Mohalenyane Phakela

BRITISH disc spinner and producer Charles Webster is set to headline the inaugural annual colour festival slated for October 29 at Maseru Club grounds.

It will be the renowned DJ’s first time in Lesotho where he will share the stage with local, South African and Botswana artistes. The likes of L-Tore, Stlofa, Lele Khesue, Kot Inferno, Jiji F, AfroDj, Zagro DJs, Hally, Thizozo, Trojan, Marvel, Vesta, Pablo, Tybzen, Dallas T, Razordasoul and KTA Kings are expected to form the local contingent while Botswana’s Ban T, DJ Khenzo, Nuno Purtez and Mr Massie as well as South Africa’s Duncan, DJ Finzo and another “surprise act” will complete the line-up at the event.

The event is the brainchild of regional entertainment outfit, Colours of Sound, which operates in Lesotho, Botswana, South Africa and Swaziland. It hosts annual festivals in those countries at different times of the year with the inaugural Lesotho edition being dubbed Lesotho Colour Festival.

According to the Lesotho publicist, Dallas T, it would be a colour festival because there is a use of 5k colours (made from food supplements) which are sprayed all over the venue. In addition, every reveller should also be covered in those different colours. The 5k colour concept was introduced to Lesotho during last year’s Motswako Invasion at Victoria Poolside in Maseru.

“The introduction phase was well received by patrons last year and so we felt compelled to continue blessing Basotho with this unique event,” Dallas T said.

Colour of Sound founder Mr Massie said their events were aimed at fostering unity among the four African countries.

“The festival started in Botswana before spreading to Swaziland, South Africa and Botswana as the aim was to bring these nations together as we speak the same language with related customs.

“The idea is to break boundaries and give artistes new platforms outside their comfort zones. Just as we are bringing artists from those countries, we will also take at least two from Lesotho to perform at the Botswana edition in December.

He said they could take more Basotho artistes to Botswana provided “someone meets us halfway by covering transport costs while we pay the performance fee”.

“We are not only looking at popular acts but artistes who are making an effort to ensure that their products hit the market, irrespective of the genre.

“This in turn promotes tourism among the four countries for if a Lesotho artiste makes an impression in Botswana, surely patrons from that side will come for the Lesotho edition and vice versa,” he said.

“Through our shows we sell a happy atmosphere of the 5k colours. These colouring powders have been tested and they can be eaten, they are safe for the skin and can easily be washed out with water without using soap.

“On the day of the show, we will play games of four colours. Each colour will be shot from its corner so that they blend in the air as they fall on the revellers and this will happen every two hours. Attendees will also be presented with four colour packets upon arrival to play around with.

“We invest more in the production of the show to give everybody a remarkable experience. We have injected close to M400 000 into the Lesotho edition but we are not expecting to make profits at the moment as we believe the event is a good investment which will put Lesotho on the map and reward us later on,” he said.

Eunice

Mohalenyane Phakela

THE curtain finally fell down on the fifth edition of the Vodacom Superstars with the winners of the talent search competition’s four categories being crowned during a musical fiesta held on Saturday at Maseru Club.

It was a moment to savour for the winners; Step Up (Dance), Eunice (Music), Rizzy Ray (Female DJ) and Thizozo (Male DJ) while at the same time being a case of what might have been for the runners up who had also given everything to become Vodacom Superstars.

The artistes performed for the judges and fans in the final quest to land the M70 000 prize money as well as a deal with South Africa’s Kalawa Jazmee record stable.

The singers each performed alongside a live band and had the opportunity to feature backup singers as well as dancers to strengthen their performances.

The dancers danced to different songs within their 15 minute slot during which they executed different moves while the DJs were given 30 minutes per set.

In the music category, Motseki Le Lesiba came second and Skebz D came third while in dance, KTA Kings were second with Captain Movers in third place.

The Female DJ runner ups were DJ EL Asla and Lady Dee respectively while DJ Tybzen and MonyaseDJ were second and third respectively in the male category.

The first runners up in each category received M40 000 while the second runner ups got M20 000.

In addition to the M70 000 prize money, the four winners were also rewarded with the chance to showcase their talents at South African-based music legend Oskido’s Kalawa Jazmee.

Step Up will feature in one of Kalawa Jazmee top artistes’ music videos, Eunice will record a single at Kalawa Jazmee studios in Midrand while the two DJs will share the stage with Oskido in his two South African gigs in December.

The overwhelmed Step Up trio said their prize money will end their long route of struggle.

“We had so many dreams even which failed to materialise due to lack of funds as we are all students,” said the group’s leader Parries Michael Batloung Rajake.

“Our dream is to have a dance studio where we can teach children different dance routines from free style to ballroom. We also plan to have a high schools tour where we would be recruiting those who are passionate about dance to join our movement and the prize money will help cover costs,” he said.

He said they almost gave up on several occasions during the competition but were often motivated by the judges’ comments.

“The dance groups we were competing with had so much support and were very organised whereas we did not even have uniform outfits to look presentable. We also used an open area in Lithabeneng to practice since we did not have a proper venue and we could not practice properly as we often attracted onlookers.

“When we made it to the top 10 finalists, we did not have money to vote. We did a door-to-door campaign asking for votes and also performed for free at different shows in exchange for votes.

“Judges did not just complain about our performance but also told us how we could do better,” he said, adding,  “so when we prepared for today (final) we fused all the styles that had captivated the judges’ attention and spiced them in a way which would melt everybody’s hearts”.

Another winner DJ Reezy Ray revealed that she had only been deejaying for two weeks when she auditioned on July 9 for the competition. She said she believes she won because of the assistance from 2013 Vodacom Superstars winner PabloDJ as well as the confidence she oozed on the day.

“I have always been an introvert so this competition was quite challenging as it was my first time playing in front of strangers. I was quite nervous but once I played the first track and got a positive feedback from the crowd I gained confidence,” said DJ Reezy Ray.

“It still feels like a dream for I was competing with people who have been in this game for a long time. My secret weapon was humility, hard work and learning something new every day.

“I am already part of the movement which is trying to return House music to its glory days so my intention is to recruit more ladies push for them to be considered by promoters as artistes that can draw crowds. I will use this M70 000 to get my own equipment to make it easier to achieve this goal,” she said.

The crowning ceremony was immediately followed by the after-party where revelers celebrated by dancing the night away. Oskido started the celebrations by playing Hip Hop tunes which was a departure from his customary House sets.

Last year’s Vodacom Superstars Vesta, Linah, L-Tore and Converse Heroes kept the energy alive with scintillating performances. South African trio Four also made sure to leave an impression on their maiden performance in Lesotho.

Motswako rapper Kwesta brought the house down with his club banger Ngud’ which had the crowd singing at the top of their voices. The curtain finally came down at midnight forcing patrons to reluctantly trace their steps to their homes.

Mohalenyane Phakela

POPULAR South African fitness trainer and wellness motivator, Sbahle Mpisane, is scheduled to host a boot camp at Maseru Club grounds on Saturday.

Mpisane’s visit, which has been creating a lot of buzz on the streets of Maseru, was facilitated by Little Feet Foundation (LFF).

Founded in 2014, LFF is a non-profit oriented organisation with the primary objective of providing psychological assistance to vulnerable children in the country.

So far it has assisted nine children’s homes in Maseru and Mafeteng.

It runs projects such as Lesotho Costume Party, Lesotho Baby of the Year, Little Feet Colouring Book, Little Feet Food Trucks and Little Shop which sells handmade Seshoeshe shoes and children’s toys among other things.

In a statement released by its marketing department this week, LFF said the Saturday event was a fund-raising initiative while also promoting healthy lifestyles among locals.

”Little Feet is a foundation that deals primarily with children’s psychological issues. Psychology is influenced by health and fitness and this cuts across different age groups,” reads part of the statement.

“The boot camp is another campaign aimed at highlighting the Little Feet brand and promoting good health.

“LFF will also use the boot camp to launch its club membership which is a fundraising platform with benefits for children and adults. All age groups are welcome to attend the boot camp.”

LFF described Mphisane as a leading fitness instructor with an impressive resume who served as an “inspiration to women”.

To date, she has more than 345 000 followers in South Africa and Lesotho.

“She will run a boot camp which we believe will ignite a healthy and positive lifestyle while we will achieve massive brand reach and brand advocacy through our association with her and her followership,” LFF further stated.

Mohalenyane Phakela

THE National University of Lesotho campus will this weekend host an array of fun-filled activities to celebrate Halloween.

Halloween is a celebration observed in a number of countries on 31 October. Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, costume parties, playing pranks and visiting haunted attractions.

Dubbed “Run For Cover Weekend”, the two day event will kick-start on Saturday with a paintball game during the day followed by a musical show in the evening. The paintball game will continue on Sunday.

Paintball is a game in which players eliminate opponents from play by hitting them with dye-filled, breakable, oil and gelatin paintballs, or pellets, usually shot from a “paintball marker”.

During the Saturday evening show, artists such as Juvy, Trybs, El’Asla, Lym and Box Fr3sh among others are lined up to entertain the crowd. Revellers will also get a chance to smoke the hookah, colloquially known as a hubbly bubbly or an okka pipe.

The fiesta is being organised by events outfit Close Up, whose representative Khotso Sematlane told the Weekender it was meant to commemorate Halloween.

“The Saturday event was basically intended to be a Blue Christmas (Halloween) party only with music, hubbly bubbly and funny costumes,” he said this week.

“But we later realised that other people may not make it on Sunday for the paintball games hence the decision to feature the extreme game on both days.”

He said the event was a fun way to enjoy the outdoors and break the monotony of the usual entertainment activities.

“Outdoors are a perfect way to do away with the stress and depression associated with everyday life and an escape from the usual offerings of the entertainment scene in the Mountain Kingdom,” said Sematlane.

“Getting in touch with nature helps refresh the mind and to get a perfect start to the new week.”

He also revealed that they had been hosting events of that nature since last year.

“This is the third edition of our outdoor activities. Our plan is to host two each year but we only held one last year which was our debut edition.

“We have array of adventurous activities including camping, hiking and hookah expos but just chose to host paintball this time. We will be offering attendees the gear to wear during the games so that the paints do not damage their clothing,” Sematlane said.

Mohalenyane Phakela

FOUR Botswana artistes are set to lock horns with two local rappers at the second edition of the LEBO music festival slated for 28 October this year at the Victory Centre in Moshoeshoe II.

The LEBO acronym was derived from the first two letters of the two countries Lesotho and Botswana.

The event is the brainchild of the Botswana entertainment group, Sold-Out Entertainment as an initiative to promote arts and cultural exchange between the two sister countries.

The inaugural edition was held in Masianokeng on the outskirts of Maseru in 2014.

This year’s edition dubbed Makhirikhiri Invasion will see local rappers Dunamis and Juvy share the stage with Motswana traditional musician Shumba Ratshega and rappers MMemo, Baxon as well as Lanie.

Sold-Out Entertainment representative Kaelo Sabone this week told the Weekender that they first performed in the country at the 2012 Morija Arts and Cultural Festival and returned the following year for the Harvest FM 10^th Anniversary Celebrations.

“With those two visits we realised that we have so much in common. Although our cultural music differs our style of Hip Hop is the same,” Sabone said, adding, “We then realised that there was an opportunity for Basotho and Batswana to exchange music hence the LEBO concept”.

“Batswana and Basotho artistes seek better platforms in South Africa where there are already many artistes from across Southern Africa, so LEBO will enable them to create their own niche in unsaturated markets.

“At the moment popular Basotho artistes in Botswana are Tsepo Tsola and Bhudaza, so this will help introduce more acts. It is also good because musicians get royalties in Botswana for the airplay and we hope Lesotho will follow suit.”

He said the same line-up will perform in Botswana in December with more shows expected next year.

He also said the 2014 event was no more than a pilot project and this time they would “go big”.

“We failed to secure a traditional music act from Lesotho as those we tried to book took time to respond but we hope that when the show returns to Botswana there will be someone to represent Lesotho’s traditional music.

“Since the aim is to create a market for artistes on both sides, we hope to stage these shows every month, interchanging between the two countries.

“The next edition will be a gospel exchange show early next month and in future Jazz music will also be featured,” he said.

Sabone said with time the shows would be recorded on DVDs which would be sold and broadcast on television to benefit the artistes.

Mohalenyane Phakela

PATRONS should expect the best of House, Hip Hop, RnB and Kwaito music at the official launch of the newly-established Ahava Sports Bar and Grill on Saturday.

Located in the Khali Hotel compound in Maseru, the joint is now under a new management, hence the catchy new name, which signals an intention to take the hotel’s beverages and meat outlet back to its former glory days.

The once sought after hangout venue had an elegant atmosphere that attracted revelers even when there were no special events but it somehow lost its way largely as a result of the advent of competing joints.

However, this could all change after the establishment of Ahava Sports Bar and Grill with its fresh and appealing setup of strategically located plasma television screens and a fully operational Shisa Nyama (braai place).

“We hope to take Khali back to its glory days with this fresh setup although we do not expect that to happen overnight as it takes time to win back people’s trust and loyalty,” organiser and co-owner of the club, Ndaba Matshe told the Weekender this week.

“Ahava will offer a different atmosphere from that of other clubs and our target market is everyone who is legally allowed to enter a bar.

“We have chosen to fuse the four genres which have always been popular on the local entertainment scene namely, Hip Hop, RnB, House and Kwaito. Most joints often serve just one of those which narrows the market choices since some people love more than one genre. On the line up we have DJs who actually ‘grew up’ in Khali and know the type of vibe the venue used to have,” he said.

Disc spinners Da Starr and Diboza will belt out Hip Hop and RnB tunes while DJ Wicks, Sammy T and Khotso M will deliver the House and Kwaito tunes.

“We also aim to provide local acts with the much needed platform so we will have an open mic session from time to time to allow them to showcase their skills irrespective of the popularity and if they win the revelers’ hearts, we will host them on regular basis,” he said.

Mohalenyane Phakela

REVELERS will be spoilt for choice this weekend with the array of entertainment events lined up in different parts of the country starting tomorrow.

FRIDAY

KETEU EP LAUNCH

South African-based Hip Hop muso Kommanda Obbs will launch his extended project (EP) titled Keteu at Club 4Fordy in Khubetsoana. He is expected to perform seven tracks from the offering including Ke Tauoe Fu which is currently receiving airplay on some of the South African radio stations. Supporting acts will include Andrianto, Tšepe Motopela, J Cob, Meloh, Leomile, Majuka and Palycetra.

MAKIRIKIRI INVASION

Four Batswana artistes are due in the country for the second edition of the LEBO Music Project. The project is aimed at promoting musical exchanges between Lesotho and Botswana hence the name LEBO which is an acronym derived from the names of the two countries. Traditional Tswana musician Shumba Ratshega and rappers Mmemo, Baxon as well as Lanie will share the stage with local acts Dunamis and Juvy at Victory Hall in Moshoeshoe II.

SATURDAY

BEER, MEAT AND BANDS FESTIVAL

This will be the first in what should become annual festivals and it will be held at Baduza Family Park from morning till evening. Patrons should expect to sample different beers courtesy of SAB Miller while there will be traditional and modern foods galore. A cooking competition has also been lined up. The likes of Leomile, Majisto, Acoustic Duo and Jukebox are expected to heat up the stage with their performances.

LESOTHO COLOUR FESTIVAL

Maseru Club grounds will be filled with 5k colour powders during the inaugural Lesotho Colour Festival. The 5k colours are said to be safe for the skin, eyes and clothing and they can also be easily washed away. Fireworks are expected from the likes of American DJ and vocalist Harrison Crump, British Disc spinner and producer Charles Webster, Batswana artists (Mr Massie, Ban T and Khenzo), South African acts (Duncan and DJ Finzo) and a horde of local acts including Kot Inferno, Dj Marvel, Zagro DJs, L-Tore, AxoMind, Kaytee Fresh, KTA Kings, Kopper, Hally, Afro DJ and Dallas T.

MISS LESOTHO SUNDAY EXPRESS 2017

Twenty six models will contest for the prestigious national beauty title at the Victory Hall in Moshoeshoe II. The winner will serve as brand ambassador of the Sunday Express publication as well as engage in several community projects. She will also represent Lesotho at next year’s Miss World pageant. Entertainment will be provided by Sir Schaba, Mobstar, Twin & Mitchel and the Change among artistes.

SWITCHMAN CD LAUNCH

Kwaito star, Switchman will launch his debut album titled Sejo Sa Tlhaho at Ea Rona Logde in Masianokeng. The 2013 Vodacom Superstar winner will be supported by South African acts Lady D, Glenstar and Stoan Candi as well as local artistes such as Lele Khesue, Stlofa, Gudoza, Skebz D, Drigger, Rifle 3 Shots, Blaze and Ray. 

1^st ANNUAL INDEPENDENCE SHOW

Ozone Club in Hlotse will bring the curtain down on their Independence celebrations with beach-style event that will feature music acts as well as sporting activities like volleyball and netball. Some of the performers expected to grace the event are Apollo Ntabanyane, Bhudaza, Fatere, Afro Sound Band, Senqu Jazz Band, Mavele, DJ Tseko, Trybz, Mekonko, Juvy, Jcob and Mookho to name a few alongside South African DJ Lovers, Stone Candi and Pale Rose with former Generations (SABC soapie) stars, Senzo and Jason as the MCs.

MISS GAY 2016

People’s Matrix Association will host the third edition of their annual Miss Gay pageant at Victoria Hotel in Maseru. The organisation conducts advocacy work on behalf of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgendered and intersex people.

CLAP AND TAP MUSIC SHOW

Multi award-winning South African community choir, Lejoe La Motheo, is set to make its debut appearance in Lesotho at Victory Hall in Moshoeshoe II. Lejoe la Motheo will be hosted by local choral group, Balopolloa Ba Morena and will share the stage with local acts Stlofa and Fire Ministries. On Sunday the group heads to Thaba Bosiu Cultural Village for various cultural activities including dances like Mokhibo and Ntlamo. 

RUN FOR COVER WEEKEND

The event will kick-off with a paintball game during the day which will be followed by a music show in the evening to celebrate the Halloween season. Local acts such as Juvy, Trybs, El’Asla, Lym and Box Fr3sh will entertain patrons. The paintball games will continue to Sunday.

SUNDAY

MUSIC BEYOND BOUNDARIES

4Fordy Club plays host to the House Music Explosion featuring South African disc spinners Soulful Pex, Analogue, SK Dog and G Vlei as well as local DJs Mekonko, Tshepzadj, Thoxie, Milano and Spooner. The South African edition of this event will be staged in December.

Mohalenyane Phakela

VICTORY Restaurant Hall in Moshoeshoe will on Saturday host the Miss Lesotho Sunday Express 2017 pageant in which 26 contestants will vie for the prestigious crown.

In addition to representing Lesotho at the 67th edition of the Miss World 2017 pageant, the winner of the Miss Lesotho Sunday Express 2017 title will also be awarded a six-month industrial training opportunity at Africa Media Holdings (AMH).

AMH are the publishers of the Lesotho Times and Sunday Express, who are also sponsoring the pageant.

According to Sunday Express Special Projects Coordinator, Motsilisi Khasake, the industrial training is meant to sharpen the winner’s professional and practical skills.

“The internship programme will enable the title holder to sharpen her skills or simply learn from scratch how a business operates while also adding experience to her resume,” she said.

“Every job or vacancy in the country requires a certain amount of experience which is quite unfair for people who have just graduated. As a result, many graduates end up spending many years after varsity without employment.”

Khasake said the winner would have the option of working in one of AMH’s various departments.

“We have about four departments within the company which include editorial, marketing, production and accounts,” she said.

“So the winner will choose any of those departments based on what she is studying at school or basically the field she is interested in. She will spend a minimum of six months with us.”

The internship, Khasake said, was also meant to equip the winner with skills to compete at the Miss World 2017 pageant

“We have realised that previous title holders failed to last the distance at the international level because they did not have the requisite qualities or training. So the internship programme and other personality-building activities she will engage in during her reign will help her in that regard,” she said.

“We need a beautiful lady who is creative, intelligent and with a lot of confidence while also being open to learning new things that will build her career.

“The title holder is still expected to abide by pageantry rules such as not getting pregnant or married during her reign. We also expect her to conduct herself in a manner that will not tarnish AMH’s image.”

Tourism Minister Likeleli Tampana is among the dignitaries expected to grace the event with a number of local acts such as Sir Schaba, Mobstar the Champ and Twin & Mitchell billed to perform.

Mohalenyane Phakela

THE Lesotho Colour Festival could soon become a highly sought-after event on the country’s entertainment calendar if the pomp and fanfare of the inaugural event of the past weekend is anything to go by.

The first edition, held at Maseru Club ground got off to flying start with electrifying performances from local, South African, Botswana, American as well as British acts.

The use of the 5K colours certainly added to the glamour and vibrancy of the occasion.

The 5k colours were sprayed across the venue every two hours to create a bright atmosphere among revelers who were more than happy to be covered in the harmless and easily washable food colouring powders.

The event kicked off in the afternoon with a loud and clear sound system that could be heard from a long way off. There was also a pleasant deviation from the norm which was achieved through interchanging the performances by local and foreign acts, rather than the standard where the former generally perform first.

And the artistes also bucked the trend of leaving soon after performing, choosing to stay on and enjoy the rest of the show with revelers and fellow artistes.

Some of the acts that set the stage on fire included American singer and House DJ Harrison Crump, British producer and DJ Charles Webster.

Local acts included L-Tore, Stlofa, Lele Khesue, Kot Inferno, Jiji F, AfroDj, Zagro DJs, Hally, Thizozo, Trojan, Marvel, Vesta, Pablo, Tybzen, Dallas T, Razordasoul and KTA Kings alongside Botswana’s Ban T, DJ Khenzo, Nuno Purtez and Mr Massie as well as South Africa’s Duncan and DJ Finzo.

The festival is the brainchild of regional entertainment company, Colours of Sound, which operates in Lesotho, Botswana, South Africa and Swaziland.

It hosts annual festivals in these countries at different times of the year and Basotho acts are expected to feature at the Botswana edition next month.

The much anticipated Harrison Crump’s performance started during the early hours of Sunday morning at 5am when many people were starting to think he had bailed out of performing.

His delivery of club bangers such as No No No, Just Stomp Your Feet, No more Lies and his classic banger Once Again which came by unanimous appeal from the crowd, made it worthwhile for revelers who had patiently waited for him.

The crowd appeared sad when it was time to go, reluctantly trooping out of the venue at 6am after the final performance from Crump.

Crump expressed his joy at the reception he received, adding he would seize the opportunity to return to the country for more performances in future.

“As an artist you get very worried when performing for a totally new crowd. You wonder if you will be able to engage them,” he said, adding, “Basotho are very welcoming as they screamed from the moment I stepped on stage and sang along to every song. I look forward to coming back,” he said.

His sentiments were echoed by Charles Webster who said this was one of the “best shows I have been to and the people also know how to party”.

The colours also added an exciting flavour and a spectacular view which compelled me to stay on and party till the end,” he said.

Mohalenyane Phakela

THE inaugural Beer, Meat and Bands Festival which was held at Baduza Park in Maseru this week, lived up to its billing, attracting scores of revelers as well as corporate entities to sample sumptuous food dishes on offer as well as entertaining musical performances.

Local companies turned the venue into a veritable sea of colour with their branded gazebos and stretch tents which provided an escape from the blazing sun.

Each company was presented with a braai stand, a tray full of pork, beef and boerewors to prepare and eat together with cool refreshing beverages.

Maluti Mountain Brewery co-owners SAB Miller ensured there were no shortages of refreshments, serving some of their top brands that included Milk Stout, Castle Lite, Maluti, Hansa and Castle.

They also provided draught beer that came in different drums, allowing revelers to help themselves to their preferred brands in branded plastic cups.

The festival enabled patrons to mingle in a relaxed environment while company officials also got the opportunity to exchange business cards and ideas.

There was also a flea market for locally produced products while revelers also had the opportunity to engage in a paintball shooting game.

RnB and Jazz musician Majisto was the first to perform on stage with his four piece band and they had the audience eating out of their hands with memorable performances of original and internationally popular tracks.

The original songs included hits like Torofeye and Mantilatilane while international compositions included the ever-popular Let’s Get It On by the late American soul icon Marvin Gaye.

Songstress Leomile’s performance was typically soul food with harmonious sounds from her debut offering Pula Molomo which was released last month. Arguably the highlight of her performance was the song Lerato Le Felile which was nominated for this year’s forthcoming Ultimate Music Awards in the Song of the Year category.

The visiting acts were not to be outdone with eye catching performances of their own that justified bringing them all the way from the Gauteng Province in South Africa.

Theirs might have been completely different and unusual sounds but that did not stop the revelers dancing and clapping their hands in appreciation of the separate performances of Acoustic Duo from Johannesburg and Jukebox from Pretoria.

The end certainly came too soon for most patrons who stayed on for an after party at the nearby Ba.One Restaurant.

Sechaba sa Rantsho’s Makgotso Nkosi (poet)

Mohalenyane Phakela

TWO local arts groups, Back to the Woods (BTTW) and Ragga Vybz are set to take part in in the inaugural Africa Unite Camp at Mothong Heritage Site in Pretoria, South Africa from today till Sunday.

The camp is the brainchild of South African arts activist, Sechaba Sa Rantsho, aimed at uniting Africans through various activities such as cultural exchanges, theatre, music, poetry, environmental exploration, yoga and mind relaxation.

The event will be held under the theme ‘Beyond the mind of the oppressed’.

“The camp seeks to promote relations among the African Diaspora as well as create an African agenda to help improve the African narrative,” Sechaba Sa Rantsho’s Makgotso Nkosi said in an interview with the Weekender this week.

“We aim to create a space where issues concerning Africans can be discussed and solutions derived.

“We will undertake a tour to learn about African medicinal plants from an expert as we believe this is important in taking us back to our origins and the lifestyle of healing apart from pharmaceutical products. The knowledge and preservation of African plants is gradually being lost.

“The dialogue is also essential and it will feature individuals who delve into Africanism, its meaning and what a decolonised Africa should look like. The speakers will include Lefifi Tladi, Matshelo Motsei and Thau Thau from the Rastafarian movement.”

She said they would also climb the Thaba ya Mogale Mountain which is a sacred heritage site that hosts most of the spiritual activities in Mamelodi in Pretoria including the sacred initiation school of the Pedi people and a Rasta village.

She said in addition to returning a favour, they had invited BTTW because they had a lot in common.

“BTTW hosted one of our own (Azah) as a guest performer during their camp in August and our relationship was established as we realised we had a common interest in shaping the African story and nurturing art,” she said.

For his part, BTTW’s Lekhema Malakia said they were looking forward to getting international exposure from the event.

“We will learn a lot about Africa as there will be a lecture by a historian about Africanism and will also mingle with other ethnic groups,” Malakia said, adding they hosted Sechaba Sa Rantsho in August and realised they shared a common passion for arts.

Mohalenyane Phakela

LOCAL ladies will be joined by their Batswana and South African counterparts at a fashion and entrepreneurial camp on 26 November at Banesa Gardens in Sehlabeng in the Berea district.

Dubbed the ‘Military Camp’, the event was organised by the Divas Network Lesotho with the aim of empowering women through various entrepreneurial and entertainment activities.

The theme of the day will be the military style regalia that has taken over from the all-white look in fashion.

Divas Network Lesotho representative, Tsholo Motsie, this week told the Weekender they would also launch a mobile application at the event as part of their efforts to empower women.

“Our primary objective has always been to give women an entrepreneurial platform where they can showcase and sell their products hence all our events have a flea market, Motsie said.

“The whole idea is to encourage women to support each other in business. We will also take the opportunity to launch a mobile application which will contain the database of women entrepreneurs in the country.

“All our events carry a fashion theme to make them more exciting and meaningful. Besides military attire being extremely stylish, this will also symbolise that women are warriors.”

She said they would also raise funds for the #HlokomelaBanana initiative aimed at addressing the sanitary towels problem affecting young girls.

“We hope to reach out to at least one school per district from each of the events we host.

“We will also commemorate 16 days of activism against child and women abuse,” she said.

Established in August this year, the Divas Network is a network of women bound by the common aims of empowering, motivating and encouraging harmony and inter-dependence among women from different backgrounds.

“We target women in business, aspiring entrepreneurs, leading women in communities, careers and any woman looking to gain knowledge, support and resources across a wide range of industries and interests,” Motsie said.

“One of our primary objectives is to fulfill our job creation mandate, #500jobsbydec2017. It is a huge task to create jobs for women through the network and we aim to ensure that women understand and support this initiative.

“We have also noted that large numbers of women are not able to balance their personal and social lives, so this event will take them out of both corporate and family environments and give them the opportunity to recharge.”

She said although there were Diva Networks in South Africa and Botswana, the concept started in Lesotho.

“The mother network remains the Diva Network Lesotho which holds copyrights. Due to its popularity we have joined forces with Botswana and South Africa to establish similar networks which will run under the leadership and auspices of the Lesotho network. The network has gone international in a very short space of time,” she said.

Mohalenyane Phakela

TWENTY seven local and South African groups will battle for honours in the popular Standard Lesotho Bank African Melody Festival (SLB AMF) this Sunday at ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre in Maseru.

This year’s 14^th edition of the annual choirs’ competition will feature a new Interdenominational category in addition to the usual Standard and Large categories.

The competition was launched in 2003 by the Choral Music Federation of Lesotho (CMFL) to uplift choral music in the country. In 2014 the contest opened its doors to South African choirs as a gesture of reciprocation since Basotho often compete in South African competitions.

CMFL spokesperson, Khotola Mokoto this week told the Weekender that the Interdenominational category had been introduced to cater for church choirs.

“Most of our choirs are made up of members from different local churches therefore leaving church choirs in a position where they cannot compete with such choirs so it was necessary to create a category which would cater for them,” Mokoto said.

“The other two categories are for community choirs but they differ because the Large section is for established choirs that have at least 49 members while the standard focuses on upcoming choirs with less than 49 members.”

He said the new category will feature St Gerald LCYM, Roma Melodies LCYM, St Damien LCYM, St Luke LCYM, Sekamaneng LEC, Maseru LEC and Samaria Church Choir.

The Large category will feature choirs such as Maseru City Choral, Mohapeloa Singers, Serumula Performing Arts Academy, Mafeteng Choristers, Ben Marcato, SAPS Choristers, Central University of Technology Choir and Free State Choristers.

The likes of Qeme Chorus, Maletsunyane, Gruenput Choral, Maseru Harmonic Voices, Motheo College, St Emile LCYM, Sounds of the South, Maestro Cantabile, St Gerald Serenade Youth Choir, Berea Marvelous Voices, National University of Lesotho Choir and Mofumahali oa Tlholo LCYM will participate in the Standard category.

“In each category, the choirs have an option of four songs from which to select two to compete in.

“We held a workshop for all the choirs in August where we had choral specialists who explained the requirements of the competition as well as the characteristics of each of the 12 songs and how best they could sing them,” he said.

Mohalenyane Phakela

ULTIMATE FM has hit out at songstress Leomile for taking to social media instead of engaging the radio station over the cancellation of a performance deal for last Saturday’s Ultimate Music Awards at ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre in Maseru.

The Lerato Le Felile hit maker took to Facebook on Friday to announce her withdrawal from the event citing the organisers’ alleged failure to cover her band’s transport from her Johannesburg base to Lesotho.

“It is with great disappointment that I have to announce my withdrawal as a performer at the Ultimate Music Awards 2016,” Leomile said on the social media site.

She said Ultimate FM had offered her a non-negotiable performance fee of M8 000 which was not enough to cover costs she would incur in bringing the band as well as accommodation.

“I made them aware of other costs involved such as transport and accommodation and was told that there is no budget for that. After a little tug of war I relented and said I would accommodate the band at my own home. However, transport would be the burden of the organisers

Leomile said she was “shocked” to later discover that Ultimate FM would no longer be providing transport.

She claimed she was also told “they would see what they can do” and “put together the money” when her manager enquired about the performance fee.

“On Tuesday (last week) we realised that time was running out and demanded a firm answer to all our questions but again we were told that they could not provide transportation, and with regards to the payment, they thought the latest it will be processed is Friday, just a day before the event whereas the unsigned contract stated that payment should be done three days in advance,” Leomile said, adding that left her no choice but to cancel her participation as the money offered would not suffice to cover transport costs.

However, Ultimate FM Station Director ‘Mabatho Lithebe this week told the Weekender her office was “greatly disappointed” by Leomile’s decision to air the issue on social media instead of first engaging them.

Lithebe said they entered into a verbal agreement with Leomile last month, along with other South African-based artistes including Maleh and Matli Mohapeloa.

“We had agreed with each artiste about payment and had promised we would transfer funds into their accounts latest by Friday,” Lithebe said.

“It came to my attention on Friday that Leomile demanded transport for herself and the band which is something we had not agreed upon.”

“I then tried to call her so we could reach a solution but then her phone kept ringing without being answered.”

She said Ultimate FM was devoted to promoting local artistes and not to exploiting them, adding the awards ceremony was one of such initiatives.

“Remember, we also booked various local artistes to grace the event, paying them with the little money we had.

“My door is always open for anyone and I expect people to communicate with me whatever issues they have regarding the station. I expected Leomile to do the same and not air our dirty laundry in public, especially on social media.

“How does she expect our relations to be after this or how is she expecting other event organisers to perceive her if she cannot be professional? I am greatly disappointed,” Lithebe said.

Another Ultimate FM official, Mpho Moletsane, said Leomile had only notified them at the last minute that she needed M3 000 to cover transport costs.

Moletsane said she made several attempts to call Leomile two weeks before the awards to get her account number for payment purposes but her phone went unanswered and “she only got back to me the following week demanding M3 000 on top of the M8000 booking fee”.

“I told her that we could not afford that for we had already submitted her invoice to the sponsors who were incurring the booking costs so it would not be professional to change it at that time but she just simply said she will not come if we do not pay that amount, arguing that we only have money to pay South African artistes but not her.

“I personally booked 21 rooms in two local hospitality facilities on behalf of the station for artistes who would be coming from South Africa which means she was catered for. But wanted her band to sleep in Ladybrand, South Africa) and when we refused she said she would rather cater for them at her own home in Ha Thetsane,” Moletsane said.

Mohalenyane Phakela

MEMBERS of popular South African choral group Joyous Celebration will on Saturday headline the inaugural Summer Gospel Festival at Lehakoe Recreation Centre in Maseru.

The show is the brainchild of Braykthru Media and Slash Events, with sponsorship from Lesotho Post Bank and Data Deal Security.

The music extravaganza is set to become an annual event.

Seven artistes from popular South African Gospel outfit, Joyous Celebration, namely, Andiswa Mbantsa, Zofo Nhlanhla, Mercy Manqele, Xolly Mcwango, Ayanda Shange, Sbusiso Mthembu and Vuyelwa Oke are expected to perform at the event. They will share the stage with local acts including the likes of Tehilla Africa, Makoanyane Ntlama, Tšepo Kherenchane, Yadah Praise Family and Oasis Praise Family.

Braykthru Media representative Benedict “Benny B” Mokhatla this week told the Weekender that the aim was to host the biggest gospel show to give exposure to local acts.

“We have so many talented local musicians that need to be heard by people capable of helping them flourish,” Mokhatla said, adding, “Massive shows like this can attract prominent figures that can help achieve that goal.

He said they had chosen local acts on the basis of their “hard work and potential of going places”.

The multi-award winning Joyous Celebration choir was formed in 1994 and has released 20 albums to date.

It is seen as a perfect platform for grooming solo South African artistes as from time to time, the founders (Lindelani Mkhize, Jabu Hlongwane and Mthunzi Namba) change members to offer others the same platform and exposure. The choir has 35 members.

“Joyous Celebration is one of the groups whose hard work has been witnessed throughout the entire world with its other members also making names for themselves as solo artists,” Mokhatla said.

“We believe local acts will be able to learn a thing or two from sharing the stage with them.

“The other reason is that the group has never been in Lesotho although it is loved by many. We could only bring a few members this time but the aim is to host the whole choir at the second edition next year,” he said.

Event coordinator Peter Mahase said the festival testified to the growth of the country’s Christian entertainment scene with shows attracting well established acts.

“This event will be a massive worship and praise celebration that Lesotho has ever seen. It is the first time our Mountain Kingdom will host a great number of members of such a profound and well-known gospel group,” Mahase said.

Mohalenyane Phakela

WINNERS of the third edition of the Ultimate Music Awards (UMAs) will receive money for the first time as part of their prizes next week.

The UMAs are the brainchild of Ultimate FM radio station aimed at recognising and rewarding outstanding local artistes in various categories.

Ultimate FM Station Director, ‘Mabatho Lithebe, said they had set out to improve the awards every year hence the prize money for this year’s winners which had been availed by corporate sponsors.

The awards were sponsored by Econet Telecom Lesotho, Standard Lesotho Bank, Rock The City SA, Metropolitan Lesotho, Alliance Insurance, LSP Construction, Blackmix Lesotho, Braykthru Media, Dream Wedding, M&A Security, Lesotho Flour Mills and UNESCO.

“We are pleased to announce that this year we will be able to give prize money which we failed to provide in the past,” Lithebe said.

“In the past two editions we only managed to offer a trophy and other equipment such as mini studios but this year we are humbled by the support from different companies for it is through them that the prize money will be available,” she said.

She said the UMAs were part of the national radio station’s continuing efforts to uplift local musicians who “continue to excel even in the dire conditions of their industry”.

“It is also through this initiative that we advocate for international platforms and appreciation of local artistes for we Basotho often value foreign acts more than our own,” she said.

Meanwhile, the third instalment of the UMAs lived up to expectations before a packed ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre on Saturday night. Communications Minister Serialong Qoo, the ministry’s Principal Secretary Tšeliso Khomari and former minister Khotso Letsatsi graced the event.

This was the first time that the crowning ceremony was held indoors and there was glitz and glamour with the dressed-to-kill stars receiving a red-carpet reception upon arrival. A big projection screen followed their every move and displayed the names of the nominees in the 13 categories.

South African-based rapper J Cob won the Song of the Year award for the second year running, L-Tore won the Best Hip Hop and Best Compilation award and veteran Famo musician Phau Manyetse bagged the Lifetime Achiever award.

Other winners were Titos Da DJ (Dance Album), Cablo Nice (Kwaito Album), Stlofa (Urban Contemporary), Malehlohonolo Mphou (Gospel Album), Tsiee (Afro Pop) Khothometsane ea Motse (Famo), Mamello Rabochene (Music Video), Lakabane (NewComer), Zagro DJs (Producer) and Ballopolloa Ba Morena (International Breakthrough).

J Cob told the Weekender on the sidelines of the event that he was honoured by the recognition which showed that Basotho still loved his music “even though I do not get to perform in the country on regular basis”.

“I cannot find proper words to show my gratitude to local fans for their undying support.

“I would also like to thank government for their efforts to uplift the local music industry through Ultimate FM for the awards serve as an important reference on the international platform,” he said.

There were top quality live performances by local and South African artistes. Khotso Ntlama, Mapanaki, Mega Hertz, MIP, Juvy, Heart Breakers and Maleh had the crowd eating out their hands along with South Africa’s Robbie Malinga, Musa and Tuks.

The same artistes also performed at the after-party which continued into the early hours of Sunday morning along with the likes of Rock The City SA’s Mono T, SdudlaNoma1000, DJ SK, Lyquid, Mono T and DJ Vesta.

Bare e ne re Co-director Lineo Segoete

Mohalenyane Phakela

ALL is set for the fourth edition of the annual literature festival, Ba re e ne re, which gets underway on 9 to 11 December at various locations in Maseru.

The event which was first held in 2011 is the brainchild of the late Liepollo Rantekoa, aimed at enriching the lives of Basotho through the promotion of initiatives which support literacy, encourage creative writing and facilitate connections between local writers and artistes and their foreign counterparts.

The festival was revived in 2014 by Liepollo’s family and friends who have since added activities that include the production of a revised Sesotho dictionary, spelling bee and essay competitions.

This year’s theme is “Finding Your Voice”, and some of the activities to look forward to on the first day include the launch of the Ba re e ne re short-story book titled Likheleke Tsa Pou and an open-mic poetry session at Rockview Gardens in Khubetsoana.

On the next day, the event will move to Maseru Preparatory School where activities will include literature panel discussions, children’s activities, a craft market, Nala Social Market and the Liepollo Rantekoa Keynote Address by South African author and motivational speaker Dr Sindiwe Magona.

The curtain comes down on Sunday with the Short Story Day Africa that will also feature a writing workshop facilitated by three authors, Efemia Chela from Zambia, Karina Szczurek (Poland) and Catherine Shepherd (Cape Town, South Africa).

Other writers expected to grace the three day event are South Africans Masande Ntshanga and Ace Moloi as well as Zimbabwe’s Joe Machina.

Machabeng College theatre teacher Liatile Mohale, media consultant and blogger Thato Mochone as well as writer Tumelo Moleleki are some of the local arts personalities who will feature at the event.

Ba re e ne re director Lineo Segoete said the festival would enable “Basotho and the youth in particular, to access training and outlets to practice literacy and share the unique stories Lesotho has to offer with local and international audiences”.

“Our mission is to cultivate the next generation of writers and storytellers in Lesotho through literary training and platforms for expression.

“We also aim to connect Lesotho’s literary arts community with creative writers from other African countries and beyond for creative exchange and improved publishing opportunities while encouraging the use of literature as a tool to address the country’s pressing socio-economic and political issues,” she said.

She also said the story book features 23 locally written stories (seven in Sesotho and 16 in English) while the workshop would accommodate around 20 local writers.

The festival is sponsored by Miles Morland Foundation, Vodacom Foundation, UNESCO, Maseru Prep School, Alliance Francaise, MXXL radio, Bahati Books, Short Story Day Africa, Nala Social Market and Rockview Gardens.

The Maseru Castle Braai Day will look like the Zimbabwean Catsle braai Day

Mohalenyane Phakela

MALUTI Mountain Brewery (MMB) will this Saturday stage its inaugural Castle Braai Day at Maseru Club aimed at promoting the consumption of Castle draught beer together with braai meat.

MMB Marketing Management Trainee, Mapulane Mafojane this week said the event was meant to be enjoyed responsibly by all adults aged 18 and above.

“As Castle’s tagline states, ‘It all comes together with Castle’, our aim is to promote the brand by showing people that they can enjoy Castle during their get-together events, irrespective of the gender as long as they are over the age of 18,” Mafojane said.

“We normally promote it at soccer matches among football supporters but this time we have decided to incorporate braai which also brings people together. However, this time we will be promoting the Castle draught which will be served in 500ml tumblers,” she told the Weekender.

Each patron will receive two tumblers of draught beer and as well as the chance to eat at four braai stations of their choice. The first 500 patrons will also receive branded caps or t-shirts.

Mafojane said the event will also feature a braai master competition for 20 customers from the Maseru district while other districts would benefit at future events.

“For this competition we chose some of our customers that operate a liquor store alongside a butchery where their clients get to braai meat.

“The revelers will get to eat at four braai stations of their choice before voting for their favourite. Each station will bear the name of the competing bar,” she said adding, they would provide all the braai requirements and the competitors were only required to bring their sauces.

The winner of the braai competition will receive 60 cases of Castle Lager, the first runner up, 30 cases and the second runner up 15 cases.

“We will further promote these customers through various print and digital media platforms,” Mafojane said.

The event will also feature performances from local acts such as DJ Alex, Juvy, Jiji F, Skebz D, Drigger, T Mech and Senqu Jazz Band alongside South Africans Malankane and Trev The Japanese.

Mohalenyane Phakela

LOCAL choirs proved they have come of age by beating their South African counterparts in last Sunday’s Standard Lesotho Bank African Melody Festival (SLB AMF) at ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre in Maseru.

SLB AMF was launched in 2003 by the Choral Music Federation of Lesotho (CMFL), with the aim of uplifting choral music in Lesotho and in 2014 the contest began accepting entries from South African choirs to reciprocate the invitations extended to Basotho in South African competitions.

The local choirs swept everything in the competition that was segmented into the Large (8 choirs), Standard (12 choirs) and Interdenominational (7 choirs) categories.

Four South African choirs locked horns with four local choirs in the Large Category while two South African choirs competed with 10 locals in the Standard Category.

The winners list was as follows:

Large Category

1. Serumula Performing Arts Academy
2. Maseru City Choral
3. Mohapeloa Singers

Standard Category

1. Sounds of the South
2. NUL Choir
3. Maestro Cantabile

Interdenominational

1. Samaria Church Choir
2. Maseru LECSA
3. St Luke LCYM

CMFL spokesperson Khotola Mokoto said beating South African choirs proved that “local choirs have grown to a level where they can take on any choirs regardless of their origin”.

“I cannot say they had a home ground advantage for they have been able to perform well competing against the same choirs in various South African competitions,” Mokoto told the Weekender this week.

However, Mokoto said the choirs experienced challenges in retaining their members, saying this affected their competency.

“Due to the high rate of unemployment and lack of sponsorship, members of different choirs leave to seek better lives elsewhere, meaning members change from time to time.

“Another thing is some members are still students and they will be busy with examinations making it impossible to attend rehearsals and this affects the choirs,” he said.

He also told the publication that Serumula, which managed to defend their title would continue taking part in future competitions.

Serumula first won the competition in 2012, again in 2013 and 2015. Its conductor Lehlomela Tente confirmed that they will continue to compete in the SLB AMF.

“We have new members every year so we cannot say Serumula has reached that level where it cannot compete locally,” he said.

An arial shot that shows scores of people who attended the maletsunyane Braai Fest

Mohalenyane Phakela

LAST Saturday’s inaugural Maletsunyane Braai Festival turned out to be a boon for domestic tourism as well as Semonkong locals who made a killing hiring out their horses and donkeys to the visitors.

The event which was held against the backdrop of the spectacular world-famous waterfalls in Semonkong was hailed by the locals who said they normally rented out their animals for amounts ranging from M200 to M365 depending on the time frame.

However, they said they charged M20 for a 10 minute ride which enabled to them to reap far greater rewards due to the greater numbers of visitors especially ladies who were eager to savour the horse riding experience for the first time.

“We mostly rent out the horses via the Lodge and since we are many we seldom make money. This is the first time we have had so many people visiting this area in one day,” said one local Lephole Pheko, adding, “The M20 may appear a small amount but the money I made is way too much”.

The festival was held to promote domestic tourism in line with the Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation’s Know Your Country First campaign.

Scores of revelers came from all over the country, some arriving on Friday while others arrived in the early hours of Saturday.

It was a relaxed event where the tourists brought their own braai stands, meat and beverages and enjoyed the soothing music provided by Jam Sessions Sounds and various deejays including DJ Napolinah.

LTDC Senior Tourism Officer, Molapo Matela hailed the event for promoting domestic tourism, saying, “There have been different kinds of events in the past which have promoted domestic tourism but not one that was able to draw so much attention as this one”.

“It was also big in that the community of Semonkong benefitted and there were no reports of them being exploited,” he said.