By: Zimaseka Daka
SABC news reader Bongiwe Baliti Mantakana dabbles in songwriting with a collaboration on Berita’s new single Ndicel´ikiss.
The funny and charismatic mother of a ten year old says her passion for reading and writing started at a very young age, “growing up in Port Elizabeth I used to help my friends with writing love letters, poems and what we used to call music books.”
Her love for writing led her to pursue a career in broadcasting, where she studied Radio and Audio broadcasting at MSC Business College and later Communication Science through UNISA. Her career lifted off when she worked as a news reader at a community radio station EH-FM in Port Elizabeth. She is currently working for SABC News as a bulletin Producer and a news reader.
Bongie explained, that the song Cel´ikiss came about when she and Berita were travelling together. Berita shared a verse she had in mind and she shared a poem she wrote. Berita had a melody and went in studio and did the song which was done in two weeks, they worked on the song while Berita is Johannesburg and her in King Williams Town.
“Although the song Cel´i kiss is a love song it’s not necessary a couple’s love, it could be love from mother to child. It means shared love and kisses with those close to your heart. On its first day it was trending on Twitter and it is continuing to top the charts around the country with some African people asking for it to be translated to Swahili. My main focus now is to assist Berita with her upcoming music project as she made it very clear that she sees a future in us continuing writing together.”
Bongie says, although she is happy about her new found love for writing and is planning to write more songs for other artists, she will always be a news and communications girl.