Honour for music
Johannesburg – Music legend Jonas Gwangwa will be honoured at the South African Afro Music Awards (SAAFMA) on October 19 at Wits Great Hall.
The celebration of Gwangwa’s career started at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz in Sandton last weekend, where his albums, awards, and news articles about his career were displayed. He will be honoured alongside the late Stompie Mavi and Jabu Khanyile.
SAAFMA’s China Mpololo said they want to honour Gwangwa while he is still alive for his contribution to the growth of local music.
“Many legends get honoured when they have passed on. People like Bra Jonas and Caiphus Semenya deserve to be celebrated, and their work must be documented by local institutions. If we don’t do that, the younger generation will never know the role they played in the struggle and the music industry,” Mpololo said.
Gwangwa’s son, Mojalefa said the awards meant a lot for his family. “My dad has received numerous awards from outside the country, but all the awards he gets at home are even more special to him. It is pleasing to see him being recognised for the role he played in the music industry,” he said.
He added: “When we were younger we thought dad was making noise whenever he was playing his piano at our back room in Botswana. We actually did not know that he was creating a legacy.”