Remember Marikana- By Sizwe Saliso

The Struggle is never over, where bread winners are mere numbers, fellow countrymen dying in the hands of those who are meant to protect them in the name of capitalist greed.
Black Regime & Elite What are your intentions with Children of Azania? It sure can't be a mere matter of opulence, something is very wrong here.
My Values, Freedom, & Dignity you swore to restore & protect. You promised me accountability.
How long must my struggle continue being for food in your rich soil, a job to keep me from disease, shelter to nurture my melanin and raise my seeds with a wife within a family & education to take better care of you & protect you from centuries of suffering and exploitation?

Why is my son's degree a life-long debt, my daughter's boardroom abilities attributed to bedroom interviews? Why is my mom's health only a debate between her and prayer than health-care while her husband's pension pays for your luxury?

You can't afford to emotionally beat me until I am Black and Blue, because I dream anew. Your rubber bullet hits the same spot the one from an unjust regime did, just decades ago, so my body is numb but the question still stands, What have I done to deserve one as cruel you?

I breathe like you, bleed like you but I will certainly not plead with you, no more. I will restore my own dignity, pick up the pieces of my broken tears and dispel my fears. Values, I will teach, as a song to my children, just like "..senzeni na.." fueled the spirit of those who paid with their lives for us to be here.

I will show my son  how admirable it is to try and fail, seek guidance from his elders and what makes a man. I will be my wife & daughter's first pillar of masculine strength, confidence & praise their beauty along with their efforts.

Friends, I can only imagine dreams that these men perished with, but one thing is clear, this can't be questions and struggles I fight for, for the rest of mine, as a Blackman.

Violence will only tarnish the pride of the African Lion while crime will only retain a stereotype. Look at yourself through your own soul. Fight the image in your head that allows another to be superior than you. Feed your mind knowledge, drink from cups of wisdom and take control of your own destiny. We are meant to laugh as much as we cry, that is life, but fight and keep the balance.

- Slyso's Random -

The 4ward Movement Business Experience- "WHAT'S IN A NAME?" Written by Sizwe Saliso

I have had to field a number of questions around my company name’s origin. There have also been criticism for an English name in the era of embracing Nguni names in South Africa. There have also been questions about why “movement” while people align that with political militants and such. Often they ask how it came about, what it means to me along with what it truly represents. You see, people desire seeing or the idea of Movement in their lives, even if they are not sure where it is headed, but they just adore the idea of movement. A Stationary marry-go-round is not exciting for kids now is it? So from a very young age we learn and fall in love with movement. A sobbing infant stops crying and eventually falls asleep from being rocked. So our connection with movement (motion) is deeper than we care to ponder. Even Donkey Kong and Mario Bros would not have cut it as legendary games, if there was no simulation of movement, right? There would have been no revolutions if the power in the word “movement” was not motivational or instructive in its nature. There is also something calming about the word, something that whispers a silent “yes”. Take that word and combine it with a decisive direction to this motion, “4ward”. This is not just marry-go-round; this movement is not just going in circles. This movement is moving and not sideways or backwards, but “4ward”.

So much Einstein-wanna-be theories about a company name, you might think, right? That is because I have dedicated this blog-post to company identity and personality. How it affects and effects its operation. So I choose to share from a perspective I know best, that of my business. This is also to gain valuable insights from other entrepreneurs and business leaders to point out the wrongs and ideals of forming mine. Would it have saved me time if I had done it a different way? These are reason why I decided to write this. For those in the know to share opinions and sure become a guinea-pig for those who are still in the starting phases and probably going through this process. I spent a considerable amount of time coming up with the name. See, my father was in the Black Consciousness Movement, so I guess the word had always been lingering in my subconscious. “Forward,” forward had to be hip, reflect my hip hop influence and the era I grew up in, but had to stand out and be just as different from the Queen’s spelling of the word, I thought.

Now remember this company was established to function as a managing agent for the Slyso brand. The broader vision was to grow it into a sound hire business, charity work had to be catered for as it was a great passion as well. But hold on… how is a trained journalist going to get this all done while hosting a demanding radio show with a hectic traveling schedule as well?  Well, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Right now, the name is more important to me at this time. I’m not rushed into a business plan, I barely knew what a business plan was then by the way. Because within this name, all these desired growth paths have to be considered, it was only natural to let the 1st day at office be managing the Slyso brand. This is going to be a yard-stick. The management was simply, responding to queries, keeping Slyso’s diary, drawing up quotes, writing out invoices and things such as minor logistics such as making travelling and accommodation bookings. At that time, the company borrowed a lot of its values, culture and personality from its founder and head, well, as he was the one doing most of that work and owned the vision. Some people rush to hire personnel they can’t pay when they can take their time, do the work themselves and get to know the ins-and- outs of their business. Successful businesses are those that are founded on the passion of the entrepreneur or business owner, right? 4ward Movement did not open its doors with the sole view to make money, at least it was not high on the priority list. This has its pros and cons, passion alone can’t grow your business. Your decisions are often based on emotion and sentiment than doing that job and submitting that invoice. In hindsight, the total passion approach slowed the flow of money into the business.  

On the up side, there was a level of growth in popularity and bigger companies were willing to do business with a relatively unknown company that had a logo, address, special rates for charity organizations and other little value-add/ incentives. These proved to be a depiction of our passion and culture as we would learn. Companies, especially corporates, were looking for one-stop-shop entertainment companies. These companies would be where they book not only talent but all the audio/ visuals paraphernalia that comes with it. We were quick to respond to this call as the profits from that period, saw 4ward Movement Entertainment purchase its own second hand PA Sound System. This put both 4ward Movement Entertainment and the Slyso brand at an advantage. The company has since gone from a home-build PA Sound System that boasted a powerful Yamaha Amp with crossover and a 12 channel mixer to an imported Serwin- Vega PA Sound System with Pioneer CD players and mixers along with high end Sure and Sampson microphones. The quality had to improve if 4ward Movement was to stand out. It has not always been smooth sailing, though. The company has survived from keeping its overheads at a bare minimum through the owner doing the bulk of the work himself. This included, paperwork, attending briefing meetings, getting down and dirty, transporting and set up of equipment. Bigger Sound orders were outsourced, including a team of two dedicated sound engineers who worked for the company on a freelance basis. The company managed to retain them through paying above industry standard rates when budgets allowed. This practice based on understanding and total openness and honesty in dealing with staff made sure that 4ward Movement Entertainment was not without staff when working with stringent budgets. The practice is quite risky and amounts to a gamble but fruitful if you work with people who believe in you or company. There were (and still are) moments when the chips are down, when business gets slow, I always and still look up to my company name and know that there is no other way but to move 4ward. Ask again, what’s in a name?

Lessons learnt:

Passion- Love what you do and do what you love, maybe starting your own business won’t be such a headache when it is an extension of your passions. 

Personality- People want to associate themselves with brands that speak to feeling/ emotion. Build a company whose everyday activity effect people. Consume your own brand. Ask, would people believe in Virgin Airlines if Sir Richard Branson flew around on British Airways? Give your product or service personality, be the ambassador and voice.   

Desire (to succeed) - The only way you can satisfy desire is setting goals, follow them and see them through. Desire pursued amount to fulfilment of company objectives which translates to growth and profits.

Culture- These are values and practises shared by members of a group (company). There is a philanthropic culture which is highlighted by our special rates for charity, the community involvement that the owner has embarked on and shared value of making a difference through such which adds value and defines character of the brand.

Growth- Sound System upgrade: Improve the quality of your offering or product and improve the customer’s experience. A satisfied caster is a customer retained.

N.B.
PLEASE SHARE YOUR OPINIONS AND WITH OTHERS. "4WARD MOVEMENT BUSINESS EXPERIENCE" WILL BE POSTED ON THE FIRST WEEK OF EACH MONTH. WE WILL ALSO HAVE GUEST WRITERS.

Beauty In Nothingness

Nothingness is the clear piece of paper from which ideas are born. It is here that invention is birthed. This is where great pieces of music find masterful variation that corresponds and evokes emotion in man. It is here that thought became motion. It is a place of nothingness, the covertness of being.

In a world filled with more than creation and invention. You only need to imagine the stillness before God churned words like “let there be light” before creating Adam, (if we are to borrow from Christian ideals of how we became). It is this moment before the pendulum starts to swing tempo into a composer’s thought, before writing melodies that express his emotion at a moment in time. That split second a clock’s arm glides the distance to the ringing of your alarm in the morning when you wake up.

This place, we all experience but differ in our interpretation of it. It is a place that exists with or without the assistance of our senses. It is a moment of reckoning. This is like the part of the song (often mumbled) that leads to conviction in our out- of- tune voice on a favourite song. The part we belt out like our life depended on it. This is because we know the words and the feeling the lyrics evoke, but are so uncertain of the connection between us, the melody and the anticipated emotion this time around. Imagine the point where your flight back tyres make contact with the tarmac on the runway. It’s where the compass needle comes to rest, affording explores direction.

Now innovation has led us to travel a lengthy distance without ever affording this nothingness our consciousness. It is the blur we ignore fore we know what follows is certainty. It is comfort, it is familiarity. The trust we bestow on a pilot and only look forward to “ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Fear-free airport…”

I have also travelled this path, shoulders puffed and broad because society has reassured me through my predecessors that it shall be that way, it is supposed to be that way. This moment of nothingness, as existent as it is, preoccupation (with our past and future) almost often renders it non-existent, nonetheless. This unfortunately radiates our core out of sync with the present. We therefore pursue the future with only fragments of a moment we could have enhanced our experience or our state of being alert.  

I have learnt through reflecting on my moments of nothingness that my best has always been documented and characterised by this very nothingness. This moment of pondering or “uncertainty” is actually where our consciousness is supposed to be. It then leads us to a moment of reflection as our thoughts and memory escape us and we chase if for dear life, as we strive to make sense of it all.

I have possibly wasted time reflecting on my moments of nothingness because I feel a level of guilt about my subconscious absence in my own life. This births regret, it quizzes our choices and leads us to lead lives of doubt and half-truths.

In reality and from the moment I embraced present-ness in my life, I was for the first time awake in my moment of falling in love. I made a silent promise to not give up no matter what was happening to and through me in that moment of nothingness. I have since embraced it and all it would become or where it might lead, without much expectation, rather than what the world had already taught me about it. Because of its advent at my moment of nothingness, I fell for and in it with an unknown zest that continues to pleasantly haunt. This is owed to my always being a believer in marrying ideals to explore and discover ordinary, anew. I have been a sucker for uncertainty, so much that its certainty has become my sanctuary. Here though, in this moment, I allowed myself to marry my ideals with beliefs and that of my partner regardless of their depth. This, because I never expected it, especially the way it crept up on me. It came when I was basking in my moment of nothingness. In my being free of plenty a chain that bound me at the time. In my moment of nothingness, I found consciousness. I seem to have found (or been found by) another “nothingness”, something I never knew or thought possible. It is also this moment of nothingness that continues to lead me to explore it relentlessly even when pain and hardship appears to be its momentary diet. Pain and hardship becomes what spirituality often refers to as life’s balance.

Nothingness is the beauty of life’s curiosity when it is totally embraced and where its actuality means everything to you. It is the lessons that lead you closer to a personal truth and reality. It is the fluffy cloud upon which you lay your convictions and allow them to be fluid enough to redefine you along with your journey. Change is inevitable, they say. If that is the case, why not make it a way of life?  

We all have moments of nothingness. These moments know no time, place, plan or civilized form, they guide us. They hurt only when you choose to wear that lance, otherwise, they are great lessons from which just and balanced nothingness enriches, strengthens you to explore, conceive or reinvent consciousness time and time again. My nothingness was in and outer beauty that united me with my soul-mate. A soul silently sown into mine at a level beyond “here”. A place beyond mortal trappings of emotion, judgement and ego. This I have only come to accept as nothingness. It is its strangeness along with its familiarity that keeps it striving and unafraid to flirt and be strengthened by it. Lose yourself in nothingness and be content in not ordering result. In there lies unspoken gratitude, possibility and universal favour.
 This attitude, philosophy and approach to life can be adapted to any dream, desire or goal. You only need to lose yourself in the possibility or desire and detach yourself from the outcome. In “The Seven Spiritual Laws Of Success”, Deepak Chopra will help you better understand the “Law Of Detachment”. It’s a great resource and guide to better understand my passion for nothingness and possibly help you find yours.  Escape not but embrace your moment of nothingness. 

A page out of my diary by Slyso

Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 10:03pm

It is true, that through adversity, growth and blessings are realized. I started cycling last week Friday. I am not crazy enough to cycle on the road so I choose to pack my bike in the car and just whip it out at the beach where I start my (very safe) 50 minute route. The excitement really starts as I conclude the Early Morning Show on Eastern Cape's number one commercial station, Algoa fm. There is just a number of things that have my spirits up lately. My features are finding rhythm on the show and fine tuning my clock as well. It's just humbling to be part of such an oiled engine, considering that the station is only celebrating it's quoter of a century in 2011. There is so much in store but eish, I have been sworn to secrecy for now...lol.

I can't get over the fact that I have been cycling for almost a week now and each time is just so amazing. I am discovering the beauty of this city all over again. It is filled with so much contrasts, most of them positive. I remember as I parked the car on the first morning to take my bike out and get my ipod to the relevant folder (Stevie, Talib, Lil Brother, Roots and more).. I noticed at a distance this man in his worn out blanket moving “house”, I guess it might have been cold where he put up the previous night or, as traffic was starting to accumulate on this particular part of the city, I guess noise was a distraction. Having slept on the street on a charity fund raiser with Kick (Kids In Christ Kingdom) for people living on the streets, I have an idea of what it's like to sleep there with nothing but the clothes on your back.

As I quilt at what he might be going through, I hop on my bike, Lil Brotha is up first on my list of songs for this morning and ride on. The sunlight, reminds me of time-laps on television, steadily reflect on the apartments over looking the beach, from top to bottom while to my left, the sea is turned into this shimmering carpet of gold.

I must say, the reasons why people would choose to get up in the morning vary and this is evident in the different shapes and personalities I encounter. I come across angry faces and presuming they are there or escaped home to “cool off”. There are groups walking their dogs, all jolly and chatting away and making occasional stops to allow the “K9s” time to answer nature's call. You have to agree with me when I say, PE truly is a friendly city, I mean there is a smile on every second person you meet, thumbs up from others and a growl from the grumpy..and I'm thinking “dude, did someone kick you out of the house to be here?”. There is also a handful of tourists who take advantage of what the Port Elizabeth beach front has to offer. I know they are tourists because they'd stop every few meters and take pictures of each other against the beautiful beach as a backdrop. I somehow don't know who advised them to be in safari clothes even when they going out to stroll the beach. My bum on the other end is not used to the bike seat (as a matter of fact I still have “'eina”-as my son refers to anything painful), so I keep shifting on the seat but there is little relief. I also had not tightened the handle bars as much as I should have and I picked this up while en-route, I just made a mental note and rode on.

One of the things that make me appreciate my first bike ride experience in a long while is, I have hardly been up at this time of the morning in ages. I mean, I had been hosting breakfast shows in two stations for the past 7 years and this is like “wow”. On weekends I would sleep in, as I would have gone to sleep in the early hours of the morning, if I was out playing a gig (in a particular city/ town) or simply catching up on my poetry, music and friends over a braai or something.

I miss the rush of a drive show, from being armed with information to running out of time with prepared content each day and feel like my producer and I were pushing an 8 hour day. This, on the other side, makes me appreciate breath, nature and time to myself. Being a radio jock, I have to say I've never really looked at being a radio jock as a job, it's always been like, I am the one who is chosen to afford that particular community a service, be it weather, personal experience or just disseminating information that I feel people have the right to know and would not have come across because of what is on their platter on a particular day. It still is the best job in the world.

At the point where I turn, to ride back since I am still a novice.. I make small talk with the people who sleep in the bush nearby. These are people who get your trolley from you at shopping malls after they'd showed you where to park upon your arrival at the shopping centre. They offer this in the hope that we might spare them a few cents so they can buy something to eat. I know that they bathe at the sea or simply go to a filling station nearby. I also know that they are often chased from these filling stations because they are accused of leaving them in a distasteful condition.

I am not pushing myself as much, on my way back. I put on Stevie Wonder, a bit of John Legend, Hugh Masekela and some John Lennon from “the working class hero- definitive collection” album. I am a sea of emotions from my encounters until I get to a part of the route where, I am looking at the day ahead. This spot by the way, is the same place I sat at when I had a few minutes to myself during the “In their shoes campaign”. I set there, gazing at the beach thinking of my contract that was not renewed, the bills that were not going to paid and how I was going to turn this ship around. By the time I get to the car, I have a sense of fulfilment and pride from these mini strides I made. I can't even fill my legs as I hop into the car and drive off but the self-imposed body battering I happily subjected to in the hope of improving my health has nothing on me. I'm feeling good. I was between a rock and a hard place not so long ago, I went through all sorts of negative emotions (don't get it twisted though, there were no suicide thoughts, I love life man). Through a dull few pages of my life, I served a man with a worn out blanket and kids who don't have shelter and food through Kick, raised R150 000 in one week, appeared on SABC's 3 Talk, attended two important courses in the ever changing broadcast landscape and went from being jobless to join one of South Africa's leading brands in the broadcast industry. I now sit with a glimmer of hope, for light to shine on like it did for the “Les 33” (Chilean miners). Never frown upon your misfortunes in life, use them to re-channel your energy, vision and the universe will afford you guidance.

Peace!!

my sentiments Part 2 (owam ukhupa)

Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 11:56pm

If the ANC is so right why is the rest of the world (not even local media alone) against this issue? Why did it wait so long? The truth is these people are so used to getting their way. Do you think the workers would still be on the streets and not have accepted the latest government offer if it wasn't for the media exposing the extent of corruption by the same people who claim to be serving them? I say once again, in the next election it's going to take more than emotional blackmail and food parcels to win the same damn black vote they are so sure off. It won't be our grandparents going to the voting stations (they have lost hope of the struggle they buried and lost children for). When the SABC shot itself in the foot with looters, I said it was time private and community media to step up the game and cease the moment. Now, it is time for political parties to do the same, in the wake of these antics by the ruling party.

Why are companies like Pick n Pay speaking out against this, if it does not affect business? I think I highlighted in my previous note that, yes, there are malicious journalists out there. Take for an example the people who broke the story of Fiona Coyne's passing. The reports said she died in an accident and later we learn that suicide is suspected and she passed on at home. Those are journalists who are lazy or have editors who save budgets and expect their journalists to fill their pages with news to increase circulation and hike advertising rates. A case should be built in those cases and perpetrators "brought to book"(I love hearing that from chief). Any editor who allows a certain journalist for an example, to continue lowering the standard of his publication, profession and credibility is not worthy. It used to be a shame for a journalist to get the spelling of a person wrong nowadays no one even cares. These are issues that should be trashed out by (not the government or ruling party alone) but other stakeholders as well. When people like Julius Malema claim in public that this is going to happen while the president is saying this is still a debate, that tells me there is a level of miscommunication or deliberate attempt to throw a veil over our eyes. I still maintain this does not need our constitution to be tempered with, for these people to be brought to account. It calls for government and media principals to trash it out.

I concur with the sentiments below..

Our country's press and media freedom is being attacked, and by extension our fundamentally democratic freedom of speech.When arrogant governments become vague and secretive - hiding what should be transparent public information, and reclassifying that information as "state secret" or "classified" - then there is a serious problem.When a state seeks to police the people, control the media, and do away with private ownership (nationalisation of the mines), that's called communism.

http://www.news24.com/MyNews24/YourStory/A-challenge-to-corporate-SA-20100818

I have seen a comment by the BMF supporting the tribunal and ask whose businesses are you managing? On whose behalf are you talking? The SMME's you can't even promote or allow near your "important" title and status? The businesses started by your struggling (to find a job) younger brothers whom you can't even support or afford a sponsor because they know and have more natural flare than you? Come on, brother!

You of all people should know when a boy comes back from the mountain he is given and armed with wisdom to build his own house and path. Why have you not invited these journalists and work or chastise them professionally if you have to? I am as black as they come and the only way I will part with that is if I allow my freedom to express myself be taken away.

We were promised vigour in how corruption is dealt with but little did we know that this was going to be done at the price of press freedom.

-Remember, these are my opinions people- ngukhupa wam-

My sentiments on the tribunal and the rest of my weekend.

Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 11:28pm

Waking up today and delving into my Sunday routine which includes an hour or two on online publications. I just posted a status update about how crazy it is that the government wants to "control" the media but I felt like talking or expressing my opinion a lot more on the matter.

Without boring you, dear facebook friend and fellow blogger, below find some web published articles about the South African Media and what I feel the present government's intentions are with this tribunal. There are media houses that came to existence through funds from mining companies, I think its the best thing the ruling party can do if they want to expand their PR to Newspaper publishing.

They say history repeats itself. Under apartheid this is what the South African media had to contend with.

During the apartheid era, newspapers had to apply for registration if they published more than 11 times a year. An arbitrary amount was also required before registration was approved.

The government also enforced regulations controlling what newspapers could or could not publish, especially relating to articles and comment on activities against the apartheid system. Newspapers were, for instance, not allowed to quote banned organisations and their spokesmen, or report on conditions inside prisons or the activities of the security forces.

At the height of the anti-apartheid struggle in the 1980s, when two states of emergency were declared, censorship regulations were tightened. Newspapers were barred from reporting on any demonstrations or activity against the apartheid government or any of its laws.

For further reading please visit:http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/constitution/971558.htm

I also came across Professor Guy Burger's opinion piece in "Thought Leader", which I think best explains the intent with this media tribunal. I like the fact that Prof comes with recommendations as well. He did not just write a "nay" piece, it embodies what responsible journalism should be, interestingly enough the juicy bone of contention. Please read this article, to arm yourself when the topic crops up in the kitchen as you all go for the coffee machine to cure what I and a lot of South Africans know as bhabhalas or simply to look smart infront of the boss in your pitch or diary meeting.

You can find it on the link below:

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/guyberger/2010/08/04/taking-the-anc-tribunal-at-face-value/

mine is, so many facets of our society have fallen victim to scrupulous "tendencies" and taken advantage of by people who sit high up in the political hierarchy. An average South African does not have the time and resources to challenge some of these discrepancies and rape of resources by those who deem themselves worthier of this democracy and wealth. I say it once more, bulldoze your way to controlling the media, but you have one more person to spend the rest of your life quieting and that my "comrade-chief" is every South African with a cellphone and access to social media.

It's a known fact, well at least in the limited "back streets" of my mind that media ownership in this country is still predominantly white. The meeting with editors should be on how transformation can be achieved while growing the sector and its standards to be a reliable and representative voice of the African continent. Malicious, defamatory and gutter practices in any discipline should not be tolerated but dealt with. Free press keeps us all in check so hands off its deck.

That is my opinion and pardon any haemorrhage that the English Language might suffer because of my squeezing sense and meaning out of its body... but then again it is not my moeder taal. Askies William and Liz.

Okay I wish I could write further but I have to jump in the shower and go buy a present for a sweet ol' lady celebrating her birthday today. Happy birthday mam' Sasa.

By the way it is now a couple of minutes before 9pm. This was such a beautiful day. Paid a visit to the ol' lady and then made a turn to a moment I had been yearning for, This was lunch at one of my best friends' place. It was just one of those heart-warming moments. Even before we walked in, the was this sweet sound of toddlers redecorating one of the rooms (if you know what I mean). Then the sight of these faces that helped mould the person I am today through their friendship. My best friends with their partners and wives. The rest of the early evening was spent catching up. Tomorrow, I am back in the studio and await callbacks on some stuff. Oh, got to listen to Kate Turkington on Talk Radio 702 talking about her train ride to Cape Town and also feel like taking one going back to PE on Friday. They funniest thing is, my sister recommended a train ride last week just to clear my mind. The longest journey I had taken by train was from PE to Lurrie (yes, the Apple Express) many years ago courtesy of my parents. Let me sleep on this one.. A beautiful week to you rainbow nation.

This is the real Slyso by Sizwe "Slyso" Saliso

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 at 3:39am

I guess I won’t get to say thank you to Given Ntlebi, Augustine Nongawuza (you added colour to black radio and inspired me to stop hating speech breaks), Headbush family (you cracked this voice), TO Mbetshu (you taught me what “getting your” means), Rod Amner (words are too ineffectual), Jorgen Karelsson (Sweden- you taught me the language cameras spoke & understood), Jean and Peter Du Toit (Jean-you strangely made radio a beautiful challenge.. Peter- your love for print inspired my pen), Nick Grubb (you funnily showed me where the water was and that it was all in me to get there), Shadley Nash (patience is a virtue, thank you for wanting someone else to understand that), Vusi Noveve (my first professional radio gig), Nada Wotshela (whether it was survival or recognizing talent, you are still a sister until the end) Lifa Msimang, Doc Nomsobo, Fikile Lubisi,, Nieberg Magwa (your openness to change and allowing creativity to flow..that is what leaders do) and Desree Oliphant (I know what a brand is because of you, sister) on the professional front.

Luzuko Koti (your hunger has always been phenomenal..the beauty was that you didn’t only want it for yourself), Lulu”mamCirha” (your intelligence had always been misunderstood, one has to walk in your shoes to understand), Modise Kabeli (apart from my first Sotho lessons, you’d always been a true example of a township boy with a dream), Daluxolo Xhotyeni (I couldn’t help you drink the tea boss but your commitment to your community taught me what Ubuntu is), Paul Mtirara (Mary j seems to have a good man now, I guess we’d been nothing but fans of the greatest gift..music), Pastor Nozewu (a perfect example of “each one teach one” we remain a call away from each other boy), Amaza Ntshanga (the hunger for this dream was written in the respect and family grounding we shared boooy), Fezile Mpunzi (if teaching black journalistic expression were to be personified, I would point at you), Thoko Taiteng (beyond the call of duty, maternal instincts kick in, if mothers were to be like you in places of work, SA would be smiling), Mthobeli August (nje cuz ubuziphambanela wena tata..lol.) and the 5 producers (in 5 years) who had to deal with my short comings and triumphs on and off air. Last but not least my boss, Gugu, thanks for taking the load off, I love you many, many.
Last but not least, people I referred to as my BOSSES from day 1..CKI (True fm) and Umhlobo Wenene fm listeners. Ndifunde lukhulu ngomntu nobomi ngenxeni yenxaso nothando lwenu. I owe each and everyone of you my life. I hope you assist the station realize its next 50 years.
Oh, the radio I promised umama uNcandana in Motherwell and the Wheelchair yomphulaphuli eDebe will be delivered this weekend. Keep checking facebook for times and days and if you have groceries to spare you can come with us and make someone happy.
I will be sleeping on the street for 5 days in the name of charity in about a week’s time… watch this space.

Be on the look out for Slyso’s website, slyso.co.za and the release of the album is in August (a few songs on the album pay homage to these queens of Africa and the world). I am perfoming with a gospel group when they tour CT in a few weeks time. Keep checking Slyso’s profile and fan page for details.