Zakes Bantwini’s take on cancer
Musician and record executive Zakhele Madida, popularly known as Zakes Bantwini, recently shared with 'The Citizen' how close to home breast cancer is for him.
Zakes Bantwini performs at the SA Film and Television Awards in Johannesburg in 2013. Photo: Gallo Images / City Press / Lucky Nxumalo
“I run an initiative called One Goal For Cancer,” he said. “My mom passed on through cancer, so we are raising funds every year for breast cancer because I think it is still a myth to African people.”
The award-winning artist went on to explain how much the illness made his mom suffer. “If you have a lump, people tell you that you need to see a traditional healer. My mom suffered from that. She wasn’t paying attention to cancer. She thought she could pray cancer away.”
Bantwini says he is trying to educate black people about the seriousness of the disease. “African people are trapped. We know there is God, but we should also understand that there are illnesses brought by what we eat and all these other things.”
He says he works with other celebrities in this cause, and so far the initiative has been a success. “I challenge AKA every year to a game of soccer. We do it at Discovery Park. We invite celebrities and soccer giants. We had Daine Klate, Pearl Thusi, and Nomuzi Mabena, among others last year,” he explained.
“When you score, the other team you score against has to pay money, so also when a foul or yellow card are issued. A yellow card is R100 and a red card is R250,” he indicated, explaining how the money is generated. “We made about R45 000 last year and about R 60 000 year before last, and we are hoping to raise more this year.”
Breast cancer awareness month is in October.
Read more about Zakes Bantwini tomorrow in The Citizen newspaper.
