Jo'burg to host MTV Africa Music Awards

The announcement was made at a press conference on Tuesday 23 August. Since inception the award show has held once in Kenya and twice in Nigeria. With this announcement, South Africa is playing host for what will be a third consecutive year.

Since the MAMAs arrived in South Africa in 2014, Durban, a city in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Province has hosted the well-respected show twice. Johannesburg, South Africa's economic hub and capital city of the Gauteng Province, will be host for the first time.

Undoubtedly one of the most celebrated events in Africa, the MAMAs will provide music lovers in Johannesburg an opportunity to experience the popular ceremony live on Saturday 22 October. Jo'burg fans will get to see both African artists and global popstars. 

Already, unconfirmed reports say US artist Alicia Keys is among the international acts that will headline the event which is aimed at celebrating African talent. Only recently Keys worked with one such talent: South Africa's DJ Black Coffee on the remix to the hit single ‘In Common’. The full list of performers will be revealed over the next few weeks, with nominees announced in Johannesburg and Lagos, Nigeria.

“The decision to bring the Mamas to Johannesburg was overdue," said Vice President of BET Youth and Music at Viacom International Media Networks Africa, Monde Twala to Drum Magazine "because the City of Gold is the Mecca of entertainment and it is a multi-cultural melting pot." He added that the event facilitates exchange of cultures among African countries.

The 2016 MTV Africa Music Awards (popularly called the MAMAs) will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa on 22 October.