WATCH | Donors help realise US dream

An Eastern Cape petrol attendant will trade the petrol pump and get to live his dream when he jets out of the country tomorrow to participate in an international talent competition in the US.

Sonwabile Gingqishe, 22, yesterday left Fort Beaufort for Johannesburg by bus, where he will catch a flight at the OR Tambo International Airport to perform at the Applause Rising Talent Showcase International in Orlando, Florida for two weeks.

“Immortal Soso”, as the multi-talented Magaleni township-born man is known – who raps, performs comedy, poetry, acts and is also a model – will get to live his dream, all thanks to donations from government and local attorneys.

After many disappointments from potential sponsors to fund his trip, Eastern Cape sport, arts and recreation MEC Bulelwa Tunyiswa donated R60,000. He also received R15,000 from MG Mali Attorneys, while the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality and local businesses donated R25,000. Total garage donated R9,000. He said before the floods of donations, his Total garage manager Diederick Hattingh and friend Sivuyile Dube helped him fundraise, but only came up with R5,000.

“When I was dropped by sponsors, I felt like the world was falling apart. I lost hope and I felt helpless and I was ready to give up and forget about this. I would sleep after 2am, but by 5am I was already up each day and I felt like hell,” he said.

Gingqishe will perform in front of SONY/ BMG, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Walt Disney Entertainment studios and many industry greats like Nate Butler, Blaze Johnson, Kim Myers and casting director at Tyler Perry studios, Rhavynn Drummer.

“When I come back from the States I will make sure that I implement everything that I will learn during the workshops to my NGO, Orange Development Organisation, which is an organisation that aims at reviving and implementing art in schools and in the Eastern Cape,” he said.

Tunyiswa’s spokesman, Sakhiwe Sodo said they had to do something when they learnt of Gingqishe’s plight.

“The opportunity to participate in the Applause Rising Talent Showcase International in the US is the dream of every artist. Ours as DSRAC was to ensure that this dream comes true. Going forward we are exploring the possibility of partnership with Sonwabile’s organisers so that the opportunities of EC artists link up with international actors are maximised,” he said.

MG Mali spokesman Lebo Mathlabane said:

“[The] owner of MG Mali, Mthetheleli is from Fort Beaufort, [so] this is his way of giving back to his people, and had always wanted people from here to prosper. And when we saw his profile and his videos we saw he was worth funding. We have also called on our partner to sponsor him to post his videos online. Something like an online series.”

l Meanwhile, Gingqishe is number two in the top 10 of the modelling competition, by Just You Model and Artist Management, which is looking for the Face of Just You.

To vote for him, SMS ‘127’ to 35224. SMSes cost R3.