WILLOWVALE – Mboya School grounds were abuzz with young people who came in numbers to attend the 6th Annual Kwantu Arts Festival on Sunday, 15 October in Willowvale Ward 30. The event was organised by TZK Entertainment.
TZK Entertainment is an arts co-op that was founded by Thokozani Ntshuntsha in 2006 to provide an alternative to young people who have found solace in drugs and crime. The group hopes to attract young people into the arts sector.
Ongeziwe Ntsuntsha, Manager of TZK Entertainment said “One thing we have noticed with the youth of Mbashe Local Municipality is that they have talents, be it sports, art (and) crafts or performing arts. We, as this entertainment group [TZK Group], saw it (fit) to recruit them and (to) develop whatever talent they have, we must ensure that they can showcase their talents and be able to make themselves into something one day”.
TZK hopes that by providing Willowvale youth with the platform to showcase their skills, they will be able to be “successful on their own”, the entertainment group says that it does not want people who partake in their events to think they “will be under us. We have a few that started off with us but have grown to be independent and are doing well on their own”.
Ntsutsha says young creatives who are into drawing and fine arts can also learn from “Rasta, the artist who draws famous people. He is an example that even fine artists can earn a living from drawing.”
“We are pleased to see the youth that came out in numbers, as well as (the) elderly people of the community. It is something that we all love to see that the youth are preoccupied with all these activities, this gives us hope for the future,” said the Executive Mayor of Mbhashe Local Municipality Samkelo Janda who was present at the arts festival.
While the event primarily focuses on South African culture, Kwantu also fosters cultural exchange by working closely with diverse communities. This unique collaboration of cultures allows for the sharing of knowledge and understanding, fostering unity among different cultures. The Kwantu Annual Arts Festival is an excellent intervention to address youth issues such as substance abuse and unemployment. Many studies have shown that getting people more involved in the creative industry is a proven method to combat socio-economic issues faced by not only the youth but the rest of the country as well.
