Siyabonga Ntshangase: The Man Transforming Katlehong Youth and Lighting Up the Stage

In Zonkizizwe, Katlehong, Siyabonga Ntshangase, founder and CEO of The Creatives Production and MGAZI Stage Lighting, has spent over 15 years empowering youth through the arts and professional stage production.

His project, The Creatives Production, provides mentorship in poetry, music, dance, and drama, while also offering life skills programs for young people who may not pursue the arts, helping them explore multiple opportunities and make positive choices for their future. Siyabonga believes creativity trains the mind, keeps youth engaged, and nurtures confident, community-minded individuals.

Alongside this, Siyabonga runs MGAZI Stage Lighting, a professional stage lighting and production service. Through MGAZI, he brings high-class lighting and production to events, festivals, and performances, giving the youth from The Creatives Production and other artists a platform to shine and be noticed by people of influence. Together, these two ventures reflect Siyabonga’s vision of creating spaces where young talent can grow, be seen, and excel—both on stage and in life.

Now, let’s see what Siyabonga had to say in this exclusive Q&A with Africa Jamz FM News about his journey, his projects, and his vision for empowering young artists in Katlehong and beyond.

1. Siya, what inspired you to start The Creatives Production in Zonkizizwe, and did you ever imagine it would grow into such a life-changing platform for youth?

“I started The Creatives Production while I was still at school in Grade 11. I was part of the drama classes at Winile Secondary School, and I saw the little resources the school had for the arts. I then felt it was very important for me to enter into the arts territory, because not only was there a gap, but there was also a need for me to bring such a platform, not just at my school but throughout the whole community of Zonkizizwe,” said Siyabonga.

2. As founder and CEO of both The Creatives Production and MGAZI Stage Lighting, how do you balance mentoring young talent while running a professional stage production business?

“It requires hard work, commitment, focus and resilience, because all these portfolios require my undivided attention. At times, delegating portfolios helps. Over the years, we have created managerial posts for different departments to ensure that the workload is balanced,” said Siyabonga.

3. Can you share a story of a young artist whose life was transformed through your mentorship programs and the opportunities provided by your stage productions?

“Among many amazing testimonials, I can share only two at this point. One is Mpumelelo Nkosi, an aspiring poet from Zonkizizwe who was mentored and grew to be an amazing poet to date. In 2021, she recorded her poetry project, Othandweni ,which is available on all major streaming platforms. Another is Khetani Myambo, who started out as just an actor and has now grown his departments to being one of the most respected MCs, events directors and motivational speakers in Zonkizizwe,” said Siyabonga.

4. What challenges have you faced in growing arts initiatives in your community, and how have these challenges shaped your vision for both projects?

“Funding has always been our biggest challenge. Running such organisations requires a lot of funds. Another challenge is getting support from the families of artists. We run projects that rely on funders and sponsorships. Mgazi Stage Lighting also helps in keeping the vision alive, because the funds we accumulate from both projects ensure that all departments run smoothly. We also have trained staff who engage with parents or guardians of our artists, ensuring that they receive as much support at home as they do at our doors,” said Siyabonga.

5. Looking ahead, what dreams do you have for The Creatives Production and MGAZI Stage Lighting, and how do you hope they continue to empower young artists in South Africa?

“My biggest dream for The Creatives Production is to have big brands coming to work with us in shaping these young people. For Mgazi Stage Lighting, the vision is clear: we aim to keep bringing events to life with our unique lighting techniques. At a later stage, we hope to expand into owning sound and outdoor lighting for events as well, seeing that at this point we only provide lighting for indoor events,” said Siyabonga.

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