The Rep 13 May 2022

THE REPRESENTATIVE 13 May 2022 Tel: (045) 839-4040 / editorial: mjekulal@therep.co.za / advertising: charodinev@therep.co.za 5
Young filmmaker cuts award
Tsomo producer’s dream to nurture local talent
ZINTLE BOBELO
Among hundreds of
dignitaries at the annual
Eastern Cape Arts and
Culture awards ceremony in
East London last week, young
filmmaker Lunga Ngcabashe
from Tsomo was honoured with
an independent producer award
in the category of fiction film.
Ngcabashe, the man behind
a musical drama series called
The Singing Competition, wh i ch
was aired on DStv, is also a
producer of a 13-part drama
series titled Kwahlwa Kwasa,
which premiered early this year.
Through the Transkei Youth
Foundation, award-winning
Ngcabashe and ambitious
young graduates formed a
foundation to empower, equip
and educate the youth of Tsomo
and small neighbouring
villages.
“For people who do not care
to fund or contribute to the
development of young people
and recognise their work, I have
been awarded,” he said.
“Everything comes together
when you trust in the Lord.
“When I was announced the
winner, I initially thought it was
a prank,” he laughed.
“But this means that I have
done something and the
province recognises that.
“There is still a lot of work to
be done. This is just a start.
“One needs to stand up for
what one believes in and get
things done even without
money. Money will meet you
along the way,” he said.
Working with young people
in his area, Ngcabashe shared
words of acknowledgement to
his cast and everyone involved
in the project.
“This award would not have
been possible without the
contribution from young people
involved in this project.
“They would wake up as
early as 4am to work while
others were writing their matric
examinations. All the Grade 12s
passed their finals.”
When Ngcabashe took to
the stage at the awards
ceremony at the East London
Golf Club, he reiterated the
plight of upcoming young
creatives who are often rejected
by funding institutions.
Upon receiving his award,
Ngcabashe publicly demanded
a private and urgent meeting
with Eastern Cape’s Arts and
Culture MEC Fezeka
Nkomonye, who was part of the
c r ow d .
“MEC, I want an
appointment with you, can I see
yo u ? ” asked Ngcabashe, putting
Nkomonye on the spot.
The unemployed graduate
said he had to grab the
opportunity, and said nothing
would stop him from making it
in the television industry.
He said the nod from the
MEC was everything he had
prayed for. We are disregarded
as artists. As filmmakers we
apply for these things and we
spend hundreds of rands,
making copies, travelling from
pillar to post, only to be
rejected.
“Everything is dependent on
me, I have to make sure that
these children are fed from
breakfast to lunch. I am not
working, but I make it happen.
Talking to the MEC I wanted to
show her we exist and I have
great plans for the province.”
When asked about his future
endeavours, he said he wanted
to work with people like
renowned TV director Zuko
Nodada.
Ngcabashe said his primary
purpose and calling in life to
nurture talent and produce
“greatness from the soil of the
great province of legends”.
“The time for people to
relocate for greener pastures
and leave the dusty home of
legends is close to an end, artists
of this great province will gather
and blow the world away,” said
Ngcabashe.
WELL DONE:
Lunga
Ngcabashe,
from Tsomo,
who received
an
independent
p ro d u c e r
award in the
category of
fiction film at
the Eastern
Cape Arts
and Culture
a w a rd
ceremony in
East London
last
week P i c t u re :
SUPPLIED
Best fashion designer award
goes to Luyolo ‘Bau’ Dlikilili
ZINTLE BOBELO
Renowned local fashion
designer Luyolo ‘Bau’ Dlikilili,
who is best known for his
compelling streetwear, scooped
his second accolade as the best
designer in the province at the
annual Eastern Cape Arts and
Culture award ceremony held at
the East London Golf Club last
week.
The multi-award-winning
fashion and shoe designer and
founder of Bau Instyle, has been
in the industry for 10 years and
has numerous honours under
his belt.
He received his first best
designer award from the
department in 2018.
Apart from designing and
tailoring clothes, Dlikilili is an
accredited formal trainer,
facilitator, moderator and
a s s e s s o r.
He is counted among the
judges panel of the Walter
Sisulu University third year
students fashion show.
“It is a great feeling for
anyone, seeing that whatever
you are doing is being
recognised. It means that I am
not just working under water
like a submarine,” he said.
Soon, Dlikilili will be
showcasing his work at the
Lesotho International Fashion
Show and facilitating emerging
designers.
He has also been invited to
the Seychelles Fashion Week in
September, for which he has
appealed to the public to assist
with travelling costs.
“I focus more on menswear,
which is very difficult to do.
“Tailoring menswear is hell
and I am sure designers would
agree with me on that.”
Not following trends and
keeping a clear head for new
and fresh ideas were some of
the traits that he wanted aspiring
designers to keep in mind.
Some of the challenges, he
said, were working with
departments that did not see the
vision of fashion.
“When you talk to
departments that are supposed
to assist, they still look at this as
a hobby,” he said.
“When you say fashion they
think you own a boutique or
tailor clothes in your little shack
and that is the end of it. I just
wish they could see the business
side of fashion,” he said.
When asked what motivates
or keeps him going in a
challenging industry, Dlikilili
responded by saying: “I always
ask myself a question – where is
C O N G R AT S :
Local fashion
and shoe
designer
Luyolo ‘Bau’
Dlikilili was
named the best
designer in the
Eastern Cape
(EC) at the EC
Arts and
Culture awards
in East London
last week.
Dlikilili received
the same award
in 2018 P i c t u re :
ZINTLE BOBELO
the richest place in the world
and for me the answer to that is
the grave.
“Many people have died
having had brilliant ideas that
could have made billions.
“I refuse to be counted
among them. I am going to
make sure that I build my
l e g a cy.
“Giving up and the word
impossible are not in my
dictionary. That is what keeps
me going.”
He is currently working on a
youth development programme
that will develop young people
in the Chris Hani district in all
aspects of fashion.
- For more on Dlikilili, visit
his Facebook page on Bau
Dlikilili or Bau Instyle, twitter
@Bau_Instyle and on Instagram
at Bau_Instyle