Rapelang Eugene Leeuw was born in Taung in the North West province on October 17, 1979. His career in the music industry began in 2000 when he moved to Johannesburg permanently, and immersed himself in the South African Roadies Association. Attending a government-sponsored pilot project, through SARA, Rapelang took courses in live sound, backline, lighting and production. 2001 found him working as a backline technician at the North Sea Jazz Festival (later, the Cape Town Jazz Festival).

This led to a position as a sound technician at the ZPT sound company and then sound technician/engineer at VB Sound. By 2002, he’d translated these skills into a career as a freelancer including working on the Tribute To SA Music Heroes Concert, the Standard Bank Joy Of Jazz Festival and the World Summit on Sustainable Development. 2002 was also the year of his first trip to Europe, accepting a 4-week invitation to work pre-production on The North Sea Jazz Festival in Den Haag, Holland. Back in South Africa he found full-time employment as technical manager at MIDI TRUST, then located 10 Henry Nxumalo Street, present day Bassline. As technical manager his duties included maintenance of the house sound system, the rehearsal spaces, and both venues. At this time Rapelang also enrolled in an Arts administration course presented by the Cultural Help Desk. Working in 2004, as part of the Creative Collective team (Caiphus Semenya, Letta Mbulu, Hugh Masekela, Jonas Gwangwa and Sibongile Khumalo) that produced the South Africa 10 Years of Freedom Celebrations including 4 separate concerts, each consisting of over 100 technical production staff and host to thousands. This led to a position as production and logistics manager, and band manager at Chissa Entertainment Group with Hugh Masekela. It was while at Chissa that Leeuw registered Bo-Amma-Ruri Productions for work in the fields of event management, artist management, workshop and conference coordination. He maintained his position as Masekela’s band manager from 2004 until that legend’s passing in 2018. In that decade plus he toured with Masekela all over and around the globe including various US and European tours, East, West, North and South African concerts, as well as Australia and the Caribbean Islands. Working on Masekela’s “Songs Of Migration” he also gained experience as a theatre cast and stage manager at The Market Theatre. With the establishment of SEMOPA Entertainment, Hugh Masekela’s management company, he also became Hugh Masekela’s personal assistant.

Rapelang still works with the Hugh Masekela Heritage Foundation and SEMOPA Entertainment on a semi permanent basis. He’s also worked and/or maintains working relationships with the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, Tribute to SA Music Heroes at Moretele, Mahika Mahika Cultural Festival, Macufe Music Festival, Hugh Masekela Heritage Festival, Maftown Heights and the Nubian Music Festival. At present, in addition to other freelance activities, he occupies himself with tour managing for USborn, Ugandan jazz singer Somi Kakoma (2023 to present), lending his production services to Mason Africa (2022 to present) for various conferences around the continent, road managing for South African singer Lira and site and production manager for Standard Bank Joy of Jazz (2016 to present).

In summary, Rapelang Eugene Leeuw has, since 2000, equipped himself with and ventured into a dizzying array of industry fields, most prominently management, technical and personnel of events and concerts. Globally-experienced and locally-trained Leeuw’s passion, accomplishments and skills in the music industry are a cornucopia. Detail-oriented, focused and dedicated he continues to expand his repertoire of skills and accomplishments.

With a career span of over 15 years, Nonceba Buyiswa Ntintili is a versatile professional with a strong background in arts and culture management. Her professional highlights include roles as a Production Assistant and Co-coordinator at the Constitutional Hill Human Rights Festival, where she demonstrated adeptness in organizing diverse cultural events. Among other roles, her tenure as a Production Coordinator at Joburg City Theatres for the Arts Alive International Festival showcased her ability to manage logistical operations and foster collaborations with artists and stakeholders.

Nonceba’s proficiency in communication, project management, and artist liaison make her a valuable asset in the arts and culture sector. A finessed cultural practitioner; Nonceba is actively engaged in continuous learning and development through workshops, seminars, and industry events to stay updated with current trends and best practices in arts and culture management.

Having a background in both talent management & entertainment legal consulting, Vuyo offers a unique perspective of how musical artists can amplify and protect their careers.

She is currently the Head of Operations and Senior Label Manager at Lawk Communication, specialising in label management and admin. She advocates for managers to play an advisory role which emphasises holistic career management and education for musicians.

I have worked at Content Connect Africa, and the music business, for six years. In university I attempted to study law and graduated with a BA (Law) undergrad but elected to pursue my Honours in English Studies. After returning home from university I didn’t have a set plan of what I wanted to study and was offered an internship at Content Connect Africa. Initially I began in A&R, I signed my first artist Majorsteez in 2018 but progressed from the department into Business Affairs. Between that I spent time learning to ingest CRBTS to the network operators as well as the digital streaming platforms (Apple, Spotify). Six years later I am General Manager and oversee the A&R, publishing, reporting, tech, and HR departments of the business. I am also currently a label rep for Lelowhatsgood and Mx Blouse. Throughout my employment I have made a habit of pursuing new skills. These may not necessarily pertain to my career but have assisted in developing important skills. I have completed a travel writing short course, a commercial and contract law short course, a NQF2 Apprentice Field Guide course and I won the South African Writer’s College Short Story Competition in 2021.

Violet Maila is a music industry professional from South Africa. She is currently the Projects Manager for the Music In Africa Foundation in Johannesburg.

 
Driven by a passionate quest to enhance the arts and culture landscape in South Africa and across the African continent, Violet has made significant contributions to various creative projects throughout the region.

Violet’s journey in the creative industries began with her work on music productions in Malawi and Angola. She further honed her expertise while living in Zanzibar, where she played a pivotal role at Sauti za Busara, one of the largest music festivals in the East African region. Her efforts in these roles have not only highlighted her ability to manage and produce large-scale cultural events but also her dedication to promoting African music and arts.

With close to 15 years of experience, Violet has worked extensively within the creative industries, encompassing various roles that span across strategic, conceptual, and design work. Her career includes contributions to numerous high-profile projects, where she has utilised her skills to develop and execute innovative ideas that drive cultural engagement and appreciation.

Violet’s cross-capability and cross-category communications expertise is evident in her work with leading brands across a diverse range of sectors. She has successfully led initiatives that blend artistic vision with practical implementation, creating compelling and impactful experiences that resonate with audiences.

Reba Shai is a dynamic, award winning industry titan in the music business working currently as the Manager to global AmaPiano star Focalistic and lead marketing and operations strategist for the independent music label 18 Area. Shai is no stranger to the entertainment industry having kicked off her career as a Label Manager at CapcCity Records working with the likes of Lady Zamar Junior Taurus and Blaklez, she quickly spread her wings to consult independently for global music labels such SONY to help develop strategy and discover new sonic trends and artists that would build the dynamic music scene of tomorrow.

Her expertise has been widely used in crafting iconic cultural moments such as Strata Nation Address (Focalistic’s One Man Show of 15 thousand attendees) and works as a mentor and strategist to some of South Africa’s most promising and viral talents in the AmaPiano scene. In 2022 Shai was awarded the GQ Artist Manager of the year for her influence in the music industry and works in crafting iconic moments between artists and brands such as Jägermeister, adidas and Coca Cola. Her passion for upskilling young creatives with the business acumen and brand strategy behind building sustainable music careers makes her an invaluable asset to the game, particularly for women in the business of music.