SCREEN AFRICA EXCLUSIVE: The Mzansi Magic Market Day, held on 1 September at Cresta Mall in Johannesburg, once again contributed to the building of South Africa’s next generation of young moguls and talented entertainers.
Originally called KTV Market Day, this initiative was moved under M-Net’s Mzanzi Magic banner last year and aims to develop young entrepreneurs and performers between the ages of seven and 15 years. This year, the organisers cast the net wider by inviting over 750 schools to participate at locations in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein.
“The Mzanzi Market Day 2012 was exceptional as not only did we have great products we also had great performances from the kids. We hope that we have planted a seed of entrepreneurism in each of the kids who were present,’ said M-Net CSI manager Palesa Xorile. “This year we had an overwhelming response from the participants with 82 stalls comprising of approximately 330 children. On the live entertainment side we had 27 performers gracing the stage.’
Xorile noted that the underlying vision driving Mzansi Magic Market Day is for learners throughout the country to come away from the event having learnt key business principles and how to apply them successfully. Part of this happens in the months preceding the event through the curriculum-aligned and grade-specific publications that M-Net Cares produces for use in Economic Management Science classes. In addition, The Mzansi Magic Market Day team also provided free workshops to spark creativity through new and innovative idea exchange sessions.
“We base the success of the workshops on the number of kids that attend the workshops and this year we are pleased to announce that we had a total of 423 children that attended the workshops,’ added Xorile. “One of the winners of this year’s Market Day actually sold some of the products we taught them to make at the workshop.’
The Mzansi Magic Market Day judges, which comprised of Tribute Jabulile Mboweni, Bafana Mahlangu and Zoe van Onselen, for the first time in the history of the event chose overall winners in two categories – Performing Arts and Business Skills.
The Koffi Dance Group took top honours as Gauteng’s Best Young Stage Performers while the Recycle Rascals awarded the prize for Best Regional Product for their farming irrigation system that makes use of plastic bottles.
The two overall Gauteng winning groups will now go on to compete with their regional counterparts from Durban, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Bloemfontein. The national winner will not only get a chance to boast of their new title as the Mzansi Magic Market Day mini-mogul or superstar, but they also win a R20 000 cash prize.
Mzansi Magic Market Day 2012 will be broadcast on Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 107) in three parts: on Wednesday, 19 September at 18h30; on Saturday, 22 September at 09h00 and on Saturday, 29 September at 09h00.
The Full list of Gauteng winners is:
Mentor Prize:
Mrs Leanie Taljaard – Failands Primary
Mr Richards – Constantia Kloof Primary
Regional School Prize:
Al-Aqsa Ext 1 – Lenasia
Mrs Kahlil accepted prize
Regional Running up – Stall Prize:
Afrika Tikkun – Diepsloot
Smart Art – Strahan Ackerman – Fontainebleau Primary
Winner – Best stall prize:
Design a Jacket – Nina Mosterd – Laerskool Fairland
Regional best sales team:
Room 13 Arts and Crafts
Best innovation Award:
Drinking Goggles – ABDUR RAHEEM RAZAK and MATTHEW BROWN – Dalmondeor Primary
Regional Product winner:
Recycle Rascals – Thomas Greyling, Taahir Johnson, Shashin Gounden, James Bowker – Constantia Kloof Primary
Regional Talent winner:
Koffi Dance Group from Afrika Tikkun in Alexandra
Runners up for talent
Arrise from Pretoria
Lukie from Limpopo
CRESTA GREEN PRIZES:
Schaaphok Little Hand Creations – Legend Lodges – Sterkrivier – Limpopo
CD Beders – Khahliso Makhate, Kamogelo Maila; Ricardo Molefe – Constantia Kloof Primary
J-Gun – Jason Stamp and Gabbi Stamp – Dalmondeor Primary
Report by Simba Nyamukachi
