‘I can’t just watch while my community is destroyed’

In each and every corner of the Eastern Cape, including the remote and deeply rural areas, you will run into talented people. Sometimes all that is needed is someone to give that talent a platform to flourish.

Armed with this belief, Sterkspruit-born poet, author, artist and talent developer Bandile Magibili has made it his mission to help others — especially young people — to explore and develop their creative abilities.

In a career spanning more than two decades, he has given platforms to young people with raw talent, some of whom have gone on to become famous in the SA creative industry.

Magibili says he has never been driven by money but by love for what he does: seeing young people able to explore their natural creative talents.

“We have talent everywhere but sometimes you find young people going to places like taverns because they are attracted there by music and the entertainment offered,” he said.

“Most of the time you find that people with influence are just concerned about themselves.

“But it’s important for me is to see what I can do with my influence.

“I cannot just sit back and watch while my community is destroyed.”

Born in Dangershoek, one of the underprivileged areas of Sterkspruit, Magibili discovered his own creative abilities almost by accident.

Mambongo Magibili, his grandmother, guardian and mentor, died suddenly in 2004, just after a young Bandile had received his matric results.

With no-one to take care of him or pay to further his studies, he had to find creative ways to sustain himself.

“I discovered I could write poetry. I ended up asking to perform my material in schools where learners could pay R1 or R2 to watch me.

“I soon realised I could raise money to go back to school to further my studies.

“But most importantly, I realised I could help other young people explore their own natural artistic abilities.”

In 2005, he enrolled for a national diploma in ICT at Walter Sisulu University.

He was also able to host poetry sessions at East London’s Imbizo African Cuisine and Jazz Cafe.

Being unfamiliar with any poets in the area, he hosted a poetry competition and designed posters and invites for the event.

But he said the event, to be held at the town hall, was “sabotaged” by municipal authorities.

That had a profound effect on him, he said.

About that time, he met and worked with Mzansi’s late beloved “Country Girl”, Zahara, and poet, performer, singer and songwriter Busiswa, who would perform at the Jazz Cafe.

“That was before they became famous.

“But what was important for me was that I would take her [Zahara] across the province to perform.

“Even Msaki would perform at the cafe.”

Money was never a motivator.

“For me, money is a by-product of a creative idea.

“The reality is that our lives depend on other people’s ideas, like the houses we live in or the cars we drive.

“Someone came up with the designs.

“Money can never make you feel whole as a person, as we’ve been made to believe.

“When we explore our artistic talents, we don’t just do it for a living, we are paying homage to the Creator who bestowed these gifts on us in the first place.”

For years, Magibili has visited schools across the country, advising pupils how to nurture their creativity.

In 2015, he created and funded the “Recite Your Own Poetry” competition whose winners travel to perform in the UK.

He is also the author of 2 B Black and has lectured on the book across Europe.

Published in 2011, 2 B Black is a history of SA in the form of titled paintings and narratives seen through the eyes of Hastings Mqhayi.

In 2022, the Dispatch reported that Mqhayi, an Eastern Cape-born artist, had taken the government to court, claiming to be the original designer of the SA flag. 

Magibili said he decided to get involved in Mqhayi’s fight for recognition because many artists were dying poor while those who were printing T-shirts with the flag were raking in millions.

“If we could get royalties, our artists would not die poor.”

Thandile Mposelwa, who nominated Magibili for Local Heroes, said he had not been discouraged by his background and had followed his own dreams.

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