won at the right time, as I’m dropping a project this year. The award is a very important one. I was competing with Gospel artists and other genres, so it was very big. I’m grateful to everyone who voted for me.”
The artist shared with this publication that he believes winning the award will open a lot of doors for him, especially in SA and other countries.
He concluded by saying that winning the award makes a huge positive difference, as it will help him secure gigs and endorsements and be a brand ambassador for companies. “The award proves that I’m the best artist of 2023. Everyone will believe in what I’m doing. Companies and people can now book me for more gigs,” said Young Zesh.
The Best MC winner, Thamie Pastor Bae Ndlovu, was also reached for comment about his award. He said, “I didn’t think I was going to win it outright. I was competing for votes with a pack of renowned and obviously celebrated people in the industry. They have made some remarkable strides in the industry. It is my first time winning the Social Media Awards, and it has been such a great experience, I must say. Shout out to the Eswatini Creators Awards.”
Ndlovu shared with this publication that he also won the Best Voted Nominee for the Awards. It came with a flight getaway trip for two to Durban.
Pastor Bae, as he is affectionately known, went on to say, “The awards make a huge difference, quite obviously. It says, ‘Consider me, I am here’ sort of; it announces you. It says one has made some great strides in a rather competitive environment. This is an industry that is mostly dominated by comedians, so if you have an ordinary man recognised by other ordinary people winning it, it tells you that you must have made a huge impact in the lives of your brothers and sisters. What my social media people have done for me cannot be undone.”
He concluded by saying, “Lastly, may I extend my most sincere gratitude to my personal people on all social media platforms for voting for me. The love is much appreciated. To Swazi Boy: Thank you for opening up your platforms and recognising the different kinds and specific talents in the Kingdom. Your awards are such a breath of fresh air. Keep on rising.”
Thembinkosi Mthetwa spoke on behalf of the Makoti Festival, which was named the Best Curated Event of 2023. He said, “It’s great to see people embracing the Makoti Festival, which has only been hosted twice. This year will be our third edition, and we hope people will keep embracing it and promise that this year’s festival will be the best.”
The fourth edition of the awards ceremony was hosted by Zindzi Thwala and Phila ‘P.h.D’Dlamini.Last year, the awards were held at the Happy Valley Hotel. The first and second editions of the awards were held at Sharma House.
LIST OF ESWATINI CREATORS AWARD 2024 WINNERS
