Mandela Bay’s music video revolution takes centre stage.

Image supplied.

For almost a decade, an idea has been taking shape in Nelson Mandela Bay - that music videos should be viewed as far more than promotional tools for songs. They can be powerful vehicles for storytelling, cultural expression, social commentary, commercial opportunity and, importantly, a showcase for the people and places that make South Africa unique.

That vision is now alive and on stage again on 24 September 2026 when the Mandela Bay Music Video Film Festival takes over The Athenaeum in Gqeberha for a full day dedicated to the intersection of music, film and visual storytelling.

Founded by Motherwell-based creative entrepreneur and filmmaker Sebenzile Zalabe through Flying Loudcast Agency, the festival is the culmination of an idea that has been developing since 2015. Zalabe, who has been active in film since 2009 and has served as chair of the Nelson Mandela Bay Film Forum since 2023, has long championed the potential of the region’s creative talent.

For him, the festival is not simply about putting music videos on a screen. It is about creating a space where filmmakers, musicians, directors, producers, content creators and other creative professionals can meet, learn, collaborate and find opportunities to turn creative talent into sustainable careers and businesses.

The 2026 festival is being implemented by Flying Loudcast Agency with the support of the Nelson Mandela Bay Development Agency, MyBliss Technologies and Sonwabo Audio Visuals, bringing together partners who recognise the wider value of investing in the local creative ecosystem.

The partnership is significant because the festival sits at the crossroads of several growing sectors - creative entrepreneurship, technology, entertainment, tourism, youth development and economic development. A well-produced music video can introduce an artist to new audiences, create work for a production team, promote local locations and businesses, preserve cultural identity and potentially put a South African story in front of an international audience.

It is this broader vision that gives the Mandela Bay Music Video Film Festival its purpose.

Rather than focusing solely on entertainment, the one-day platform combines music-video screenings, live performances, workshops, masterclasses, industry conversations and networking opportunities. The programme is designed to give creatives access not only to inspiration, but also to practical knowledge around the craft and business of their work.

And the 2026 programme brings together an impressive collection of voices from across the creative industries.

Among the featured industry practitioners is Johannes Witbooi, filmmaker at Churb Boy Films, alongside Sino Banda, a filmmaker, producer, educator and film consultant, and Rafieka Davis, filmmaker, director and editor at Swirlkous Films. Their participation brings valuable perspectives on the realities of developing visual stories and building careers within the film industry.

The festival also turns its attention to some of the less visible but critical elements behind creative success. Sakhele Mzalazala, a music rights consultant and author, will bring insight into music rights and the business considerations that artists and creators need to understand.

Storytelling and development will also feature strongly, with Zolisa Sigwanda, a film and television writer, story developer, script editor and producer, joining the programme, while Phumlani Mbulelo Ngceza, a leadership and development practitioner and author, adds another dimension to the conversation around personal and professional growth.

The festival’s reach extends beyond South Africa too. Dr Scott Merclin, an award-winning filmmaker and educator from Seattle in the United States, will be part of the programme, bringing an international perspective to the conversations taking place in Nelson Mandela Bay.

September 2026 Edition

ZAR 30.00

Buy Now

Other contributors include Geoff Hookins, a director, editor, cinematographer and journalist; Jermain M Charles, co-founder and managing director of FanBase Africa and founder of ENKORE; and Onesimo Zondani, business developer and content creator.

Together with live performances and music-video showcases, the programme creates a space where creative practitioners can see their work, hear from experienced professionals and potentially build relationships that extend far beyond the festival itself.

That networking component is central to Zalabe’s long-term ambition: to position Nelson Mandela Bay as a destination where filmmakers, musicians, producers and other creative professionals from across South Africa can meet, collaborate and develop new opportunities.

The ultimate vision is bold - to grow the festival into “The Home of African Music Video Innovation”, a platform that celebrates African visual creativity while creating practical pathways towards learning, collaboration, investment, commercial growth and international exposure.

For Nelson Mandela Bay, that ambition could have implications well beyond one day at The Athenaeum. A stronger creative industry means more opportunities for filmmakers, musicians, editors, designers, photographers, production crews and entrepreneurs, while the stories created in the region can simultaneously contribute to tourism, cultural promotion and the local economy.

The Mandela Bay Music Video Film Festival 2026 takes place on Thursday, 24 September, from 08:00 until approximately 18:00/19:00 at The Athenaeum in Nelson Mandela Bay, Gqeberha.

With admission priced at R100, the festival offers creatives, industry professionals, aspiring filmmakers, music lovers and members of the public an opportunity to be part of a platform that is attempting to do something bigger than celebrate music videos.

It is building a meeting point for ideas, talent, business and African stories and putting Nelson Mandela Bay firmly into that conversation.

Tickets available HERE