Call for nominations: SA Traditional Music Achievement (SATMA) Awards

The SATMA Awards - in partnership with the SABC, National Heritage Council of South Africa (NHC), AIRCO and the uMhlathuze Municipality under the Uthungulu District - are requesting people to nominate their favourite traditional artists or bands in their choice of categories, particularly those relevant to your favourite radio station, ethnic group or record company.

The categories are: Best Male Artist; Best Female Artist; Best Afro Soul; Best African Jazz Song; Best Reggae Album; Best Praise Singer; Best Poet; Best Indigenous Comedian; Best Newcomer Artist; Best Traditional Dance Group; Best Mbaqanga Album; Best Isicathamiya Album; Best Traditional Outfit; Best SePedi Album; Best Venda Album; Best Xitsonga Album; Best Ndebele Album; Best IsiXhosa Album; Best SeTswana Album; Best SiSwati Album; Best Indian Album; Best Sesotho Album; Best Boeremusiek; Best Traditional San Album; Best Maskandi Album; Best Vernacular Hip Hop Song; Best Song of the year; and the Founder’s Awards.

Entries opened at midnight on 7 May and will close on 6 July 2015.

The 10th Annual SATMA Awards nominees will be announced on 8 August at the Mmabatho Convention Centre in Mahikeng, North West Province. The 2015 SATMA Awards ceremony takes place on 3 October at the University of Zululand in Durban.

In preparation for the big night, promotional events are already underway, including:

• a vehicle convoy through the streets of KwaZulu-Natal on 23 May, starting at Blue Lagoon Beach in Durban
• a 10^th anniversary celebration festival at the Ndwedwe Sports Ground in Ndwedwe on 30 May
• a red carpet ceremony at Durban’s Botanical Gardens, also on 30 May
• a cultural parade in Durban on 26 September
• a SATMA pre-party in Richards Bay on 1 October
• a comedy & fashion show at the University of Zululand in Durban on 2 October

How to enter

Nominate your favourite artists or groups in the categories stated above by completing the nomination form for 2015. Nomination forms can be downloaded from the SATMA website here.

The artist/s or group/s must have recorded their albums in the period from March 2014 to February 2015. Kindly submit the completed nomination forms to SATMA Awards accompanied by a CD, DVD, artist/group photograph and profile/biography before 3pm on 6 July 2015. This information should be sent to the organisers by courier to: No. 2 Torvale Crescent Corner Armstrong Avenue, La Lucia Ridge, La Lucia, 4019 - or PO BOX 5198, Durban , 4000. For inquiries call their SATMA Hotline on (+27) 086 1000 513.

Alternatively, to vote for your favourite artist or group via SMS: write SATMA, the NAME of your favourite artist or group AND the category to 34066. SMS’s costs R1.50 (free SMS’s do not apply). Brought to you by SABC mobile.