One of the Best Arts Journalists of our time.

Nkululeko Nkala Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ Aï¿½ . I know this could rub others the wrong the way, but please read on.

Arts journalism is not easy. Itaï¿½ï¿½s not just about what you learnt at media school or University. Itaï¿½ï¿½s not about being assigned to an arts desk, it takes more than that.

It begins with understanding the arts industry, living the arts and being artistic in your journalism. It goes without saying that we as artistes need the media (not that the media does not need us, we need them more).

Many stars have been made by the media and yet many dreams have been broken by the same media.

Once in a while there comes a character in the journalism fraternity who has the drive and passion for the arts. The recent past has seen a rise in such journalists, I mean even Sunday News runs a platform called Hatched which seeks to market local artistes. For a while that was not happening because some business people found fault in promoting local arts and thought scandal would sell better.

Back in the day, there was a serious disconnect between journalists and artistes. I think some newspapers would even have done without an arts desk. Things changed for the better and shaped the relations to what they are now thanks to a new breed of journalists who comprised the likes of Limukani Ncube, Lawson Mabhena , Lenin Ndebele and Japhet Ngqwele to name a few.

These guys really loved the arts and opened their doors to artistes, we saw friends in the media and we knew we needed to work together.

Lawson stands out for me because of the way he tackled the arts. He knew his way around the arts, wrote reviews that made one feel like they were part of the show. I know a lot of artistes who had their first story done by him. His love for the arts and know how meant he was qualified to even advise on what to do.

He endeared himself with everyone on the other side of the desk. Donaï¿½ï¿½t worry he lives, his works live on, even when he changed desks to the front page stories, he still supported the arts.

This is what I am driving at. He needs our help, all of us. His nine-month-old daughter Manqoba Mabhena has a condition called Biliary Atresia. The beautiful little girl needs to undergo surgery in India within a month to save her life. The required amount is $43 000. Lawson Mabhena wrote thousands of storiesAï¿½ , entertaining us , informing us and teaching us. All of us had a relationship with him, be it during his entertainment days or front page days. 43 000 of us giving a dollar each will give his little girl a new lease of life. A fewAï¿½ musicians and I are working on a song for the little champion, with all proceeds going to the #SaveManqobaFund.

If you want to assist, please get in touch with Shamiso Yikoniko, who is the mother of the little angel. Her number is 0772935224.Make deposits on FBC Bank. Account Name: Shamiso Yikoniko. Branch Name: FBC Centre: Account Number 3070070770125. Kindly assist if you can, letaï¿½ï¿½s uphold the spirit of Ubuntu.