Mthokozisi S'thembiso Hlela

Duduza Media was registered in 2016 as a Video Production Company under the stewardship of Mr. S'thembiso Mthokozisi Hlela.
The overall mission of the company is to produce and shoot documentary films about issues that impact national heritage and social dynamics, for example the preservation of indigenous music, the right to life of people with what is described as”alternative lifestyles,” and the imapct of plastic pollutio on the environment.

To date, the company has shot several projects, notably “Time Of The Writer” and “Poetry Africa” Festivals 2016/17/18. We also produced corporate videos for Shell in 2018/9 and FIN-UWEZO financial literacy project in 2019. DUDUZA MEDIA is currently shooting a documentary on Umakhweyana, an indigenous bow music instrument, which the company begain in 2020.

With the COVID-19 pandemic breaking out in 2020, DUDUZA MEDIA felt its impact due to the necessary restrictions imposed to curb the spread of infections. As a rsult, business apportunities declined, thus stalling activity for DUDUZA MEDIA.
Mr Hlela has over ten (10) years’ experience in elevision productions, having worked on the reality shows “Big Brother” Africa, South Africa and Angola, and Coke Studio South Africa. He also worked on the Australian production, “I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here,” which is shot in Mpumalanga Province since its first season in 2015.

S’thembiso Hlela is also extensively experienced as a performer, first as a dancer, and more notably as a percussionist and a player of other indigenous music instruments. His inspiration came from the now late great percussionist, Mr. Mabe Thobejane, with whom he first played in 1995. Over the years, he worked with iSkokiana; musicians’ like Madala Kunene from South Africa, Brice Wassy from Cameroon, Emmauel Gomando, Ni tety Tete and Africa Ni from Ghana, and also Ellie Kihonia from Congo. This is what enthused Mr. Hlela to create the idea of projects to preserve the heritage of indigenus music instruments.
Mr. Hlela is currently with a Durban based band Afro-Gong.