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PHOTOS | Nomcebo Zikode, Wouter Kellerman and Zakes Bantwini bring their Grammys home
Nomcebo Zikode, Wouter Kellerman and Zakes Bantwini arrive at the airpirt after winning a Grammy for Bayethe.
Photo: Lefty Shivambu/ Gallo Images
- Nomcebo Zikode, Zakes Bantwini and Wouter Kellerman arrived to a hero’s welcome when they returned to SA on Friday after winning a Grammy award for Bayethe at the 65th edition of music’s most prestigious event.
- They were welcomed by sports, arts and culture minister Nathi Mthethwa, Gauteng sports, arts, culture and recreation MEC Morakane Mosupyoe, other delegates and their families.
- Speaking at the welcoming ceremony, Zikode said that by winning the Grammy, they had shown that it was possible for young boys and girls looking up to them to do it too.
Grammy-winning trio Nomcebo Zikode, Zakes Bantwini and Wouter Kellerman received a hero’s welcome in the country after their momentous win.
They arrived to an official welcome ceremony hosted by sports, arts and culture minister Nathi Mthethwa. He was joined by Gauteng sports, arts, culture and recreation MEC Morakane Mosupyoe, other delegates and their families. The ceremony was at OR Tambo International Airport.
“To tell you the truth, I think we have done our part,” Zikode said during the ceremony. “What we’ve done here, together with Zakes and Wouter, we have shown a young girl or a young boy that it is possible.”
She added:
“I think by winning this Grammy already, we’ve just played our part to say it is possible. Never give up on your talent. It is important for you at home to have a dream, and whenever you have a dream, you need to put action on it. You can’t just dream alone.”
READ MORE | South Africa celebrates Grammy win: ‘Their names will forever be remembered as great African talent’
Zikode added: “When you respect your talent and your craft, nothing is impossible.”
The three won the Grammy for Best Global Performance in the Global Music category for their collaboration on Bayethe at the 65th edition of music’s most prestigious event. The awards took place in Los Angeles on Sunday.
READ MORE | South Africa wins 10th Grammy – A look at the artists who brought the awards home
“Our South African Grammy Award winners have returned to home soil from their historical journey,” minister Mthethwa wrote on social media. “We applaud this powerhouse on their enormous achievement.”
Thank you to the family and friends of our Grammy winners as well as the South African media and everyone who joined us at OR Tambo International Airport today to welcome our African icons.????#Bayethe pic.twitter.com/5ggQ66ABSd
— Min. Nathi Mthethwa (@NathiMthethwaSA) February 10, 2023
In an interview with News24 earlier in the week, Zikode said she was “so happy” to be the second woman, after Miriam Makeba, to receive a Grammy award.
“I think Mam’ Miriam Makeba took this award years back in 1966, if I’m not mistaken. So, for me to take this award, I’m so happy, and because I’m from a small township in Hammarsdale, I am hoping that someone from somewhere is getting inspiration out of all of this, that it is possible – Nomcebo has done it, I can also win a Grammy one day.”
ALSO READ | ‘We made it’ – Nomcebo Zikode hopes her Grammy win will be ‘a symbol of hope for the African child’
SEE THE WELCOME CEREMONY PHOTOS HERE:
Nathi Mthethwa, Zakes Bantwini, Wouter Kellerman and Nomcebo Zikode at OR Tambo International Airport on February 10, 2023.
Zakes Bantwini, Wouter Kellerman and Nomcebo Zikode with fans at OR Tambo International Airport.
Zakes Bantwini, Wouter Kellerman and Nomcebo Zikode with fans at OR Tambo International Airport on February 10, 2023.
Zakes Bantwini, Wouter Kellerman and Nomcebo Zikode with fans at OR Tambo International Airport on February 10, 2023.