Mangalani Mudau (35), better known by Musina FM listeners as The Diamond Voice, is the only radio presenter from Limpopo to be nominated for the 2022 Live Your Dream SA Youth Awards, which will be held in Durban on Saturday, 19 November.
The awards, which started as a talent show in 2014, recognise young and upcoming South African artists between the ages of 14 and 35 in various fields of arts. The initiative also seeks to encourage gifted young artists to expose their talents, create their own jobs via their art and thus contribute to the development of the country's arts and entertainment industry.
Mudau presents Musina FM's Afternoon Drive Show from 15:00 to 18:00 during weekdays. He said he felt honoured to be nominated for the prestigious award. "When nominations opened in June this year, my colleagues at Musina FM nominated me. I never thought I would make it. I was so shocked and happy at the same time when I heard that I had made it to the finals. This is history in the making. Not only do I carry the hopes of the people of Musina, but I will be representing Limpopo in this category," he said.
Having won a few local awards, Mudau strongly believes that bringing the award home will strengthen his reputation in the broadcasting industry. "My dream is to one day work for one of the national radio stations, and winning this award will be a step closer to that goal. I will prove to South Africa that the small border town of Musina has enough talent to compete in any sphere across the globe."
Musina FM's station manager, Justice Langa, wished Mudau well and said he believed that the award would come back to Musina.
Voting lines for the awards had already opened on 1 September and close on 15 November. To vote for Mudau, SMS "LYD 121" to 33282.