6 YEARS OF CELEBRATING

WOMEN IN THE ARTS

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The Mbokodo Women in the Arts Award highlights the power of women in

the arts as catalysts for change. These women who, through their craft,

keep together the fabric of our society. It is through their various genres that

they give a voice to the voiceless and communicate, otherwise difficult

concepts, to give meaning to our daily lives.

These women are the bearers of our truth, and tonight, we salute them.

KEEPING TOGETHER THE FABRIC OF OUR SOCIETY

SHADO TWALA

Shado Twala Chairperson of the Adjudication Panel

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MESSAGE FROM THE CONVENOR AND PRODUCER OF THE MBOKODO AWARDS

A heartfelt thank you to all of you who have supported us on this journey of building

the Mbokodo Awards. As I reflect on the first meeting with then Minister Mashatile and

his DG S'bu Xaba- I am reminded of the many men I assumed would not understand

the compelling argument of the stupidity of ignoring more than half of the population

because of gender. Little did I know that our dear country was already rich with

examples of men who understood their role as feminists for a better society, a better

country and indeed for the betterment of humanity as a whole. In this year of O.R

Tambo, I wish to begin with my husband Edward Bouwer who has indulged my whims

as a driven woman and say thank you for being the immediate champion for women in

my life everyday! Thank you for providing our son with the best example of how to be

a man in a world that does not always reflect the best examples.

As we bid goodbye to the 16 days of activism, I reflect on our trip to New York at the

closing of United Nations General Assembly earlier this year where together with the

UN Under-Secretary and the UN Women Executive Director Dr. Phumzile Mlambo

Ngcuka, we made a call for the end of Intimate Femicide to become a priority cause

for men in as much as it is a priority for us as women! We re-iterate the need for our

communities to be havens of safety for all who live in them and not just those who are

blessed with more physical strength than mental!

I am grateful for the opportunity to share this evening with you all, I am excited about

the many contributions women and men in the arts are making towards the attainment

of social cohesion in our country... I am also enthused about the many innovations in

the arts, heritage and culture realm that we are seeing daily! The advent of the Mocaa

will prove to be a pinnacle point for those who believe in the dream of the African

Renaissance. I romanticise the "I am an African" speech not because of former

President Thabo Mbeki's eloquence but merely because I have been blessed with

many opportunities to celebrate my heritage through the hues, textures, music and the

heartbeat of this great continent. It was my dream to ensure we launch Mbokodo

Awards Africa this year but since we no longer have the partnership with the

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CELEBRATING THE BRILLIANCE OF WOMEN OF ART

Carol Bouwer Founder of CB Productions

Executive Producer Mbokodo Awards 2017 Adjudication Committee

department of arts and culture it was difficult to continue. If you know anything about me however, it is that if I dream it I shall pursue until it is done.

So it will happen next year independently and I invite all of you to find ways to be co-conspirators and collaborators along this journey.

I am grateful for the partnership we have had with the DAC for the last five years, and recognise that it was a privilege to which nobody could ever lay

entitlement! Ke a leboga...

To the many people who have graciously donated their time, their talents and even a Rand or two I am grateful to you but importantly I am grateful for

you.

To our talent, you are the best!

Our judges and our Auditors, my respect knows no bounds. Thank you Mr. Modiko, Chairman Shado Twala, Secretariat Dr. Hadebe, Ms. Brundyn,

Ms. Shipalana and my CBP team.

I wish to thank our sponsors, when one encounters excellence one forgets that it is work! One and Only Hotel, Pernod Ricard, Ditsebi Auditors, Brand

South Africa, Chenshia, Blaque Petal, Legamo Technical Productions, Second Round, Art Africa, Micallef and Siyabonga Ceramics.

UNICEF, UN Women and the Department of Women your support has been invaluable- re a leboga.

And to our winners, I salute you! I celebrate your talent and I honour your passion! Never tire... we are honoured to have this opportunity to honour

you. Tonight is only about you!

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CAROL BOUWER

Director of the Prestige Channel at Pernod-Ricard South Africa

As the channel director of Prestige at Pernod Ricard South Africa, Vika Shipalana works in

the luxury brand space and her expertise lies in marketing to this select class of

individuals. As she was a judge at last year's Standard Bank Top Women Awards and is

said to be a 'champion for women empowerment‘

I love celebrating great women. It is a great opportunity and privilege to part of this

wonderful award ceremony that celebrates women.

I challenge all woman who see themselves in the mirror every morning, to believe more in

herself and reach even greater heights.

I do believe that it is important that we celebrate women as a country , where we can all

shine a light in honour and celebration of who we are as women. We face a lot of

challenges and obstacles in our daily lives, and yet through it all, we smile, we laugh, we

love and we nurture others.

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CELEBRATING GREAT WOMEN

VIKA SHIPALANA

Vika Shipalana 2017 Adjudication Committee

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Elana Brundyn 2017 Adjudication Committee

Elana Brundyn (born Kimberley, South Africa) is currently the Executive Director at the Norval

Foundation.

From 2015 to 2017 she was The Director of Institutional Development and External Affairs at

Zeitz MOCAA (Cape Town, South Africa), part of the inaugural team to launch the institution in

September 2017.

Brundyn’s career in the contemporary art industry spans 20 years as a consultant and advisor to

corporates and school collections, charity art auctions and commercial galleries. Brundyn’s

career has a strong focus on philanthropic projects and fundraiser for specific art projects. She

has sat on numerous art acquisitions committees, family collections committees, art foundations

and trusts.

She was the Founding Director of Brundyn Gallery. Brundyn Gallery was a contemporary art

gallery based in Cape Town. Founded in 2006 as Brundyn + Gonsalves, the gallery’s focus was

on art from Africa and the diaspora.

The Brundyn Gallery closed end of 2014, when she joined the team of Zeitz MOCAA full time as

Director of Institutional Advancement and External Affairs in the lead up of opening the museum.

This included fundraising through partnerships, sponsorships, membership programmes and

special events like the 2017 Christies Auction, the Preview weekend and the Grand Public

Opening on 22 September 2017.

She studied law, political science and African Studies at the University of Cape Town (Cape

Town, South Africa) and University of Stellenbosch (Stellenbosch, South Africa)

SA GALLERY OWNER - ELANA BRUNDYN

ELANA BRUNDYN

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CONGRATULATIONS

TO ALL THE

2017 MBOKODO AWARD

WINNERS

RISING LIGHT This is a category that identifies young women with the potential to make a significant contribution, not just to the art world, but to

women's struggles more broadly. It rewards women who engage with, and subvert, stereotypes about gender and race.

KOLEKA PUTUMA

Koleka Putuma is a performance poet, facilitator, theatre maker and one of South

Africa’s most acclaimed young voices. Her debut anthology, Collective Amnesia,

marked a massive shift in poetry and was accompanied by visuals—both photography

and videos, something you don't see in South Africa. Already prescribed in Universities

such as Stellenbosch and UCT, her poetry interrogates issues that beg us to review

our collective memories of what was and what is in our society.

As co-founder of theatre company, Velvet Spine, Koleka provides a platform for up-

and-coming female artists to pursue their careers in the art. A recipient of the PEN SA

Student Writing Prize, the Ovation Awards at the National Arts Festival, and a Fleur du

Cap Theatre Awards nominee, Koleka has performed her work around the world.

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One of South Africa’s most acclaimed young voices

TRADITIONAL AND INDIGENOUS ARTS This category honours and celebrates women whose work, be it music, storytelling, painting, handicraft or another form, is created

drawing on indigenous culture, using traditional symbols or materials, and based on traditional methods and meanings within the context of our culture.

Ceramist, Zizipho Poswa, is the co-founder of Imiso Ceramics. Her work is

inspired by the richness of South Africa’s flora and faunato create an eclectic

mix of her unique hand-pinched styled ceramic bowls and plates. The pieces

are developed from mastering and studying African artefact that are

interpreted in clay to produce modern ceramic designs, infused with fabric.

Zizipho’s products have been featured is various high-end media platforms

both locally and internationally and has developed a growing export market.

Her work continuously experiments with various designs, texture and colours

that contributes to an ever-improving range of creative work.

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ZIZIPHO POSWA ´

Creator of artists

VISUAL ART This category celebrates sculptors, painters, performance artists and curators who creatively expand our conceptions of form and subject

matter, and utilise materials in original and innovative ways. It also celebrates artists who venture into new frontiers and demonstrate deep imagination and originality, and whose work reaches beyond our borders.

ZANELE MUHOLI

Award-winning photographer and visual activist, Zanele Muholi, continues to use her

lens to create a visual statement, an archive to mark, map and preserve an often-

invisible LGBTI community for posterity. Zanele’s self-proclaimed mission is ‘to re-write

a black queer and trans visual history of South Africa for the world to know of our

resistance and existence at the height of hate crimes in SA and beyond’. She co-

founded the Forum for Empowerment of Women (FEW) in 2002, and in 2009 founded

Inkanyiso (www.inkanyiso.org), a forum for queer and visual media. She continues to

train and co-facilitates photography workshops for young women in the townships.

Zanele also uses her self-portraits to create historical and personally inspired versions

of “blackness” that defy the stereotypical images of the black woman.

Awards received include the ICP Infinity Award for Documentary and Photojournalism

(2016); Africa'Sout! Courage and Creativity Award (2016); the Outstanding

International Alumni Award from Ryerson University (2016); the Fine Prize for an

emerging artist at the 2013 Carnegie International; a Prince Claus Award (2013); the

Index on Censorship - Freedom of Expression art award (2013); and the Casa Africa

award for best female photographer and a Fondation Blachère award at Les

Rencontres de Bamako biennial of African photography (2009). Her images have

become the voice of the voiceless internationally.

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Curator par excellence

LITERATURE This category celebrates and also acknowledges important prose that speaks to the struggles of women in society. It honours creativity,

imagination and originality. It acknowledges writers who are committed to their craft and strive to promote the genre.

ELSABÉ BRITS

History has not been kind to Emily Hobhouse, until a new, illustrated in-depth

biography by writer, Elsabe Brits, that restores this feminist, humanitarian, anti-

imperialist, socialist to her rightful place as one of the world’s leading political figures.

That how critics view the work of Elsabé Brits in response to her current book that

displays her excellent research skills and writing qualities. The book also deals with

issues of gender and justice that are still relevant in South Africa.

Currently a science journalist at the Afrikaans daily newspaper Die Burger in Cape

Town, Elsabe covers most academic research fields and current scientific issues

including genetics, astronomy, biology, evolution, paleontology, archeology, physics

and medicine. She has a special interest in the public advancement and understanding

of science in the public domain.

Elsabé has won several national journalism awards during her career and is currently

the vice-president of the South African Science Journalists’ Association.

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Celebrating fiction and biography

THEATRE This category honours women who push the boundaries of the genre and create new and exciting theatre performances of high

standards. It also celebrates those who relentlessly and successfully promote this genre.

LINDA BUKHOSINI

Linda Bukhosini, as CEO and Artistic Director at the Playhouse, has consistently

honoured the struggles, sacrifices and successes of women through her annual SA’s

Women’s Festival in Durban. Linda has successfully given a platform to up and coming

artists and other platforms that existed on the periphery. Through her leadership, the

Playhouse continues to use theatre to educate young people about the dangers of

substance abuse, teenage pregnancy and other criminal activities. Bukhosini has

introduced a series of trailblazing initiatives into The Playhouse Company's

management. These include annual programmes such as ongoing community arts

development initiatives. These initiatives are geared to provide a step-up for semi-

professional artists.

Other initiatives include The Playhouse Company's hosting a regular Arts Network

Forum that engages with artists at grassroots level throughout the Durban region.

Another popular development project is the bi-monthly Test Driving the Arts lunch hour

concerts, which create a platform for entry-level artists to gain exposure and

performance experience opportunities at The Playhouse. Other notable achievements

in Bukhosini's administrative portfolio have been the on-going presentations of the

National Isicathamiya Programme and the annual South African Women's Arts

Festival, each of which is held under auspices of the Playhouse Company in Durban

every year.

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A passion for South African theatre

OPERA Opera could easily be the most misunderstood art in South Africa, always viewed as foreign. This category celebrates the “pioneers” who ventured into this art form and have given it the recognition it deserves within our society, as well as those who have created spaces for

themselves on the world stage. It also honours artists who have pushed the boundaries of the genre.

SIPHAMANDLA YAKUPA

Currently a staff soloist at Cape Town Opera, Siphamandla Yakupa has performed the

roles of Nella in Gianni Schicchi, Sister Genoviefa in Suor Angelica, Frasquita in

Carmen, Musetta in La Boheme and Marzelline in Fidelio. Siphamandla has toured

with Mandela Trilogy to Europe and also performed as Clara in Porgy and Bess in

Barcelona, Madrid and Argentina; and Jula in African Prophetess in Sweden. Ms

Yakupa was a finalist in the 2016 International Hans Gabor Belvedere singing

competition.

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Finalist in the 2016 International Hans Gabor Belvedere Competition

MBOKODO HUMANITARIAN This category celebrates the “pioneers” who have taken decisive action needed, the wisdom to face aggressive challenges, and the

willingness to sacrifice to affect these causes that have a long term impact on the betterment of the community.

THE EDGARS UNITE ORANGE DAY INITIATIVE

The Edgars Unite Orange Day Initiative, a partnership between

Edgars, the United Nations, the Gauteng Department of Social

Welfare and Community Safety and the National and Gauteng

Fashion Councils, aims to empower abused women currently

living in shelters around the province. In response to the 16

Days of No Violence Against Women and Children, Edgars Unite

aims to empower abused women through skills development in

fashion design. The initiative was launched in 2015 and is part

of the United Nations Secretary General’s campaign “UNiTE to

End Violence Against Women” it invites people to turn the world

orange in support of all women who have been victims of

violence.

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Turn the world orange

ARCHITECHTURE This category celebrates the “pioneers” whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and

commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture.

KARIEN TRENGOVE

Karien Trengove is the Executive Architecht and a member of the leading architechts

who designed the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA). The team

also built the largest green office building in South Africa, achieving what had never

been done before and placing South Africa at the forefront of this field of design.

Opened in September 2017 and located at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, the

Zeitz MOCAA is the largest museum of contemporary African art in the world. The

museum building was constructed from the conversion of the 57m tall historic Grain

Silo, originally built in 1921 and decommissioned in 2001. The designed aimed to

conserve and celebrate the original structure's industrial heritage.

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Architect

MUSIC The category celebrates musicians, across musical genres, who demonstrate a deep commitment to Africa and its traditions, and who are original and innovative in their art form. It also recognises leading vocalists and instrumentalists involved in traditional music, other than

African, who contribute to the diverse musical idioms of our nation. In addition this category recognises women who make an outstanding contributing producing, facilitating and organising performers.

GCISA MDLULWA

Gcisa Mdlulwa is the co-founder of the Melting Pot Choral Music Festival, the

Continent’s premium choral music affair. The festival contributes to the sustainability

of the often-neglected music genre. The festival takes its inspiration from the legacy of

OR Tambo, chorister, conductor and aficionado; and seeks to honour, restore and

archive the music of this icon through partnership with six other African countries.

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Showcasing African music

WOMEN IN MEDIA In a country grappling with profound socio-economic challenges, art and culture are often placed at the periphery of the public discourse.

This category celebrates women who, through their work and practice, strive to promote art and publicise its crucial role in building a cohesive society.

JANE RAPHAELY

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Editor of the first, English woman’s magazine in South Africa, Fair Lady

Jane Raphaely is the Founding Editor of the first, English woman’s magazine in South

Africa, Fair Lady. Through Jane Raphaely & Associates, she launched Cosmopolitan

Magazine and later added House & Leisure and many other international titles. These

included the only edition of O, The Oprah Magazine, the first outside the USA, hailed

as the publishing coup of the decade.

Jane Raphaely is the recipient of many awards for professional and humanitarian

achievements, having played a pivotal role in magazine publishing and female

empowerment in South Africa. Included amongst some of the awards she has received

during her career are, Business Woman of the Year, Media Innovator of the Year, Star

Woman of Our Time, Print Media SA Fellow, Vodacom Journalist of the Year –

Lifetime Achievement and Advantage Admag Awards – Lifetime Achiever Award.

FILM The film industry is complex and requires a variety of intricate collaborations and negotiations. Women in Film celebrates women’s

contribution to the development of, and on-going participation in, South Africa’s fledgling film industry.

TERRY PHETO

2017 has been a year of international acknowledgement for Award-winning actress

and producer, Terry Pheto. Terry received international praise for her performance in

the BET drama, MADIBA, alongside Laurence Fishburne. Terry Pheto was the most

nominated actress at the International Achievement Recognition Awards (IARA),

including a nomination in the same category as Oprah Winfrey. She won Best

Supporting actress at the National Film Awards UK and also at the Africa Movie

Academy Awards. Terry has recently been invited to be part of the internationally

recognised luxury watch company, Longines’ family.

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Most nominated actress at the International Achievement Recognition Awards (IARA)

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD This is a special category awarded in recognition of consistently high quality work done over a lifetime. It is dedicated to enduring icons whose staying power and commitment is exemplary and to artists whose singular contribution to our culture is deeply felt. This award

also celebrates outstanding work done by South African artists beyond the borders of South Africa.

SANDRA PRINSLOO

Sandra Prinsloo is they doyenne of South Africa’s stage and screen with a career that spans 4

decades performing leading roles in the plays of renowned international dramatists and of local

South African playwrights. Sandra has come a long way since that controversial kiss with John

Kani in her title role of Miss Julie, which was met with threats of bombs and assaults in 1985 at

the Market Theatre. Even though Sandra’s acting career was focused on theatre, she also

starred in eight movies and many television series and productions. Amongst her movie roles

is the female lead in Tigers don’t Cry opposite Anthony Quinn; and of course the memorable

The God's must be Crazy, which had tremendous international success.

Her broader involved in the South African film industry was acknowledged by the Blue

Fountain Club of Soweto who granted her an award for her contribution to the Black film

industry in Southern Africa.

Her television roles range from the well-loved “soapies” like Egoli, to classic plays like

Chekov’s The Seagull. For her role in Jean Cocteau’s The Human Voice, Sandra received a

Television Award for Best Performance. The television production of Strindberg’s Miss Julie

was screened in most European countries.

At present Sandra has her own TV chat show on Kyknet, interviewing prominent South

Africans. Sandra has performed in more than 100 different productions which have won her

several national and international awards, including being granted the Order of IKhamanga for

her “excellent contribution in the field of the performing arts and applying her talents in the

creative arts to take a stand against racism.”

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A mural is a conversation

Aubrey Ngcungama

THANK YOU TO OUR STELLAR CAST

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Aubrey Ngcungama hails from the royal province of Kwa-

Zulu Natal.

His passion for music was deepened during his years at

Michaelhouse, where he took singing lessons with the

respected Gerard'd Du Toit for five years. During this time

he completed the Royal Schools of Music exams and

performed solo in Moscow, London, Milan, St Petersberg,

Tallin and around South Africa.

The passion for the arts in all forms is engrained and allows

him to be the free spirit that he is.

Amanda Osorio Amanda Osorio studied music at Smith College in

Northampton, Massachusetts, USA and completed her Post

Graduate studies in Opera at the University of Cape Town

South African College of Music. As a full Lyric Soprano she

has performed numerous roles with UCT and Cape Town

Opera including Anne Truelove in the African premiere of

Rake’s Progress, Mimi in La Boheme and Susanna in Le

Nozze di Figaro, where she worked closely with well-known

directors Matthew Wild and Angelo Gobbato. She also

created the role of Lucy Lloyd for the World Premiere of

South African composer Peter Klatzow’s opera “Words from

a Broken String.”

In 2011 she was a semi-finalist for ATKV Musiquanto and

the South African representative for the Belvedere

Competition in Vienna. She is a winner of the UCT Concerto

Competition and spent the 2012-2013 year performing with

the Metropolitan Opera in NYC where she sang in several

major operas and was part of the Live in HD broadcasts.

While there she won a Grammy for her work in Thomas

Ades' new opera "The Tempest.“

Odelle de wet is a South African actress and known for her

role as Farrow in the SAFTA award-winning daily drama

Isidingo (Best Soap 2008). She completed her drama

degree (cum laude) in Nov 2006. In 2007 she was part of

the SAFTA nominated sketch comedy Kompleks 2, playing

the young, plastic surgery addict. In 2008 Odelle presented

the Mzansi Award for Best Talk Show Host, live broadcast

and later that year was nominated for People Magazine’s

Crystal Awards for Best Newcomer of the Year for her role

as Farrow. That same year she was part of the Desmond

Dube anti-Xenophobia Campaign, presented as a music

video on the SABC channels. Odelle also won the 2013

ATKVeertjie Award for Best Actress in a soap, Binneland.

Odelle’s other television credits include 7de Laan,

Binnelanders, Villa Rosa and Regardt van den Berg's ‘Die

Byl’ series 2014 with film credits including Trouvoete,

directed by Darryl Roodt to release in December 2015 and

Superhelde. She also featured in the American series

Blooddrive 2016.

Odelle De Wet

Elizabeth Akudugu Elizabeth Akudugu is a Ghanaian actress and recent

graduate of the University of Cape Town's Theatre and

Performance program. Her most recent theatre credits

include ‘Zandile’ in Gcina, Mhlope’s Have You Seen

Zandile? (UCT; 2015), ‘Irina Arkadina’ in Anton

Chekov’s, The Seagull (UCT; 2015), ‘Herself’ in Tober

Reiley’s musical revue Railroad Angels (UCT; 2016),

‘Chorus’ in Neil McCarthy’s Langalibalele (UCT; 2016),

‘Olivia’ in William Shakespeare’s, Twelfth Night

(Maynaardville / Artscape; 2017), ‘Gina Rivera’ in Howard

Barker’s Scenes from an Execution (Baxter Theatre;

2017), as well as ‘Georgina’ in Thando Mangcu’s

Pieces (TAAC; 2017).

Proudly brought to you by

Mbokodo Awards 2017 Copyright © Carol Bouwer Productions

www.mbokodoawards.co.za

9 DECEMBER 2017, ONE & ONLY, CAPE TOWN

Mbokodo Awards 2017 Copyright © Carol Bouwer Productions