Online Reporter
Langalakhe Mabena,
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
IT appears Babongile Sikhonjwa had become the Godfather of entertainment in the City of Kings.
One of the veteran wheel spinners Joe Tha OG says Babongile played a huge role in this city’s vibrant industry.
When he returned from the United Kingdom in 1999, after spending a couple of years in that country, Babongile had mastered the art of how night clubs were run in Europe.
“I knew Sikhonjwa when we were still kids. We met at Milton High School at a teenage competition,” Joe said.
“He was a rapper, who was a Ndebele lyrical venom. On the other hand, I was a dancer.
“So, when he returned from the UK, he found me already in the game as I was working as a DJ at Visions. He had worked on an album, and he gave it to me to play.
“With time, he later on got a slot to perform at the club.
“One thing about Sikhonjwa was that he was calculative. He knew what he really wanted.
“So, when he became a regular performer at Visions, he convinced management to hire him as a marketing consultant, an area where he was a genius.”
The Ndebele Rockstar, as Babongile was affectionately known, changed the way things were done at Visions and in the City of Kings.
He introduced major holiday events, which were mostly headlined by South African artists.
“One thing that one cannot take away from Sikhonjwa was his massive connection with South African big names.
“Through his connections, Visions would bring names like the Sister Betina hit-maker Mgarimbe at his prime, Pitch Black Afro, DJ Sbu, DJ Tira before he was even known, as well as Oskido, among others.
“To have South African artists coming for gigs in Bulawayo, like how the situation is even now, is Sikhonjwa’s legacy.
“He is the one who opened this market and then other players followed later. That is why in every show headlined by Mzansi acts, Sikhonjwa was always in the mix. That’s how big he was,” said Joe.
After spending a couple of years at Visions, Babongile left the club and challenged himself.
In 2009, together with the late DJ Guns, they revived the Ballers League, which was originally created in 2004.
DJ Kananjo, who was part of the Ballers League, remembers how they brought vibes at Kudu Bar as a collective.
“I joined the Ballers League in 2009, a year later after its formation.
“I had known Sikhonjwa way before while I was working as a sound engineer at Providence Events.
“I would meet Sikhonjwa at work as he was a master of ceremony at most of our functions.
“When I lost my job, Sikhonjwa took me under his wings, and I joined the ensemble as a sound engineer.
“When I became part of the clan, I couldn’t just do sound engineering.
“Sikhonjwa encouraged me to learn one or two things on deejaying and he taught me all the ropes needed in the craft. I owe a lot to that guy.” According to music promoter Mduduzi Mdlongwa, Babongile was among the think tanks of the historic Kalawa Jazmee’s homecoming party.
“Sikhonjwa always wanted to do things differently. I remember some time when we hosted a train party, we advertised the gig without paying full money to hire the train.
“When the day arrived, people came and got their seats on the train and were ready for the party to begin.
“When officials asked for their money before we left, Sikhonjwa, who was the rightful person to pay, was nowhere to be seen.
“We had to convince the authorities that we would pay later and we did just that.”
Around 2012, Sikhonjwa met businessman Biggie Chinoperekwei who runs numerous entertainment spots.
They became business partners for over 10 years. “Because of his strong profile in the entertainment industry, I first hired him as an area representative.
“When I gained his loyalty, I later ceded a little shareholding to him.
“Together we ran many projects including Hlabangana and the famous Red Café.”
