Joburg to host the 2016 MTV Africa Music Awards
22 September 2016
The MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs), to be staged in Johannesburg for the first time, promise to be the best and biggest ever with more 15 000 fans expected to cram into the Ticketpro Dome in North Riding, Johannesburg, for the celebration of African talent on Saturday October 22.
A total of 45 nominations for this year’s edition of the MAMAs were announced in the first of two rounds at a star-studded function at the iconic Constitution Hill in Parktown, Johannesburg, on Wednesday September 21.
The second round of nominations will be held in Lagos, Nigeria, on Sunday October 2. The prestigious awards will be hosted by Trevor Noah, one of South Africa’s funniest men and host of “Comedy Central’s The Daily Show”.
Seventeen South African acts or individuals were nominated in seven of the nine categories of the MAMAs.
They include AKA and Black Coffee (Best Male); Cassper Nyovest and Mafikizolo (Best Live); MiCasa (Best Group); Kuli Chana, DJ Maphorisa and Nasty C (Best Collaboration); Emtee and Ricky Rick (Best Hip-Hop); Desmond and the Tutus, LCNVL, Shekinah and Kyle Deutsch and Timo ODV (Best Pop/Alternative) and Caster Semenya and Pearl Thusi (Best Personality).
The nominations event was co-hosted by “Isibaya” actress Nomzamo Mbatha and TV presenter Sandile Ntshingila.
Speaking during the function, Joburg Tourism’s Destination Marketing Director Lumka Dlomo said the City of Johannesburg was ready to receive people from not only Africa, but also from across the world.
“This promises to be one of the most-attended events in Joburg,” said Dlomo.
She said the City was looking forward to ensuring that visitors have an unforgettable experience. A moment of silence was observed in honour of Mduduzi “Mandoza” Tshabalala, who died on Sunday September 18 after a long battle with throat cancer.
“Let’s take a moment to honour the Nkalakatha (hero, and the title of his successful cross-over hit). This is such a great loss to the South African music industry,” said Mbatha.
VIMN Africa Senior Vice-President and Managing Director Alex Okosi said the MAMAs were a celebration of African talent and African culture.
“We’re delighted that our first-ever show in Johannesburg will be hosted by one of the city’s most-loved and admired personalities,” Okosi said of Noah. He said Noah was an outstanding entertainer and testament to the amazing talent that Africa had to offer the world.
BET’s Monde Twala said: “We’ve an amazing line-up of artists that will be gracing the stage on the big day, so get your invite or ticket now.”