Joburg to host MTV Africa Music Awards

24 August 2016

 

This was announced by Nabintu Petsana, Head of Joburg Tourism, the City of Johannesburg’s tourism promotion and development entity, during a media conference at the Emoyeni Conference Centre in Parktown on Tuesday August 23.

 

For the past two years the spectacular and star-studded awards have been held in Durban. This year, for the first time, the event will be staged in the City of Gold – at Ticketpro Dome in Randburg on October 22.

 

Petsana said the City was excited to be hosting such a highly acclaimed continental music awards event.  “As global destinations we compete for events because events bring people to our destinations,” said Petsana.  She said she believed that through the exposure it would receive from the new partnership, the City would attract even more tourists.  “This is an opportunity for us as Joburg Tourism to tell our stories in a unique way,” said Petsana.

 

She said leisure, the arts, education, health and shopping were tourism business.  “We understand that artists make a living through music and by partnering with MAMAs, we believe our artists are going to get great exposure. As Joburg Tourism, we want to see, beyond music, people visiting our beautiful City,” said Petsana. 

 

Johannesburg has for the past three years been the most-visited city in Africa.  “Through this partnership we aim to maintain that,” said Petsana. 

 

Monde Twala, Vice-President for Youth and Music at Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa, said this year’s event was going to be one to remember.  “The MAMAs celebrates and honours artists across the African continent. This will help the continent to continue building talent and making more beautiful music,” said Twala. 

 

Dillon Khan, Senior Creative Director at VIMN Africa, said: “This is a great partnership. The city is amazing and the timing is perfect for us to bring MAMAs to Joburg,” said Khan.  

 

Award-winning artist Kwesta said the City was diverse with diverse cultures.  “These are the things that artists draw from as inspiration for their music. For artists to be able to draw inspiration from this beautiful city is magical,” he said.