F E A R L E S S, P R O L I F I C A N D R E P P I N G T H E C U LT U R E

YOUNGSTACPT
THE SHEER THE A RARE DOS AND DON’TS
EXCELLENCE PHENOMENAL And Extraordinary Of Men’s Style
Of Mandisi Teko Modise Interview With Right Now
Dyantyis Inkabi Zezwe
DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

OTHER COUNTRIES R60.87

R70 ( INCL VAT )
 CONTENTS

D E C E M B E R 2 02 3/J A N U A RY 2 02 4

ISSUE

56
YoungstaCPT
on mastering
lyricism and his
representation of
the hip-hop
community

C R E AT I V E D I R E C T I O N & S T Y L I N G : L U K E D I VA

Photography by
Niquita Bento
and Mimi Ezinne
All prices quoted in this
issue are approximate and
subject to change.

0 2 GQ.CO.ZA |D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 P H O T O G R A P H B Y N I Q U I TA B E N T O
 CONTENTS

D E C E M B E R 2 02 3/J A N U A RY 2 02 4

DEPARTMENTS
06 Letter from the
Editor-in-Chief

FEATURES
56 YoungstaCPT –
fearless, prolific and ISSUE
repping the culture
72 Dos and Don’ts
of fashion
trends right now
80 The phenomenal
Teko Modise
86 The sheer
excellence of
Mandisi Dyantis

ESSENTIALS
11 The essence of
summer distilled into
chic minimalism
22 Our annual much-
awaited gift guide for
the season
26 The team picks
their fave summer
fragrances and
travel essentials

GEAR
31 Two sexy SUVs
from Alfa Romeo,
the Tonale and Stelvio
get put to the test
34 Business class
travelling in a trio
of luxury SUVs

WEALTH

86
39 Setting smart
financial goals and
resolutions
C R E AT I V E D I R E C T I O N & S T Y L I N G : L U K E D I VA

for 2024
Inside the musical
mind of Mandisi
ST YLE Dyantis
45 Embrace
minimalist this Photography by
summer for a Zander Opperman.
less-is-more look All prices quoted in this
94 Directory issue are approximate and
subject to change.

0 4 GQ.CO.ZA | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 P H OTO G R A P H BY Z ANDER OPPERMAN

 ED’S LETTER

The
right
kind
of
light
I T ’ S 2 9 D EG R E E S I N
CA P E TOW N , A N D I
A M S E AT E D AT T H E shine, we unconsciously
TA B L E BAY H OT E L , give other people
H AV I N G M O RO C CA N permission to do
M I N T T E A . I have just the same.’
come from a shoot with I hope your light
the GQ team and some cultivates the light that
clients, and as usual, it allows others to shine.
was stunning. In the spirit of using
The subject, client, the who we are to elevate the
team, and I were happy world and those around
with how everything they are not alone in us, our four cover stars,
came together. their quest for a better Mandisi Dyantis, Teko
As I sit quietly overlooking life – be it financially, Modise, YoungstaCPT
the waterfront with a spiritually, emotionally and Inkabi Zezwe, do
view of Table Mountain, or all three. I have used just that. Their work and
I think of how far I have my voice to show that accolades have shown
come in my quest to be it’s possible. us that it’s possible to
a storyteller. It’s been a Of course, as one excel using your gifts,
long journey; one that has gets busy with life and no matter what they are.
presented its fair share of the next appointment, We hope you enjoy their
challenges, but has also the big thing, the stories in our issue.
been filled with so much next achievement As you page through
grace, as well as many we’re chasing, we this magazine, my hope
miracles along the way. I sometimes forget to is after finishing it; you
have actively used all the take small moments to will also be inspired to
opportunities I have gotten acknowledge what we take a moment and give
to tell the stories of people, have achieved. yourself a pat on the
whether celebrities or the The working lives back for making it this
everyday man, that show have changed, and the far, King!
whoever reads or sees that things we do have been It’s the end of the year,
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: ZANDER OPPERMAN

also followed suit. By and with its ups and

following our passions downs, you made
and purpose, we have it, which is worth
also been able to light the celebrating.
way for others who have
watched, read, listened With Love,
or followed our journeys.
In her famous poem MOL IFE
Our Deepest Fear, author EDITOR-IN- CHIEF
Marianne Williamson
says, ‘As we let our light

0 6 GQ.CO.ZA | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4
Enjoy Responsibly. Not for sale to persons under the age of 18.
 EDITOR-IN- CHIEF
Molife Kumona

EDITORIAL PUBLISHED BY CONDÉ NAST

Walter Hay ward
Gareth Dean
FA S HION
Luke Diva
ART
Keenan Jeppe
Nosipho Ngqula
FE ATURE S
Shannon Manuel SENIOR FE AT URES WRITER
Anele Geqiwe GRO OMING EDITOR
C ONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Dieter Losskarn (MOTORING)
Sanelisiwe Maliza (FEATURES)
CONTRIBUTORS
Carmen Gordon, Gio Jungle, Lesley Anne Kleinhans, Raphael Blue, Tiano Xavier
PHOTO GR APHERS AND ILLUS TR ATORS
Efraim Evidor, Francois Roelants, Gabriel Alcala, Zander Opperman
DIGITAL
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Tracy-Lee Bieding
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AR T DIRECTOR
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ISSNs: 1562-4366
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SECRET RENDEZVOUS ESSENTIALS FASHION | ESSENTIALS

Bathed in a warm
glow, oozing relaxed
confidence and
ease, capturing the
laid-back vibe
of summer

Words, Creative Direction

& Styling by Luke Diva
Photography by
Zander Opperman

D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 1 1
 FASHION | ESSENTIALS

OPENING PAGE
Hat Crystal Birch
Suit & top both Zara
Clogs Troentorp x Needles

THIS PAGE
Blazer, cap & shorts
all Hugo Boss
Sandals Zara

OPPOSITE PAGE
Hat Crystal Birch
Shirt Dolce & Gabbana
Vest & sandals both Zara
Trousers Lazy Stacks
Sunglasses Chimi

D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 1 3
 ESSENTIALS | FA S H I O N

THIS SPREAD
Hats Crystal Birch

OPPOSITE PAGE
Shirt & shorts both Balmain

1 4 GQ.CO.ZA | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4
 FASHION | ESSENTIALS

D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 1 5
 ESSENTIALS | FA S H I O N

THIS PAGE
Shirt & trousers both Zara
Slides & durag Stylist’s own
OPPOSITE PAGE
Bag, jeans & shirt all Versace
Sunglasses Loewe
Loafers Soulesures

1 6 GQ.CO.ZA | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4
 CAST & CREW
GROOMING & FASHION
ASSISTANT: CARMEN GORDON
PHOTOGRAPHER ASSISTANT:
RAPHAEL BLUE
MODELS: SAMUEL AND DANIEL
FROM BOSS MODELS
LOCATION: DORP HOTEL,
CAPE TOWN
 Words by Luke Diva

Taste
Makers
The Marble Group – the team
behind three of Johannesburg’s
top restaurants, Marble, Saint
and Zioux – take us on an urban
adventure in dining

THE TEAM, MADE UP OF MARBLE

GROUP FOUNDER AND OWNER Gary
Kyriacou, director of operations and partner
Dino Constantinou, chef and partner David
Higgs. Since the launch of Marble in 2015,
the dynamic duo of chef David Higgs
and Gary Kyriacou (not to mention their
knack for knowing what this vibrant
city craves and their persistent
drive to deliver above and beyond
expectations) has all but single-
handedly redefined Joburg’s
dining landscape.

Trumpet on Keyes,
Corner Keyes & Jellicoe
Avenue, Rosebank,
Johannesburg, South
Africa
what makes South
For more info, visit African cuisine
marble.restaurant MARBLE unique, and we
believe it’s down to
@marble_jhb
“MARBLE IS A CELEBRATION OF being meat and flame
QUINTESSENTIAL SOUTH AFRICAN enthusiasts. It is the
FARE. It embodies South Africans’ timeworn ritual of THE MEN BEHIND THE
love of cooking with fire, a quality cooking on wood MARBLE GROUP
that makes our food culture different fires and gathering
from the rest of the world” says David with friends. We From left to right: Group founder and
owner Gary Kyriacou, director of
Higgs. Situated in Keyes Art Mile, also boast an array operations and partner Dino
the growing art and food hub of of fresh ingredients Constantinou, chef and partner
Rosebank, Marble Restaurant boasts a all cooked on our David Higgs.
grand wood-fired grill imported from perfectly prepared
Grill Works in Michigan as the focal coals including fish,
point of the restaurant. poultry, vegetables
We have long been fascinated by and breads
 TA S T E | ESSENTIALS

SAINT
SAINT IS BASED ON THE CONCEPT OF “PAZ ZO ITALIANO” – mad Italian. It opened in August
2018 and is the go-to pizza and Champagne destination for Sandton’s trendy, up-and-coming business
crowd. The team realised that Sandton held captive a great niche market for the idea. Beyond the food,
it was the right place for the vibe. In preparation for its opening, Saint’s kitchen team visited Milan,
Italy, and worked alongside pizza-master Gennaro Rapido, owner of Lievito Madre Sorbillo, in Duomo
Milan to learn the art of authentic Neapolitan pizza making. Saint’s pizza embodies this authenticity –
imported flour, handmade local Buffalo Mozzarella and the freshest ingredients.

Upper retail shop, the marc,

corner rivonia & maude st,
sandton

For more info, visit

saint.restaurant

@saint_jhb
PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED

and a testament to
ZIOUX the art of letting go.
It’s a sanctuary
Upper Retail Shop,
The Marc, Corner
ZIOUX, THE NEWEST GEM where you’re Rivonia &
Maude St, Sandton
IN THE MARBLE GROUP’S encouraged to let
collection of exceptional hospitality go, roam freely, and
establishments, invites you to revel in the pleasures For more info, visit
embark on a journey of liberation, of life. Whether you zioux.com
luxury, and indulgence. A seek a moment of
@zioux_jhb
champagne bar and cocktail lounge contemplation or a
like no other, Zioux is not merely a night of uninhibited
destination; it’s an escape from the celebration, Zioux is
urban grind, a celebration of life, your haven.

D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 1 9
 CURAT ED
SUMMER
ESSENTIALS
Our Fashion Director Luke Diva shares his summer
checklist, from refreshing cocktails to trendy wardrobe items

TASTE
BOMA ON BREE
Boma on Bree is a Cape Town-based
restaurant that aims to ignite all your
senses. This fiery idea is the latest
urban wonder space by restaurant and
bar gurus The Firm. Headed up by the
charismatic Reg Macdonald, Boma on
Bree is a true spark in the restaurant
landscape of Cape Town. A plate of
taste and time. Recipes from old Africa
burned into the desert sand, passed
down to us by the gods. Taste
centuries of flavour, discover notes of
spice and be engulfed by the scent of
delicate smoke ribbons as they deliver
offerings from our menu to the sky -
107 Bree St, Cape Town
bomaonbree
 CURATED | ESSENTIALS

NEW
BIRKENSTOCK
UJI NUBUCK
A sport-inspired take on the iconic Arizona
sandal, the Uji maximises on-the-go
comfort. The style is grounded in signature
BIRKENSTOCK support, with a cork-latex
footbed that shapes to you with wear.
Slip on and go - R3 399 bashafrica.com
INVEST
REFLECTIVE SUN
BARRIER SPF25+
Vitaderm’s reflective sun barrier protects the skin
from damaging UV rays that lead to sunburn and
premature ageing of the skin. The Reflective Sun
Barrier SPF25+ should be worn daily by those who
are prone to pigmentation, and its non-greasy
texture makes it popular with men and
women alike - R455.00 vitaderm.co.za

SHOP
FIELDS X SHAKIL SOLANKI TOTE
This is a collaboration with Cape Town-based artist, Shakil Solanki. A painter and printmaker,
Solanki’s distinctive style juxtaposes painterly lines with intricate motifs and draws on classical
Eastern art. Often rendered in shades of blue, his work explores the duality of queers intimacy, myth,
and desire within the setting of a secret garden - R450.00 fieldsstore.com
PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED

D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 2 1
 GUIDE
Gifting grooming products can often be
challenging. The GQ team was tasked
with curating a list of their faves –
perfect for treating yourself...
or someone else

VG R 4 - i n -1 E L E CT R I C
S H AV E R & C L I P P E R
The perfect tool for achieving a clean and comfortable
shave every time. The precision blade technology,
combined with a high-speed motor and a 3D floating
shaver head, conforms to the contours of your face, neck,
and even chin, providing fast and efficient shaving.
R791 available at Takealot
SHISEIDO MEN ULTIMUNE
POWER INFUSING CONCENTRATE
This concentrate visibly diminishes the look of fine
lines, rough texture and dryness.
R1 255 available at Arc Store
skin tone, tighten pores, and renew skin texture for a smoother
fruit-based alpha hydroxy acids known for their ability to even
and enhanced skin glow. R199 available at Woolworths

An exfoliating toner formulated with a combination of

WBEAUTY GLOW SKIN TONER

JAC K B L AC K
NOURISHING OIL
This concentrated blend of natural oils infuses
skin and hair with intense moisture, antioxidants,
essential nutrients, and fatty acids for a healthier
appearance. R795 available at Takealot
 GQ GIFT GUIDE

DR BRONNER’S
ORGANIC
S H AV I N G S OA P
Get a close, comfortable shave
with organic ingredients that
nourish and cleanse the skin.
Like organic shikakai powder
from India, used for centuries
on hair and body.
R253 available at Arc store ITIO PARFUMS PRIVÉS OUD
FOR HAPPINESS EDP
Amplify oud through a puff of freshly-cut grass,
energising and uninhibiting. The composition
relaxes and stimulates self-confidence.
R6 990 available at Skins Cosmetics

HERMÈS UN JARDIN
À CYTHÈRE
A unisex fragrance can be
the perfect gift. This EDP
making it perfect for both sensitive and oily skin.
combines enveloping notes
RREN CLEAN SCREEN
This mineral SPF has added antioxidants

R855 available at REN Clean Skincare

of cut grass with the
MINERAL SPF 30

strength of olive wood

and the tenderness of
fresh pistachio.
R2 500 available
at Edgars

SHAKEUP COSMETICS
CLARIFYING TONER
A multi-tasking, refreshing toner that
completes the cleansing process by
PHILIPS HAIR CLIPPER SERIES 3000 exfoliating skin with glycolic acid
This clipper comes with an added beard comb and features self-sharpening
and fruit AHA complex. Clearing
blades that clip twice as fast. It also includes a comb designed to minimise
away oil and shine, leaving skin
clogging, allowing you to complete your style in one go.
perfectly toned and prepped for
R1 299 available at Takealot
a serum or moisturiser.
R500 available at Arc Store
W I T H A N E X P E RT I S E T H AT
S PA N S D ECA D E S of making
luxury fragrances for some of the
most sought-after brands, French
perfumer and artistic director
Francis Kurkdjian elevated the
game when he co-launched his
fragrance house Maison Francis
Kurkdjian, with his business
partner Marc Chaya, CEO and
President. The highly respected
perfumer chats inspiration,
entrepreneurship and creative
process with GQ Editor-in-Chief
Molife Kumona.

An audience with
a master perfumer
Francis Kurkdjian, French perfumer and artistic director of Maison Francis
Kurkdjian, shares the sources of inspiration and discoveries
on his journey into the world of luxury fragrances
 PROFILE | ESSENTIALS

GQ: One of the
things that strikes any of
us who have used or come
across any Maison Francis
Kurkdjian bottle are the
design elements, tell us the
creative process behind the
bottles you wanted for your
perfume house?
Frank Kurkdijian: The heart
of my inspiration is Paris. The lights
of its monuments, the grey of its
rooftops. Paris inspires the universe
of my fragrance house : grey zinc,
gold and light.
The inspiration for the flacon comes
from a crystal bottle I found while
antiquing. The original piece was
designed to be part of a travelling
toiletries case. I had the idea of a
flacon that travelled and returned
fitting exactly into its holder. It led
me to design a flacon sectioned in
square crystal facets and shaped
from the base to the neck. It is
produced in France and I asked
the glassmakers to create angles as
alive as possible without appearing
too aggressive. To underline
this artesian work, I added the
monogram of the House, as a
discrete signature at the back of the
bottle, much in the manner of artists
signing works with pride. A tube
extends from the atomizer pump
but seems to disappear after the first
spray, leaving the perfume languid
in its container. It’s high technology
even it does not seem it is!
GQ: All the fragrances have
beautiful stories behind
them, take us through
your earliest memory of
storytelling and how that
inspired all the fragrances
you create?
FK: I have so many scent memories
from when I was growing up and
they are all associated to my family.
My grandfather’s after-shave
lotion which he diluted himself.
My grandmother wore Femme
by Rochas, her one and only
perfume. My late mother had many
PHOTOGRAPHY: FRANÇOIS ROELANTS
‘Timeless
elegance can
be translated
through different
manners, but
everyone can
understand what
it means’
GQ: What inspires you as
a perfumer?
FK: Inspiration can come from
many subjects: art, fashion,
music. And of course, people who
surround me. Inspiration is the
invisible part of creation. It’s by far
the hardest part of my work and the
most challenging one as time goes
by. Classic and modern art, couture
and lifestyle inspire me but I always
try to focus on a universal feeling.
It must be an idea that everyone
around the globe can understand
in its own language and apprehend
with its own feelings. So far, my
inspirations have not been driven
by raw materials or specific notes.
Actually, when I create a perfume
under my own name, anything can
inspire me as long as it becomes
the beginning of a story that I can
translate into a fragrance. Timeless
elegance can be translated through
different manners, but everyone
can understand what it means, this
is what I did with Amyris, 724 or
l’Homme À la rose for example.
GQ: You have created
over 50 fragrances in your
career, would you say there
is a range or a fragrance
that stands out for you in
particular? Why is that?
FK: It’s exciting, exhilarating to
work for brands you have dreamed
about as a teenager, or studied at the
perfumer school, or even sometimes
have worn the scents. All of sudden
you’re tied with these brands, and
singular story, each and every time.
In this sense, I can’t say that one
fragrance or range stands out more
than another, because when I create,
the process is always different,
unique and personalised.
GQ: When you start
creating a fragrance, what
inspires your creative
process? How does it start?
FK: First, there is a time of
reflection during which I envision
the creative territory I want to
explore. At this stage it is not
about the scent itself, it is about its
purpose, meaning. Perfume is truly
a mirror of our time in a unique
sensory way. Once I have gathered
my inspiration, I search for a name.
The name of the fragrance always
comes first, and before the scent
itself. It sums up what I want to say,
the emotion I feel and the story I
want to tell. It’s like the title of a book
or the name of a painting. Then I
start writing the formula using raw
materials as words. Sometimes I
input new ideas, sometimes I go
back to initial thoughts. Once I have
a clear idea on the name, where to go
with my emotions and what will the
fragrance smell, I create the formula
in the lab.
GQ: What inspired you to
start your own perfume
house with its CEO and
co-founder Marc Chaya?
FK: I met Marc Chaya at a birthday
dinner in 2003. During our dinner
Marc asked me what I was doing
in life. I said, “I am a Perfumer”.
He said he knew my work but
never heard about my name. He
was particularly interested in my
craft and was so surprised not to
know my name despite the number
of fragrances I had created. With
time we became very good and
close friends. We realised we had
complementary professional and
creative skills. In 2005, we both were
at a turning point in our professional
careers. I had spent 12 years in
that I was willing to open my own
fragrance house, and was looking
to someone to do it with me. We
started to work together on different
projects. Marc gave a backbone to
my creative vision. In October 2008
we decided to create the company
and in September 2009, we launched
together Maison Francis Kurkdjian.
We both were working part-time in
our respective companies. We only
had three employees. The whole
Maison is inspired by and dedicated
to Paris, that “Je ne sais quoi!” as
we say, that brings the French
harmony and luxury. It is built on
all my perfumer’s past experiences:
from my beginning in 1995 with
fine fragrance creations for luxury,
fashion and beauty brands, bespoke
fragrances from the atelier I opened
in 2001, artistic collaborations in
Paris, Versailles, New York, and
Shanghai. The creation of my own
brand was a natural process, like
something I had to do, create and
then share with the public.
GQ: What single statement
sums up the story of
Francis Kurkdjian in
creating perfumes?
FK: Maison Francis Kurkdjian is a
human adventure where fragrance is
the hero.

perfumes; she was very modern for
her generation. She used different
fragrances depending on her mood
and her daily schedule. She loved
both very fresh creations and deep
floral-woody scents. It certainly
inspired me the Fragrance wardrobe
philosophy the Maison, which
allows you to change your scent
depending on your mood, what you
want to embody from day to day.
you become part of their history, if
you create a bestseller or an iconic
olfactive form that stays in people’s
mind. This is what I did with Le
Male for Jean-Paul Gaultier but also
with Baccarat Rouge 540 for my
own house. It was created 10 years
ago and it is now one of the most
bestselling fragrances worldwide.
Still, a fragrance is a unique
experience and is filled with a very
fragrance corporate environment.
I was hoping for more freedom
and entrepreneurship. Before
getting my new job, I decided to do
a world tour for one month. Marc
was on the same spirit in his own
life as a partner at Ernst & Young
Corporation in Paris. So, he decided
to join me. During the trip we talked Francis Kurkdjian - co-founder of
a lot about fragrances and my vision Maison Francis Kurkdjian
of the industry. I shared with him @maisonfranciskurkdjian

D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 2 5
 Whether you’re heading
to a beach party,
a rooftop bar, or just
a casual day out,
here’s a curated list
of scents ideal for those
hot summer months

Perfect Words by Anele Geqiwe

Summer
Fragrances
 GROOM
IN
G
and adventurous
fragrance, ideal for a
summer journey or
5 TERRE
D’HERMÈS
EAU GIVRÉE
‘From
citrusy
8 CHANEL
ALLURE
HOMME SPORT
outdoor activity. 100ml and 150ml
R1 899 available at Terre d’Hermès Eau A sporty and elegant
Woolworths Givrée offers a unique aquatic choice, Allure Homme
and earthy fragrance to woody Sport offers a burst of

1 ACQUA DI GIO
by Giorgio Armani
3 BVLGARI
AQUA
AMARA
with notes of citrus,
spices, and woods. It’s
an excellent choice for
and spicy,
these
freshness that is ideal
for an active summer
lifestyle.
125ml 50ml a summer evening R4 465 available at
A classic summer Aqua Amara is an when you want to
scents will Takealot.com
fragrance, Acqua di invigorating fragrance make a statement. keep you
Gio is a refreshing
blend of citrus, marine
notes, and woody
with a strong presence
of Mediterranean-
inspired notes like
R 2 710 available at
Woolworths
feeling
fresh’
9 JOHN
VARVATOS 10 ISSEY
MIYAKE
L’EAU D’ISSEY
ARTISAN PURE
undertones. It evokes POUR HOMME
the essence of the sea
and is perfect for
mandarin, neroli, and
patchouli. It’s a bold
choice for those who
6 GUCCI
GUILT Y
PARFUM POUR
125ml
Artisan Pure offers a
clean and crisp scent
125ml
L’Eau d’Issey is a
casual outings by
the water.
R2 900 available at
want to stand out.
R2 492 available at
HOMME
150ml 7 DOLCE &
GABBANA
LIGHT BLUE
with notes of citrus,
thyme, and woods.
classic choice with a
crisp and clean aroma,
Loot.co.za A fresh, spicy, sweet, It’s a sophisticated making it a great
Takealot.com
earthy and appealing SUMMER VIBES fragrance that’s simply summer fragrance.
100ml

2 MONTBLANC
EXPLORER
4 TOM FORD
NEROLI
PORTOFINO
woody fragrance for
men. Top notes of
juniper, lemon &
This fragrance
captures the fresh
perfect for warm
summer evenings.
R1 950 available at
Clicks
R1 213 available at
PLATINUM 100ml lavender. Middle notes energy of Italian
Loot.co.za
100ml Neroli Portofino is a holidays through an
of nutmeg, orange
Montblanc Explorer luxurious citrus invigorating blend of
blossom & Spanish
Platinum is a modern fragrance with bright, Mediterranean citrus
labdanum. Base notes
zesty notes that of patchouli, dry wood and woody notes.
captures the essence and musk. R2 620 available at
of the Italian Riviera. R2 745 available at Edgars
R7 900 available at Edgars
Takealot.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 2 7
 G
IN GROOM

L’OCCITANE
EAU DES BAUX
STICK DEO-
DORANT 75g
This alcohol-free stick
PHILIPS NOREL-
deodorant glides on FOREO ISSA 2
CO 9800 WET &
DERMALOGICA smoothly and dries SILICONE SONIC
DRY SHAVER
– DAILY MICRO- quickly. The formula KIEHL’S FACIAL TOOTHBRUSH
Philips rotary shavers
FOLIANT 74g helps limit the FUEL ENERGIZ- COBALT BLUE
are specifically
Its unique blend of rice development of body ING MOISTURE This electric
designed to match
enzymes, papain, and odours. Features the TREATMENT toothbrush provides a
your natural hair
salicylic acid removes sensual and FOR MEN unique brushing
growth, capturing all
dead skin cells, mysterious scent of This is a non-oily facial experience. The sonic ENSURE YOUR
the hairs growing in
unclogs pores, and Eau des Baux – a moisturiser that pulse technology, with TOILETRY
any direction, thanks
promotes cell renewal. fusion of fresh cypress invigorates and revives up to 11 000 BAG IS WELL- to its 360-degree
Use it to brighten and and mellow incense. fatigued and dull skin. high-intensity EQUIPPED FOR rotating blades.
even out skin tone, R315 available at Suitable for all skin pulsations per minute, ANY SITUATION, R4 999. 95 available
prevent breakouts, L’Occitane types, including to gently clean both
AND STORE at Dis-Chem
and improve overall post-shaving. teeth and gums.
PRODUCTS
skin health. R575 available at R4 294. 67 available
SECURELY – AESOP MOROC-
R1 439 available at Dermastore at FOREO
PREFERABLY IN CAN NEROLI
Dermalogica POST-SHAVE
2-IN-1 DSP A ZIPPERED AND
LINED BAG OR LOTION TUBE
NOSE TRIMMER
60ml
This is a 2-in-1 CONTAINER OF
A unisex hydrator
rechargeable nose YOUR CHOICE. boosted with botanical
trimmer, detachable
oils that lightly hydrate
and washable head
with a safe system
ACQUA DI and balance skin while

design and a
PARMA BAR- pacifying signs of

powerful motor.
BIERE SOF T post-shave irritation

R350 available at
SHAVING and aggravation.

Takelot.com
CREAM R1 065 available at
125g Skins Cosmetics
Formulated with
pomegranate seed oil, iS CLINICAL
lemon oil, basil extract LIPROTECT
and hyaluronic acid, SPF 35
this men’s shaving This antioxidant-rich
cream protects against treatment is more than
razor burn and just a lip balm,
irritation while combining gentle all
moisturising and physical transparent
refreshing the skin. sunscreen actives with
R1 300 available at Vitamin E and coconut
Skins Cosmetics oil to help condition
lips while elderberry
extract and lineleic
acid help defend from
environmental
stressors.
R563 available at
iS CLINICAL

‘Travelling presents
unique challenges,
and maintaining your
grooming routine on
the go is often one
of them’

2 8 GQ.CO.ZA | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4
 On The
Road Again
Whether you’re aiming to combat pore-clogging oils while
road tripping or protect your skin from sun damage
while tanning on your balcony, consider these travel-
friendly grooming products essential this season
Words by Anele Geqiwe
 ESSENTIALS | A D V I C E

MAD HATTERS
Jacquemus
THE BIGGER THE BAG
WAVY SHADES
Loewe

Bode
Sun-Ready
As the holiday season approaches, it’s
time to think about what essential
items you need in your suitcase for a
vibier, better-looking holiday
Words by Luke Ruiters
SKIN IS IN
Aesop

SLIDE - ON
Jil Sander
T H E R E ’ S N O WO RS E F E E L I N G T H A N
arriving at your destination and realising
you’ve forgotten to pack a holiday essential.
Packing ain’t easy. Nobody really enjoys it, but
the process doesn’t have to be a tedious or last-
minute job the night before you take off for
your big summer holiday. In fact, it should be
THE DAY SHIRT
Zara

a fun part of the big hot summer. In some ways

packing for summer is easier than packing for
other seasons because you can bring lighter
THE SEXED UP SNEAKER

clothes which take up less space in your

luggage, but there are several must-pack items
Adidas Originals

you don’t want to forget. We’ve compiled the

PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED
ultimate packing list for guys who want their
PARTY AT THE BOTTOM

holiday fits to stand out, their bronzed skin

to shine and, well, their holiday to look like a
Jacquemus campaign on Instagram.
Whether you’re going on a spontaneous city
break, a stay-cation or a beach holiday, we’ve
COS

got you covered.

SCENT-NIFICANT

8
Loewe

3 0 GQ.CO.ZA | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4
 The Italian Stallions
Named after breathtaking Italian mountain pass roads Alfa’s SUVs are not only attractive to look at,
but lots of fun to drive. GQ motoring ed Dieter Losskarn took the Tonale across some spectacular
South African mountain passes, and the Stelvio to De Hoop Nature Reserve
GEAR

D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 3 1
 for their first SUV; of the mouth of an
the Stelvio. Italian Soprano cast
And their new member. Adding to
SINCE baby compact SUV
is also named after
the ‘strada cred’ are
the large 20-inch
1898 a classic Alpine
mountain pass
wheels with an old-
school telephone
THE 35KM in Italy. Passo del dial design. The
LO N G PA S S O D E Tonale or Tonale front-wheel drive
S T E LV I O, W I T H Pass is a 56.1km- compact crossover
I TS 6 0 H A I R P I N long road, extremely is built on the Jeep
T U R N S, I S A N narrow in places, Compass platform
O U TS TA N D I N G winding up to and comes in three
D R I V I N G ROA D. 1 883m, between different trim levels.
Culminating at Lombardy and The cockpit is classily
2 557m, it is regarded Trentino in executed, with plenty
by Italians as the the Dolomites. of retro elements.
‘Queen of pass roads’. The Tonale, As Alfa’s first ever
Alfa couldn’t have with its beautiful hybrid, start-up and
picked a better name silhouette, shield trailing at low speeds
shaped Scudetto take place in electric
grille and 3&3 LED mode, before the 1.5-
headlights is Alfa’s litre petrol engine
rescue vehicle, as kicks in. Don’t get me
compact SUVs are wrong, this hybrid is
currently best- a great powerplant,
sellers. And this but in my opinion
one is one of the it lacks Italian fire
most attractive ones
currently available.
Typical Alfa, the
off-center number
plate on the side
A L FA RO M E O T O N A L E /S T E LV I O
is reminiscent of a > > ENGINE 1.5-l. 4cyl. petrol mild hybrid, paired with a
cigarette dangling 7-speed dual clutch auto & front-wheel drive/2.0-l. 4cyl.
casually in the corner turbo petrol, paired with an 8-speed ZF auto & AWD >
>POWER 118/206kW and 240/400Nm > > TOP SPEED
210/230km/h 0-100km/h 8.8/5.7 seconds
> >GROUND CLEARANCE: 140/190mm > >PRICE FROM
R739 900/from R1 205 500
ALFAROMEO.CO.ZA

Y 2024
 A L FA R O M E O TO N A L E / S T E LV I O | GEAR

grille, this pretty

car pays homage to
Alfa’s long heritage.
Their slogan is
and emotion, and truly appropriate:
it is a bit too far ‘Beauty is driven by
‘Alfa Romeo’s slogan is truly appropriate:

removed from Alfa’s technology’. And

long and successful you get a lot of car
motorsport heritage. for your money.
Beauty is driven by technology’

A ‘Q’ version of the The price is actually

Tonale would solve the same as that of
this problem. the previous model
If you want an and includes almost
Alfa sportscar with everything; the
practical packaging, only optional extra
you’ll have to go for being a sunroof for
the Tonale’s bigger R25 000. The all-
brother Stelvio, wheel drive SUV
introduced in 2017. is only available in
The perfect 50/50 Veloce trim.
weight distribution, Now I would love
makes the second- to get my hands on
generation Alfa the ‘Q’, which stands
Romeo Stelvio feel for Quadrifoglio
like a sportscar in and a 2.9-litre V6 E AT & S LE E P
heels, with class- bi-turbo with 375kW. MORUKURU BEACH LODGE
PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED

leading agility. As Imagine this one on Sustainable, world class luxury is what you can expect from Morukuru Beach
with the Tonale, an Italian mountain Lodge, in the Western part of De Hoop Nature Reserve, right at the sea. The
the design takes a pass. Bellissimo! magnificent lodge offers five suites with breathtaking views. The intimate
sculptural approach restaurant is only for guests and features an exquisite cuisine,
and with the paired with the best wines of the region.
three-light design Reservations: phone 011 615 43 03, www.morukuru.com
in front and the
three-element

D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 3 3
YOU’D EXPECT NOTHING ELSE BUT COMFORT
AND LUXURY FROM A RANGE ROVER OR LEXUS.
A HYUNDAI NOT SO MUCH. SO WOULD THE
ST YLISH PALISADE PROVE A SURPRISE?
OUR MOTORING ED DIETER LOSSKARN
WAS KEEN TO FIND OUT...
 L U X U RY S U V S | GEAR

D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 3 5

F RO M T H E B EG I N N I N G
OF SUV TIMES
R A N G E ROV E R WA S T H E
E P I TO M E O F S U P R E M E
LUXURY A N D A M A Z I N G
O F F - ROA D A B I L I T I E S.
Nothing has changed. No matter
which Range Rover you are in.
I am currently driving the new
Sport, with the six-cylinder diesel
powerplant. It is such a refined
oil-burner, you’d think you were
propelled by a petrol-fired ride.
Even the sound is muscular.
The first Range Sport variant
was launched in 2005. This third
iteration is based on its sibling,
the ‘regular’ Range Rover, and it
features slimmer headlights and a
H Y U N D A I PA L I S A D E 2 . 2 D E L I T E
> > ENGINE 2.2-l. 4cyl. turbo diesel, paired with
an 8-speed auto > > POWER 142kW and 440Nm
> > TOP SPEED 190km/h 0-100km/h 10.5 seconds
> > GROUND CLEARANCE 203mm
> > PRICE FROM R1 121 900
HYUNDAI.CO.ZA
cleaner design, which still ‘The Range Rover
clearly maintains the unique RR
Sport lines.
is a dream car
What first catches your eyes you immediately
are the impressively enormous
23-inch wheels. Remembering
want to take on
how 21-inch wheels usually feel extended road
in SUVs, I expected the worst trips across
regarding the ride quality. But
inside the quiet and refined cabin, the country’
the air suspension effectively
prevented bumps and shakes from
aggravating my lower back. It’s a
dream car you immediately want
to take on extended road trips
across the country.
The Japanese offering in this
luxury SUV line-up evokes the
same kind of feel. Especially in
the flagship model RX500h, the
most powerful (and expensive)
of the four derivatives currently
offered in South Africa.
The 5th generation RX is 25mm
wider than its predecessor and
its wheelbase is 60mm longer.
‘Base’ model is the RX350,
starting at R1 424 000, followed
by RX350h and RX350 F Sport,
and culminating in the above
mentioned RX500h. The latter
combines the new turbo-charged
2.4-litre engine with Toyota’s
hybrid system. As expected,
all Lexus RXs come very well
equipped; from LED lighting to
powered tailgates, panoramic
sunroofs and adaptive variable
suspension.
The RX’s design is less boxy
than most SUVs, including the
in-house LX, with sleek sportscar-
like lines. And it looks absolutely
unique, unmistakably Lexus. If
you want to stick it out in the
segment and you prefer sushi to
eisbein (X5, Q5 & GLE) then you
might be tempted to go for this
luxurious offering.
And here, as promised, the
surprise contender in the luxury
SUV segment. I honestly didn’t
 L U X U RY S U V S | GEAR

LE XUS R X500h F-SP ORT

> > ENGINE 2.4-l. 4cyl. turbo-charged petrol
hybrid, paired with an auto > > POWER 273kW
(total system output) and 460Nm
> > TOP SPEED 209km/h 0-100km/h 6.2 seconds
> > GROUND CLEARANCE 180mm
> > PRICE R1 684 300
LEXUS.CO.ZA

‘The RX’s design is less boxy

than most SUVs, including
the in-house LX, with sleek
sportscar-like lines’
PHOTOGRAPHY: LEXUS SOUTH AFRICA,
JAGUAR-LAND ROVER SOUTH AFRICA,

expect to like Hyundai’s Palisade
so much. It is a really comfortable
cruiser with a posh, sound-proof
> > ENGINE 3.0-l. 6cyl. turbo diesel,
interior and enormous street cred.
No wonder it is a smash hit in the
States. It has got this US-inspired
tough feel, accentuated by those
impressive 20-inch wheels. And
SUPPLIED
R A N G E RO V E R
S P O R T DY N A M I C
HSE D350
paired with an 8-speed auto
> > POWER 258kW and 700Nm
> > TOP SPEED 234km/h
0-100km/h 5.9 seconds
> > GROUND CLEARANCE 281mm
> > PRICE FROM R2 482 500
LANDROVER.CO.ZA
make way immediately.
With a Range Rover or Lexus
reactions like this are expected;
in a Hyundai it’s unusual, but
deeply gratifying. It is Hyundai’s
first refresh of the flagship
SUV Palisade and superior
composure and classy ambience
Q7, X7 and even GLS.
It obviously features all the
driver assist systems you can
imagine, and more. There are
almost no options available;
everything is standard on the car,
including the leather-stitched
steering wheel. With a more

when the massive, blacked-out make it a serious and affordable powerful diesel engine (think 3.0-
grille appears in the rearview contender in the luxury SUV litre V6!), the new Palisade would
mirror of slower cars, they tend to segment, taking on the likes of be near-perfect.

D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 37
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 ADVICE | WEALTH

Mastering
your money:
Financial
resolutions for
the new year
Setting smart goals and
resolutions for 2024 can
help you achieve greater
financial stability, reduce
stress, and work towards
the future you envision

Words by Shannon Manuel

I F YO U ’ R E
ANY THING LIKE
ME AND ARE Financial resolutions are a common theme when
LO O K I N G AT the new year rolls around or when individuals
YO U R F I N A N C I A L decide to make a fresh start in their financial lives.
H I S TO RY F O R People often make resolutions to save more, spend less,
invest wisely, or pay off debt.
2 0 2 3 , YO U M AY B E While setting these goals is a positive step towards
T H I N K I N G – ‘ B U T, financial well-being, keeping financial resolutions can
W H AT H A P P E N E D? ’ be incredibly challenging. It’s not just a matter of making
a promise to yourself; it requires dedication, discipline,
and a strategic approach to follow through on these
AS THE END OF THE YEAR APPROACHES, many commitments.
of us are reflecting on our financial well-being Financial resolutions can serve as a road map for your
and the events that led us to our current financial financial journey that help you prioritise your spending,
status, and what we can do to get back on track. savings, and investments, ensuring that your money is
Ushering in the new year, it’s the perfect time to reflect working towards your goals.
on our financial well-being and chart a course for We highlight seven of the top financial resolutions and
financial success. get expert advice on how you can make them a reality. »

F O R E X P E RT A D V I C E V I S I T | GQ.CO.ZA 39
 WEALTH | ADVICE
1
Resolution:
“In 2024, I will
create and
stick to
a budget.”
Budgeting is no easy
feat, but one of the
fundamental steps to
achieving financial
success is creating a
viable budget.
‘The secret to sticking
to a budget is to be
realistic. You will only
set yourself up for failure
if you create a list of
impossible goals that
don’t allow for any kind
of enjoyment. If you
allocate a portion of your
income for pleasure,
as well as for possible
unforeseen expenses,
you’ll give yourself the
breathing room you need
to enjoy your life and
survive financial bumps,
while still accomplishing
your goals,’ says James
Williams, Head of
Marketing at Wonga.
Start by tracking your
income and expenses,
then set specific spending
limits for different
categories. Use budgeting
apps or spreadsheets
to keep everything
organised. Regularly
review and adjust your
budget as needed to
ensure you’re on the
right track.
2
Resolution:
“I will start
investing or
refine my
investment strategy
in 2024.”
Investing is an essential
wealth-building tool.
Whether you’re a
beginner or experienced
investor, educate yourself
about different investment
options and risk profiles.
Many people get confused
40
between saving and
investing. Both of these
are acts of ‘putting away’
money, but it is important
to know the difference
between the two. Saving
means setting aside
money for later use in a
safe place, such as in a
bank account. Investing
means taking some risk
and buying assets that will
ideally increase in value
and provide more money
than was put in, over the
long term.
Looking at some of the
common mistakes made
when investing, Williams
offers a few tips on what to
consider when starting an
investment journey:
įˆ™ˆ’“—‹ˆ
•ŒŠ‹—Œ‘‡–ˆ—
Developing the right
mindset is critical when
it comes to investing
successfully. Decide what
you want to achieve and
then stick to your plan. .
įˆ„•‘—‹ˆŒ‘Š’
Educate yourself
around key terms such
as inflation, interest
rates and compounding
interest. This will
empower you to make
smarter decisions. Make a
habit of reading financial
publications and websites.
į’‘ģ—Š’Œ—„’‘ˆ
Don’t underestimate
the risks involved
when it comes to
investing. Employing
an authorised financial
advisor who understands
what investing is and
specifically what you
are investing in is a
great start.
į „™ˆ„“„‘
As a beginner you need
to know what returns
to expect, how much of
your personal income
you are setting aside and
most importantly what
you intend on using your
investment for. Having an
investment plan allows
you to adjust your strategy
if things don’t go quite
‘SET TING as planned.
S P EC I F I C,
MEASURABLE, į‘‡ˆ•–—„‘‡
AC H I E VA B L E , —‹ˆ•Œ–Ž–
R E L E VA N T, As an investor you need to
A N D T I M E- assess your risk tolerance
BOUND and your risk appetite.
(S M A RT ) You may be satisfied with
a low-risk, low-return
FINANCIAL option, whereas others are
G OA L S willing to undergo short-
CA N H E L P term loss for long-term
YO U S TAY potential gain.
M OT I VAT E D
A N D F O C US E D ’ ‘Many people put
off investing because
they think it’s too
complicated or that you
need thousands of Rands
to get started. Taking the
first step can be daunting,
but the key to building
wealth is by developing
good habits – like putting
away money each month.
The sooner you start, the
better,’ he says.
3
Resolution: “I
will establish
and grow my
emergency
fund in 2024.”
Life is unpredictable, and
unexpected expenses can
throw a wrench into your
financial plans. Make
it a priority to establish
an emergency fund that
covers at least three to
six months’ worth of
living expenses. Set up
automatic transfers to a
dedicated savings account
to steadily build this
financial safety net.
‘A simple money-
market or call account
should be sufficient as
an emergency fund,’
says Megan Harrison,
Executive Head of
Transactional Banking
at Multiply Money. ‘It
is accessible and takes
advantage of compound
interest. The main goal
here is to avoid borrowing
to cover emergencies.
When it comes
to solidifying your
emergency fund savings
goals, Harrison provides
a simple formula to
consider. If you consider
F O R E X P E RT A D V I C E V I S I T | GQ.CO.ZA
the likely emergencies you
may encounter, replacing
household appliances
is probably the most
common one. She advises
you to consider what it
would cost to replace
your most expensive
appliance and start with
that as a savings goal.
‘Once you have saved
the value of your most
expensive appliance, then
you move onto the next
most expensive appliance
and add that as your next
savings milestone,’
advises Harrison.
Medium-term savings
is something that too
many South Africans tend
to overlook. This is why
Harrison advises having a
five-year goal.
‘Establish a goal. It
could be buying a new car
or paying a deposit on a
property. These are good
medium-term savings
goals you can work
towards and achieve with
conscious spending
and discipline.’
For long-term savings,
the effect of compound
growth plays a powerful
role. Compounding is
when you start earning
growth on the growth of
the money you invest.
Retirement planning
hinges on this idea that
your money will make
more money for you
at the end of the day
through the principle of
compounding.
One rule of thumb is
that you need to save at
least 15% to 20% of your
salary before tax for at
least 25 years to maintain
your current lifestyle after
you have retired. This,
however, depends on your
individual situation and
where you are in your
life journey.
4
Resolution:
“I will make
a dent in
my debt
in 2024.”
High-interest debt can be
a significant obstacle to

financial freedom.
Develop a debt repayment
strategy by prioritising
high-interest debts first
while making minimum
payments on others.
Consider consolidating
or refinancing options
to lower interest rates
and accelerate your debt
payoff journey.
‘Using debt to fund
your lifestyle is one of
the first signs that you
are using debt for the
wrong purpose and could
PHOTOGRAPHY: JEPPE-HOVE-JENSEN/UNSPLASH; ADOBE STOCK
potentially run into a
debt problem. Another
sign that you could be
facing a debt problem is
when you find yourself
struggling to keep up with
multiple debt obligations.
If you find yourself being
declined by debt providers
when applying for debt
and you desperately start
seeking debt from other
providers, this could be
a warning sign that you
are fast approaching
a debt problem,’ says
Christian Hugo, Solution
Strategist at FNB Money
Management
F O R E X P E RT A D V I C E V I S I T | GQ.CO.ZA
‘At the same time, it is
important to understand
that not all debt is bad
debt. Good debt is money
owed for things that
can help build wealth
or increase income over
time. Examples of this
are student loans, home
loans etc. Whereas bad
debt is consumer debt
that does little to improve
your financial outcome.
Examples of bad debt are
store cards, temporary
loans etc. This is also
known as “lifestyle debt.”
It’s about making sure that
you have the right debt,
for the right purpose;
this will help you manage
your debt appropriately
without falling into a
debt problem.’
5
Resolution:
“I will
set clear
financial
goals for 2024
and beyond.”
Setting specific,
measurable, achievable,
relevant, and time-bound
(SMART) financial
goals can help you stay
motivated and focused.
Whether it’s saving for a
down payment on a home,
funding your child’s
education, or planning a
dream vacation, having
clear objectives will guide
your financial decisions.
“First you must write
down everything you
value; take a moment to
think, dream and reflect.
Next, prioritise your
values into your top five
or top three values.
Once you have your
values, look at your
spending and start to
align your spending to
your values so that you are
able to not only fund your
goals, but also allocate
your day-to-day spending
to the things that you
value most,’ says Hugo.
6
Resolution:
“I will
boost my
retirement
savings in 2024.”
Review your retirement
savings strategy and
aim to increase your
ADVICE | WEALTH
contributions, especially
if your employer offers a
matching program.
The earlier you start
saving for retirement,
the more time your
investments have to grow.
‘While it may be hard
to scrape together money
for a retirement product,
it is important to note
that the South African
Revenue Service (SARS)
offers generous tax
deduction when you make
contributions to your
retirement annuity
(RA), pension or
provident fund.
It is also important to
note that some products
also give you a payment
break if you are in trouble
– you don’t always have to
walk away from it but can
take a payment breather
if you’re desperate.
Always negotiate with
your debtor or financial
services company,’ says
Therése Havenga, Head of
Business Transformation
at Momentum.
Your desired lifestyle
in retirement will impact
how much money you
need to save. Some
people may want to
travel extensively, while
others may prefer a more
conservative lifestyle.
Ultimately, whether
a 35-year working life
is enough for a decent
retirement depends on
the individual’s unique
circumstances and
choices. Keep in mind that
circumstances can change
over time, so it’s essential
to regularly review and
adjust your retirement
plan as needed. Move
beyond mere retirement
savings to encompass a
broader financial plan. For
some, retirement might
seem very far away; start
saving early, even if just
small amounts.
For those that have just
entered the workforce,
start saving towards
retirement as soon as you
start working – do not
wait to start saving when
you are only 10 years
from retirement.
7
Resolution:
“I will review
and update
my insurance
coverage in 2024.”
Don’t overlook the
importance of insurance
in your financial plan.
Ensure that you have
adequate health, auto,
home, and life insurance
coverage. Review your
policies annually to make
sure they align with
your current needs and
circumstances.
For example when
considering planning
your private healthcare
funding for 2024,
consider questions such
as what is your current
day-to-day expenditure
on healthcare? Are you or
any dependents registered
for a chronic condition
which is covered by the
medical scheme option?
And how much can you
self-fund?
‘Try staying within
the same medical scheme
if changing options. If
you’re considering a move
to a different benefit
option, try and do so
within the same medical
scheme. You’ll avoid any
waiting periods, and it
provides you with an
opportunity to either
buy-up within the scheme
to acquire better benefits
or to buy-down with the
purpose of securing lower
contributions.
While most schemes
only allow you to buy-up
at the beginning of a
benefit year (Jan), most
will allow a buy-down at
any time during the year.
And also remember to be
aware of potential
waiting periods.’
41
 WEALTH | PROFILE

RU G BY I S N OT
A J US T S P O RT
FOR MATTEO BRAMBILLA, IT IS A WAY OF LIFE. “I
started playing rugby young. I played throughout
university in Italy, England and France while I was
working; always amateur level, but for the love of the
game, for a few beers afterwards,” says the former
rugby player and CEO of renewable energy company,
Red Rocket.
He has carried the love he has for the sport into
the boardroom.
While consulting companies and business magazines
recommend that executives use a range of data, advanced
analytics, and intelligent algorithms to make business
decisions, Matteo used an unorthodox method to decide
his fate when planning the future of his renewable
energy company.
“Back in 2011, we needed to expand outside Italy and
my simple idea was to check the IRB world rugby ranking
and to see if there were renewable energy programmes in
those countries. I first checked New Zealand, and there was
nothing happening. There wasn’t anything happening in
Australia, either. That is how I landed up in South Africa,
then number three in the ranking.”
This out-of-the-box coincidence is what changed my
life,” says Matteo.
Fast forward to 12 years later, and the business that
was established with the help of rugby rankings and
pretty unconventional decision-making has raised another
R3 billion in funding from management and
investment partners.

Words by Sanelisiwe Maliza

The man who doesn’t play

by the rule book
CEO of Red Rocket, Matteo Brambilla is
a man on a mission to improve big energy

42 F O R E X P E RT A D V I C E V I S I T | GQ.CO.ZA
 PROFILE | WEALTH

Locally, the company became successful, but globally

Meet the real it was struggling. “In 2018, I organised a management
buyout of the company.
Matteo Brambilla After a shrewd takeover and a company rebrand,
From the rugby field to the boardroom, the story of Matteo Matteo built a thriving business.
Brambilla is one of agility, grit and hard work. “It wasn’t always like this. There have been periods
The Italian started his career as an Auditor at Price where I didn’t pay my salary. There were periods when
Waterhouse Cooper and he briefly worked at Prada, where no one wanted to come to work for us, before the
he was the Assistant of the Group Financial Director. management buyout. After the management buyout, it
“It was the time of the big acquisitions, when Prada changed a lot.
acquired all these companies, Jil Sander, Church’s, Helmut Now, Red Rocket specialises in solar, wind and hydro
Lang, Fendi with Louis Vuitton. We were a financial team energy with more than 50 different projects planned in
based mainly in Switzerland and Amsterdam dealing with South Africa.
the financial integrations of the businesses.” “[We] have been investing and supporting South
In 2004, he landed the position of Chief Financial Officer Africa’s response to the electricity crisis for more than
at the largest car dealership company in Italy. He left the a decade, and with a portfolio of more than 14 000 MW
company after just two years. of wind, hydro and solar projects under development,
“I was very dissatisfied because I was giving a lot to the in construction or in operation in the country, we are
business. The automotive business was dying in 2006 and I delighted to continue making a significant contribution to
realised it didn’t matter how good I was if you are in a dying South Africa and the rest of the continent,” says Matteo.
business,” he adds. As a result, Red Rocket, as the lead member of the
“I started looking at businesses that were growing. I ‘ YO U CA N B E Red Rocket Consortium has been awarded Preferred
decided, lets go into a business that was up and coming – T H E M OS T Bidder status for three onshore wind projects under the
and renewable energy was one of those. I waited a bit and C L E V E R, fifth bidding window of South Africa’s Renewable Energy
started working for a wind developer in 2006 in Italy. V I S I O N A RY, Independent Power Producers’ Programme.
In late, 2010, he became one of the founders of renewable S T R AT EG I C, “The real secret sauce is to work your ass off. There
energy company, Building Energy. C R E AT I V E is nothing more than that. You can be the most clever,
“There was a change in law in Italy and they were visionary, strategic, creative person, but if you don’t work
shutting down the renewable energy industry around
P E RS O N , B U T hard, you’re not going to go anywhere.
March 2011,” says Brambilla. I F YO U D O N ’ T “I believe in luck, but luck always comes to parties
The Italian government introduced new rules to WO R K H A R D, that deserve it. So obviously we have been lucky, in
strengthen and rationalise the renewable energy subsidy YO U ’ R E N OT some instances, but we have also been unlucky in
system and to reach “the double objective of increasing G O I N G TO G O many other ways. But we always work our asses off.
renewable energy production in line with European ANY WHERE’ We deliver, that’s the bottom line, he concludes.
objectives and to reduce the linked subsidies which are
ultimately charged to the consumer.”
With a decreased bottom line, Matteo and his
organisation decided to look for other opportunities.
“I said listen, people came from all over the world to
Italy and made money, so let’s see if there are any other
programmes starting elsewhere in the world.”
That is how he landed up in South Africa. He moved to
hold the position of Managing Director responsible for the
business in the Southern and Central African region.
“When he moved to Cape Town, he was already in his
late thirties. As expected, one of the first things he did was
join one of South Africa’s oldest rugby clubs, Villager FC.
Unfortunately, injuries forced him to retire his cleats
at 44. Not one to do anything in half measures, the sports
enthusiast, took up boxing, as the “safer sport.”
“I have never been so fit in my life, preparing for that
fight,” he says. “My coach – a former Congolese professional
boxer – told me, listen, you are unfit in your fifties. If you
want to have a fight, you need to train like a pro.”
Matteo trained twice a day, five days a week. It was
almost like a job. “I did it to prove to myself that I could do
it, rather than just doing it for the fight. I mean, the fight was
very easy, but the training was brutal.”
Much like the boxing match, Matteo’s success was a
culmination of decades of hard work and strategic thinking.
“When I moved to South Africa, I started from scratch.
I was completely alone at the beginning. I came here
with just my black bag – which is actually a Prada bag,
he chuckles.

F O R E X P E RT A D V I C E V I S I T | GQ.CO.ZA 43
GQ PROMOTION

District Six I got the

lead,’ says Leroy. ‘It
turned out to be the
best experience of
my life.’
For almost
250 years,
BIRKENSTOCK
has adhered to a
design philosophy
which empowers
wearers to walk
the way nature
S T EP OU T intended. Whether LEROY WEARS
OF YOUR you are stepping BIRKENSTOCK
Arizona Suede
C O MFORT into BIRKENSTOCK in digital green
ZONE AND for the first or priced at
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YOUR OWN. the brand supports exclusively online
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This summer your every step,
BIRKENSTOCK with seasonal
celebrates those statement styles
who recognise that, in bold colourways
while stepping into and striking
something new can new silhouettes.
be uncomfortable,
it also introduces
us to a realm of
possibility, much
like stepping into
the BIRKENSTOCK
world of comfort
and style for the
first time.
Leroy Panashe
Siyafa, who plays
Sam in the Netflix
series Blood &
Water is someone
who has stepped
into his own. Leroy
first imagined a
career in IT, but
always felt a calling
to act. It was a
gentle push from a
high school teacher
that gave him the
confidence to step
out and follow his
true passion. ‘After
auditioning for a
role in a school
production of

STEP INTO YOUR OWN

Life is more interesting when you try new things.
Do it in BIRKENSTOCK.
 STYLE

• TAKE A VISUAL TRIP

TO BARCELONA WITH AN
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Words by Luke Diva

Summer trends and seasonal updates to ensure

you’re ready for whatever comes your way

Pants Marni
ESSENTIALS | THREADS

46
 STYLE

Words by Luke Diva

Creative Direction by Dani Rull

Photographs by Pedro Beraldo

Styling by Giorgio Ammirabile

Embracing the principle of minimalism and adopting a less-is-more approach

STYLE

OPENING SPEAD
Blazer Ermenegildo
Zegna;
neckerchief Mark Giusti

Top & pants both Prada

THIS PAGE
Bodysuit & blazer
Versace + Shorts
Canali;
Short sleeve shirt &
pants Neil Barret;
T-shirt Gemini;
jacket & pants both
Ermenegildo Zegna

OPPOSITE PAGE
Mesh vest Dsquared2;

48
shorts & boots both
Prada
 STYLE
M O D E L : O M A R M E T W A L LY A T T R A F F I C M O D E L S

OPPOSITE PAGE
T-shirt Ann
Demeulemeester

THIS PAGE
Scarf Versace;
blazer & vest
Jil Sander;
jacket Neil Barrett

51
 A
man of
many

COLLECTABLE
talents
of innovation and
a commitment to Fhatuwani Mukheli is a
growth. So, buckle true trailblazer, carving a
up and stay tuned
because Fhatuwani
unique path in his
WHETHER Mukheli’s journey is multifaceted career. His
H E ’ S P US H I N G one that’s bound journey is captivating story,
B O U N DA R I E S to inspire and
IN HIS captivate.
always evolving and
P RO F E S S I O N A L Co-founder and filled with surprises
P U RS U I TS O R director of I See a
TA K I N G O N Different You,
NEW Fahatuwani Mukheli
C H A L L E N G E S, is a Johannesburg-
Fhatuwani is based artist. I See Words by Luke Diva
someone to keep an a Different You is a
eye on. His ability creative collective
to reinvent himself of Soweto-born
showcases a spirit artists whose work
 C O L L E C TA B L E | STYLE

‘Mukheli’s work aims to positively transform black representation

in South Africa and eliminate negative perceptions of Soweto’

is aimed at positively Since shifting portrait work.

transforming black his focus from His works are
representation in photography now sold locally
South Africa and to filmmaking, and internationally,
TITLE: ‘POWER’ eliminating negative Fhatuweni has found revolutionising the
YEAR: 2023 perceptions of great success as an creative industry in
Soweto and other illustrator, best South Africa.
@fhatuwanimukheli townships. known for his
PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED

D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 5 3
 STYLE | I N V E S T M E N T S

CHIMI R3 999

Prada R6 000

CHIMI R3 899

INVESTMENTS

The fusion of functionality and fashion is always a winning combo –

from intricate details that catch the light to bold accents that demand attention
Words by Luke Diva

Dolce & Gabbana

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Prada R6 000

Ray-Ban R2 810

SHADY BUSINE S S
Summer is the perfect time to update your sunglasses collection. With many stylish shades on offer,
choosing a new pair of sunglasses is not always easy. Factor in the variety of lens strengths, colours, and
polarisation options, and it can all seem rather overwhelming. Take your face shape into account whenever
choosing eyeglasses to ensure that your look will stand the test of time.

5 4 GQ.CO.ZA | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4
 INVESTMENT | STYLE

A L L T H AT G L I T T E R S
Taking inspiration from Usher’s Las Vegas residency wardrobe, let’s get the summer
party ready. It seems that embellishments in menswear will not go away anytime soon.
The beaded, glitter fabric trend has been dominating the AW and SS collections,
rejecting any sense of muted luxury.

Shirt,
Zara R1 999

Trousers,
Zara R1 999

Shirt
ERL POR

Jacket
Hugo Boss
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Trousers
H&M R899
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Shirt
Philipp Plein
R115 819

Vest,
Jil Sander
R37 552

D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 5 5
I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H C R O C S

AS ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S MOST INFLUENTIAL

FIGURES IN SA HIP-HOP, RIYADH ROBERTS IS
PRAISED FOR HIS MASTERFUL LYRICISM AND THE
REPRESENTATION OF HIS COMMUNIT Y
Interview by Anele Geqiwe Story by Shannon Manuel
Photography & creative direction by Niquita Bento Styling by Luke Diva

5 6 GQ.CO.ZA | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4
 OPPOSITE PAGE
Jacket Nao Serati;
vest Calvin Klein;
watch Golden
Concept Apple
Watch Royal Edition;
jewellery
model’s own

THIS PAGE
Tracksuit Sean John;
bucket hat Kangol
 Naturally, as the years
progressed he discovered other
hip hop artists, but, aside from
the style of music, he was also
intrigued by the culture.
‘I liked graffiti and was always
IF YOU WERE TO GO BY THE drawing. It was a big hobby of
mine at an early age. When we
YOUTUBE COMMENTS ON took the train, I’d always hang my
head out the window and look at
HIS MUSIC VIDEOS, all the graffiti on the vibracrete
along the train lines. And at that
WITHOUT EVEN HEARING A time, breakdancing was big –
many of my friends wanted to be
WORD, BY THE HUGE b-boys. I have a memory of Emile
from Black Noise coming to my
NUMBER OF PEOPLE primary school and teaching
us the six steps of b-boying and
EXCLAIMING “FACTS!” YOU showing us the beginner skills.
I was surrounded by hip hop - I
GET THE UNDENIABLE just didn’t know the name for it
and that it was all one culture.
SENSE THAT HE IS SAYING ‘I’ve always been surrounded
by this music. My mother was a
SOMETHING WORTH big fan of late 90s hip hop and
R&B, and house music. There was
HEARING. WHAT IS also a lot of urban music being
fed to me through TV – SABC
DEFINITELY A 100% 1, Simunye Grooves etc., and I
would record those music videos
UNDENIABLE FACT IS THAT on TV with cassettes. I was very
captivated by it and many people
THERE IS A LOT OF LOVE thought it was a phase that I was
probably going to get over it. I
FOR YOUNGSTACPT, REAL don’t blame them. How do you
tell a six, seven, eight-year-old
NAME, RIYADH ROBERTS, that this is what you can become
in life. No one looked at it like a
ACROSS OUR COUNTRY. valid profession.’
He describes his early years
starting out as a time filled with
turbulent moments.
‘I was on my own trying to
nurture this thing without having
R I YA D H RO B E RTS, B E T T E R K N OW N A S YO U N G S TAC P T, the infrastructure and support to
F I RS T G A I N E D W I D E S P R E A D AT T E N T I O N W I T H H I S M I X TA P E do so. My mother was my only
“ TA K E AWAY ” I N 2 0 1 3 A N D H A S S I N C E R E L E A S E D S E V E R A L fan and support structure. But
P ROJ ECTS, including albums like “3T” (2017) and “3T (Things Take then again, your mother is always
Time)” (2019). His music often reflects the realities and challenges faced going to be your fan, no matter
in his hometown of Cape Town, addressing issues such as crime, poverty, what you do. I couldn’t blindly
and inequality. take her word that “oh I was going
Making his GQ cover debut, he laughs and says that it’s about time. to be able to do this”, because
We caught up with him during his visit to Atlanta, USA. ‘The trip has even she was sceptical. This was
been good. We’re here for business, but in between we do make time to something I could only practise
see the sights,’ he says. on my own. I didn’t have anyone
Despite being a well known figure by name, there’s not much to bounce ideas off of. If I met
background out there about him. While his official entry onto the music somebody who liked hip hop as
scene is cited as 2010, he reveals this love story started way before then. much as I did, I would always try
‘I would say that my first encounter with rap music and the rap to hold onto that person, because
personality was Will Smith. That may sound odd now, but I was six years I knew that there weren’t many
old. I was a big Will Smith fan. The catchy theme music of The Fresh of them at that time. There was a
Prince of Bel Air caught my attention and then he made Men in Black and lot of influence from America –
its theme song, and I was fascinated by his duality of acting and rapping. that’s why we’re here now – but
The way he dressed and how he carried himself when he was on the song the environment that we lived in
versus when he was in the movie. That was my measurement of what a didn’t really support that kind
rapper is at the start,’ says Roberts. of talent.’
And talent was what he
brought to the table. With 30
mixtapes and numerous EPs
and accolades under his belt,
YoungstaCPT is a regarded as
one of the best SA emcees of this
generation. As to what inspired
the name...
‘Growing up, I was always the
younger kid in the crowd I hung
out with. The CPT got added
because at one point I was trying
to start a Facebook page and I
couldn’t do it because there was
already an artist named Youngsta
and Facebook kept blocking my
name and shutting down the
page. This was in 2010. I had to
add something else in the name
to register the fan page. The other
artist was a European electronic
DJ and I literally thought about
what’s different between me and
this guy. I saw his location, and
said, “oh, I’m from Cape Town”.
There we go - YoungstaCPT,’
says Roberts.
‘A few years later Facebook
tried to kick me out again because
they said CPT wasn’t a real
surname. You need a surname
to have a page. I thought what is
CPT - Cape Town, but “Youngsta
Cape Town” sounded stupid,
so I thought “hmm Kaapstad.”
Typed that in and it worked. Now
it’s a common thing – everyone
from Cape Town has CPT in
their name, but I was the first
person to do that. It’s a funny
story. Whenever I tell it, I always
laugh because people expect it to
have some profound meaning,
but I didn’t come up with it
immediately. I literally did it
because of Facebook.’
Aside from creating music,
he has a successful clothing and
apparel business called Y?Gen,
and in 2021, he landed his debut
acting role on the second season
of the Netflix series Blood &
Water. He says that while he
would like to explore acting
more, he does not want to play
the typical coloured guy living in
the Cape Flats that has a gangster
story or background.
‘All the roles that I’ve been
approached with are for me to
play the same person. That image
has already been perpetuated
so many times in South African
movies and series – whenever
there’s a coloured person on the
show, they would play the same
 I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H C R O C S

kind of character dealing with the Sotho but I’ve never ever heard black people claim that they were part of this whole debate about who’s
same struggles. And yes, that is a Koi or San tribe or the Namakwa. And that’s because those tribes were coloured, what’s coloured, where
obviously a widespread narrative separated even in those years, but they were still coexisting in harmony. does coloured come from, is
here, but for me personally, ‘So there was such a thing as a coloured person back then but they coloured real; all this craziness.
because my music already reflects weren’t called a coloured person. That term was only introduced in the And I think to myself – this is
that, I wouldn’t want to play that 50s. My grandfather was alive when that term was invented and given a conversation we never really
as well. I want to show more of a to him – when they were classed as coloured people. He remembers his needed to have. If the powers that
range just because people expect time as a child, when he wasn’t really called a coloured and then when be wanted to change it, they could
my first role to probably be a he got older, he became known as a coloured person. In my opinion, have done it at that particular
Capetonian criminal. I’d rather do it’s something that literally could have been avoided, or perhaps moment when the country was
something that people wouldn’t even changed. going through its rainbow nation
expect from me. I’d love to be a ‘If you ever wanted this word to be abolished and never used, I phase. It’s something that needs
part of something that’s more believe that when we became a democratic country, that was actually to be really understood, but also
impactful and kind of becomes the opportunity to have done it. Now we are sitting in 2023 and there’s needs to be almost forgiven, »
a cult classic or even just a fan
favourite, but is still produced like
a big budget movie.’
Shirt Amiri;
trousers Balmain;
VOICE OF A CULTURE shoes Crocs Mega
He’s been labelled as the voice Crush; bucket hat &
of the coloured community and jewellery
model’s own
has spoken out on the coloured
identity and culture. Raising the
question how he defines it all and
feels about it, he says good and
proud, but it’s also a hard label.
‘People know that I represent
it well and to the fullest, but I
also don’t like to be too boastful
about it because at the end of the
day, in other parts of the world,
I don’t exist. As important as
the discussion is, the discussion
only exists in a South African
context. Even more so, it only
really exists and can be found
in Cape Town when you speak
about coloured culture. I’m not
saying the other cities don’t have
it. I’m saying the other cities have
kind of had to fall into whatever
culture is dominant wherever
they are from. So in Johannesburg
because the black culture covers
the landscape, that is what any
coloured person would naturally
adapt to,’ he says.
‘This coloured topic is a very
touchy subject, but I’ll get into it,
because I do think it’s important.
I’d say, if you want to define it,
there’s two kinds of coloured in
existence that came to the lands
of South Africa. Some came over
as slaves on ships, from Indonesia
and Malaysia, which is how you
get Muslims in Cape Town, myself
included. And then you get the
indigenous coloured people - the
Koi, San, Griquas – tribes that
were up as far as Namibia. There
were indigenous coloured people
as well. And it’s funny because
throughout history, I’ve heard
black people say that they are
Zulu, Venda, Xhosa, Pedi and

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because it’s not our fault. We
didn’t choose this name. I didn’t
ask to be called a coloured,’
he says.
‘In saying that, I own being
coloured. That is my identity.
I’ve grown up as a coloured
person, as a coloured youth. In
a coloured community where
my friends are still suffering
from drug addiction, going to
jail and furthering themselves
in gang activity. I believe those
kinds of traps were set up in the
communities back in the days,
He says the coloured culture
unfortunately is something that
hasn’t been properly understood
nor discussed, but he gets why
people don’t even want to talk
about it.
‘My ancestors came from
countries outside of the African
continent but when they got here,
my great grandmother had an
affair with the white man, and had
a child and then he got back on
the ship and left. It’s horrible to
say but coloured people are also
the bastard children of SA, and I
am sure many of us have felt this
way before,’ he says. ‘The middle
child that gets overlooked and
doesn’t quite know where they fit.’
(It is at this point that I too morph
into a Youtube commentator
exclaiming “facts!”)
‘If you look at the history
of SA, it’s either 100% black or
100% colonial white, that’s your
options. Or that’s how it looks
inside Africa from the outside
in because nobody even knows
coloured people exist. When I
come to America and I say I’m
coloured, they ask me what’s that?
Some of them have heard rumbles
and whispers about it, but for
the most part, I don’t think that’s
something that people outside of
South Africa are even aware of.
That’s why I say, this conversation
is almost null and void unless
I’m talking to a South African.
But if I’m talking to somebody
else, I don’t even get into this
conversation because I don’t feel
that I can explain it to them in 15
minutes or in one sitting. I feel
like I need at least a few hours
of your time to even get you to
understand how far back this
situation goes,’ says Roberts.
‘Our existence is very specific.
If you don’t know, then you’ll
never know, because we aren’t
through guys like Wouter Basson and the apartheid regime – put in in the mainstream media. I
those communities to slow down the progress. On my album “3T”, my think AKA was the most famous
grandfather discusses this because he was a first-hand witness to this coloured person and he didn’t
kind of thing.’ even really claim that until later
He explains that he’s spoken to many people about SA history and on. It’s very tricky. I was more the
segregation laws. And while an old tale, he understands that on the flag-bearer of coloured culture in
internet and on social media, this topic comes up every few months and the modern times.
people are up in arms about it. ‘Obviously back in the day, we
‘To Gen Z’s credit, they don’t really subscribe to colour. I don’t really had Prophets of The City, Brasse
see it that much with the younger kids,’ says Roberts. ‘However, when van die Kaap, Black Noise, but in
I go to various schools on the Cape Flats to speak to kids, I can still see the modern-day internet age, I
that the coloured condition is very much alive. Nothing has changed. If was the poster child for coloured
you look at the condition of the Cape Flats, you could pull up a picture culture, which is why I call myself
of Manenberg from the 80’s and probably one of Manenberg from 2025, the Cape Crusader, the Y General
and it will look exactly the same. There’s been no development.’ – names of high rank and status,

because I’m trying to instill the
sense of being proud.
‘Shout out to Benny McCarthy,
Wade van Niekerk and to all these
big athletes that have also put
us on the map. But it’s very few
and far between. If you count the
years between Benni McCarthy
and Wade van Niekerk, it’s almost
15 years. There’s almost 20 years
between myself and Ready D.
Do you see the pattern? There’s
very few personalities in the
media that we could look up to as
coloured children back in the day.
To not see a reflection of yourself
in another format was crazy. I felt
like an outcast for many years of
my life and I realised that being
coloured was part of that reason,’
he continues.
‘I’m also Muslim and that
drove me even more into my
heritage and my background.
The Muslim population in Cape
Town is the biggest in SA, so I
had more to pull from when it
came to culture because of the
strong influence of Islam that you
find there. But it’s sad that I can’t
really mention it on a big scale
because most of SA still doesn’t
understand the coloured culture,
race, population or society that we
come from.
‘These topics are sensitive but
I feel that if I don’t say anything,
who’s going to know we were here.
I spoke a lot to my colleagues over
the years and they were always
like, yo, are you sure you want
to say these things? Because also
another point to that is speaking
openly as a coloured person, I
close doors for myself. I alienate
and separate myself simply by
representing me and the group of
people that I grew up around.
But if I don’t say anything, do I
have to wait another decade for
somebody to speak up? Even if
I get it wrong, I’m learning. I’m
still young. I do get very sensitive
about these things because we
have to live and deal with it.
There’s a lot one can unpack.’
Touching on being Muslim and
how being in this industry and the
music he makes is viewed by his
religion as offensive or shameful,
he says that he can’t stop someone
from being offended by who he
is or his music. That’s something
that’s all based on the individual
that’s consuming my art’, he says.
‘For me to be Muslim as a
I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H C R O C S
child and then still want to be
involved in this kind of culture
and industry confused everybody.
‘I WAS
They didn’t think that I had
figured out my calling in life,
even though I had,’ says Roberts.
NEVER
‘When I looked at all my friends
and what they were capable of,
I wasn’t capable of those things.
However, when they would look
at me, the only thing that they WELCOMED
INTO THE
weren’t able to imitate was the way
I rapped, the way I would pick up
on songs and how fast I would
MAIN-
learn lyrics. I wish I could have
learned the Quran that fast…
STREAM
but I believe that my gift is one
from Allah. I didn’t get this from
a person. It wasn’t my mother that
MUSIC
taught me how to rap, but it wasn’t
a friend of mine that got me into
it. I stumbled upon it myself, then
practised, honed and mastered it
by myself. INDUSTRY
SO I BUILT
‘I know that obviously what
I’m doing is haram, it’s against
my religion, 100%. I’m not going
MY OWN’
to dispute that,’ he says. ‘That’s
why I say that there is absolutely
nowhere I can’t offend somebody.
I can 100% offend someone every
time I open my mouth when I’m
rapping because just doing that
act is against my religion.
It’s a very vulnerable position to
be in. You wake up sometimes
thinking that you’re an
embarrassment to your entire
faith. And that’s a tough thing to
digest on a daily basis. But your
relationship with God is between
you and God.’
MUSIC,
INDEPENDENCE
& BUILDING AN
EMPIRE
He released his debut solo album
3T in April 2018, which won
Album of The Year at the 2019
South African Hip Hop Awards.
Politically driven and socially
conscious, the album featured
interviews relating to SA history,
with his grandfather who also
appears on the cover.
‘Everything I spoke about in
this interview was the topic of
that album,’ he says. Speaking
to my grandfather was a type of
awakening for me. Him giving
me his history and background
and me sitting and realising how
the current situation is not very
different from how it was in the
50s, 60s and 70s. It was also a »
D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 6 1
Sunglasses CHIMI;
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 I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H C R O C S
tribute album to him – my grandfather is still alive, but you give people what I’ve said and done. Even if I
their flowers while they are still alive to smell them.’ said it the wrong way, I ask maybe
Upon mentioning that he has so many more mixtapes than albums he for the friends and the colleagues
says it boils down to funding and the self-sufficient and self-sustainable to just understand the situation I
nature of being an independent artist. was in,’ he says.
‘For 13 years I’ve been an independent artist. I’ve always had to ‘I’m not going to take back
trailblaze. I didn’t have the luxury that other artists had coming up. what I said because I still feel
I didn’t have big-label budgets, for tours or music videos. I had to do exactly the same way that I felt
it all on a shoestring budget. If I had been signed with a major label, eight months ago. When I said all
I can guarantee we’d have a totally different-looking top 10, or music of that, people said, “oh, no, this
landscape, just because I would have the luxury and the comfort of case is going to get solved. Things
knowing my label, or whatever company I was with, would pick up on are going to change – there will be
the expense and take care of my career. But I don’t have that. My team results.” Ten months have passed.
and I take care of my career. We’re self-taught, self-made entrepreneurs. Then it will be a year, then five,
Why did he take the independent route? ‘Nobody wanted to sign me,’ ten, and it’s going to be the same
is the simple answer. story. I struggle with how he got
‘Well, because of the coloured stigma, all of the stuff I was talking killed and how it was swept under
about in music – people were staying away from those topics. When they the rug. I struggle with the fact
heard my music, they went “ah if you can just change what you’re saying, that his daughter is going to grow
we don’t mind how you’re saying it”, because in those years, I even up and see the video, and how
rapped with an American accent, trying to fit more into the Da L.E.S, she’s going to deal with it when
AKA bracket, because those were the most successful coloured people I’d she’s older. Those are the deeper
ever seen on TV. things I think about. But yeah, I
‘I know that I was not an easy sell. Maybe now I am, but back then I miss him.’
fought at every step. I was always looking into the music industry, never He reveals that at the moment
welcomed in. So I built my own industry, because I wasn’t let into the he’s got multiple projects going.
major one. Now they come knocking, because if you build an industry, it ‘I’m always working with Shaney
means that there’s a market, which means there’s money to be made. And Jay, my go-to producer. I’ve got
labels want a piece of it.’ a drill mixtape coming out with
Having mentioned AKA a few times, he’s asked if he wishes to RAF DON and multiple solo
comment on his death and his viral twitter response to it at the time. projects coming out next year.
‘My relationship with him is well documented, as well as the effect that I’ve been doing collabs here in
his death had on me,’ he answers. America as well. I’m not going to
‘ I spoke up when people were grieving and healing, so it got taken as mention names, but it’s good stuff
anger from my side, which I don’t actually care about because, aren’t we on the horizon. I’ve always played
all angry? my cards close to my chest. Even
‘Yes, perhaps I jumped too soon and spoke too loud. I don’t know though we live in this time where
what people wanted me to say or how they wanted me to say it. I wasn’t oversharing is a common thing,
very eloquent. And maybe that rubbed people the wrong way. But, I’ve I don’t feel the need to always play
gotten messages from the family, and they’ve supported and appreciated the industry the way everybody
else does,’ he says.
As the recent recipient of GQ’s
Best Dressed Cultural Influencer
Award, he says the award
G R O O M I N G : L E S L E Y- A N N K L E I N H A N S ; FA S H I O N A S S I S TA N T : C A R M E N G O R D O N
definitely suits him.
‘I’ve done things that people
have followed and I’ve strategised
in ways that people have copied
and imitated what we’ve done for
years. I don’t say it, but I notice
‘IF I DONT
it. There’s nothing wrong with
it; imitation is the highest form
of flattery. That’s why I don’t get
SAY
upset when I see these things, it
means I’m doing something right.
ANYTHING
Rapping in Cape Town,
making mixtapes like I did.
Changing my name to something
WHO IS
CPT, starting my own clothing
brands the way I did, opening
my own store in a predominantly
GOING TO coloured neighbourhood. Who
has made a song called Jan van
KNOW THAT
Riebeek and spoken about slavery
and colonisation? Who’s made
an album with their grandfather
WE WERE
HERE’
D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 6 3
– and I won an award for it. Even
in that sense of being a Muslim –
who else accepted awards, going
on stage in wearing a keffiyeh and
my traditional prayer clothes?
‘I got a lot of firsts to my
name. And the only way you
can describe me would be as an
influential artist, because if I’ve
pioneered things, then it means
that there is some truth to that
statement. And that was always
the case before we had the term
influencer. I understand that I
am an influencer but I don’t have
the traditional influencer duties
– they take place in real life, more
than online,’ he laughs.
‘We played a very big role in
the development of Cape Town
Hip-Hop. Whether people are
going to admit it or not - that’s
fine. I have the receipts. Our
journey and impact is well
documented on our side.
The team I built is always listening
and making sure that I’m being
taken care of and protected
because you don’t get a lot of guys
like me in the music industry
anymore. You don’t really get
even another guy like me in
Cape Town. So if my voice gets
misinterpreted or misunderstood,
then everything I just told you
that we have built and worked for
can literally be taken away. And
we can’t have that.
‘It’s not arrogance in saying
that I do believe what I have
done is unprecedented; at the
time it was seen as impossible.
You’ll see different variations
and versions of it because I’ve
influenced other people to do
similar things, but I will always be
known as the starting line. I was
in the new school. Facebook may
have helped create the name, but
there is meaning attached to it.
YoungstaCPT – I wasn’t in the old
regime of Cape Town. I wasn’t the
old hip-hop from Cape Town that
everybody was used to. I was the
young version of what Cape Town
rap was going to become. And
so far, I’ve definitely stuck to that
theme throughout.’
ESSENTIALS | T H R E A D S
 Words by Luthando Vikilahle Photographs by Mimi Ezinne

The merging of powerhouse artists Sjava

and Big Zula has given rise to a new era of
creativity - forming Inkabi Zezwe, an even
more formidable force in the world of music

P 65
 HAS THE
by accident, as his true passion has always been
music. ‘I started as an entertainer in 2004, acting
in several productions, including Generations,
Zone 14, and uShaka. Acting happened by
chance; music has always been my first love,
which is why I took a break from acting to focus
on it.’
The genre-blurring artist gained mainstream
recognition as a singer when he was featured on
Miss Pru’s acclaimed song ‘Ameni’ in 2015. He
gained further prominence and popularity with
my personal favorite, ‘Ekuseni’, and signed with
TO TRANSCEND GENERATIONS, CULTURES, AND, TO A GREATER EXTENT, RELIGION. the record label Ambitiouz Entertainment, where
At home, I am the person who plays different sounds nearly every day, influenced by a variety of he released his debut album, Isina Muva, in 2016,
factors, including my profession. earning the nickname ‘late bloomer.’
In 1999, one of my cousins introduced me to Zibokwakhe Johnstone Mnyandu, popularly known In this album, Sjava introduced himself
as Phuzekhemisi, Bheki Ngcobo, the renowned ihashe Elimhlophe, and the late Mpatheni Khumalo, as an Afropop, hip-hop, and contemporary
uMfazi Omnyama. At the time, they embodied Maskandi, which many today describe as alternative R&B artist destined for success. The album
music. The trio went on to form a group called Izingqungqulu Zomhlaba, which translates to ‘the performed exceptionally well, achieving Gold
world’s greatest,’ and indeed they were, continuing to influence culture in various aspects. certification from the Recording Industry of
My favorite song from the group is their most popular track, ‘Bantu Base Africa’, a clarion call for South Africa (RiSA), leading to the release of a
Africans to unite and respect each other. This song holds greater importance in today’s world as we deluxe version titled Isina Muva: Gold Deluxe.
grapple with issues such as xenophobia, cultural, sexual identity, and political intolerance. This project garnered him numerous awards and
Fast forward to the present day, years later, Jabulani Hadebe, also known as Sjava, and his friend nominations, solidifying Sjava’s presence in the
Siyabonga Nene, aka Big Zulu, reminded me of my childhood. Their genre-blending music has had music industry.
a profound influence on me, possibly because they remain true to themselves, their people, and the ‘I started making music at a young age,
influencers from their upbringing. singing in school choirs, which has contributed
Both singers were born and raised in Bergville, a small town situated in the foothills of the to my longevity in the industry. Discipline and
Drakensberg Mountains in KwaZulu-Natal. ‘We grew up in this town, where we learned respect, a genuine love for my craft have also played
love for our people, and how to be men,’ say the duo as they describe their childhood experiences in significant roles. Growing up in a small town
Bergville. ‘Life was generally okay; we helped look after cows when they grazed, and we played soccer during an era characterized by order and
like any other kids here.’ discipline had a lasting impact. I have cherished
The two genre-blending musicians’ first love is Maskandi and Isichathamiya music, and they every aspect of my hometown,’ says Sjava.
were influenced by Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Phuzekemisi, Imithente, and Bhekimuzi kaLithuli. His second studio album, Umqhele,
Big Zulu and Sjava are music pioneers and household names across the country, consistently producing released in 2018, received critical acclaim and
hit after hit. continued to showcase his fusion sound, further
As torchbearers of traditional-infused music, these two artists have fought for establishing his African-influenced image and
recognition in the industry and mastered the art of entertainment. Their music as individual gaining a following in international regions.
artists traverses traditional musical forms and more contemporary musical expressions. The album featured the lead single ‘Umama,’ a
song that later found a place on the global music
Sjava’s time in the spotlight platform COLORS, where he was featured in a
Sjava is inclined towards R&B, Afropop, and Hip-Hop, while Big Zulu primarily uses Hip-Hop and performance on May 13, 2019.
Rap to shape his musical identity. This blend
of genres presents a significant opportunity
to create music that not only reflects their
personal experiences but also showcases their
awareness of contemporary South Africa.
Their latest music explores themes that
are important to them, such as love, intimacy,
joy, aspirations, and connections with people.
‘If you concern yourself with what others
will say, you won’t achieve anything, my
brother,’ declares the versatile star as he shares
his journey.
Sjava began his career in 2005 as an actor,
appearing in various drama series and films,
including uGugu no Andile, Zone 14, where he
featured for three consecutive seasons, Isibaya,
the second season of eHostela, and more
recently, uShaka Ilembe.
He revealed to GQ that acting came to him
 On November 23, 2019, Sjava was honored with the Best Male Artist in
Southern Africa award at the 2019 All Africa Music Awards.
Breaking ties
In 2020, Sjava announced via social media that he had severed ties with his
record label, Ambitiouz Entertainment. He expressed gratitude towards
the label for providing him with an ‘opportunity and platform when no
one else did.’
Following his departure from Ambitiouz Entertainment, Sjava went
on to sign a deal with his own record label, 1020 Cartel, and released his
Extended Play titled ‘Umsebenzi.’ The EP was later certified with a gold
plaque. In December 2022, he announced the release of his third studio
album, Isibuko, which was subsequently released on January 27, 2023.
The album features several guest artists. His song ‘Isoka,’ featuring Q Twins
and Mzukulu, topped the Metro FM Top 30 chart for two consecutive weeks.
Big Zulu’s rise
‘AS AN ARTIST, YOU NEED TO Before achieving superstardom, Big Zulu faced
numerous challenges. As a result, he worked as a
KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING. taxi driver to support his family, but his passion for
music never waned. The rapper, born in Bergville,
WITH THIS ALBUM, I WAS
eventually left the taxi industry in 2008 to pursue
his music career full-time. In 2009, he began writing
songs and performing, ultimately earning the title of
TRYING TO FIND MYSELF ‘King of Rap’ in a rap battle contest held by Back to
the City.
AND CLAIM THAT IDENTITY. His debut single, ‘Donsa Nkabi,’ featuring Zakwe
and Mzulu, was released in 2016 and quickly gained
MUSIC IS A DEEPLY him a large following. Big Zulu shared his journey,
saying, ‘I needed to be a man and provide for my
PERSONAL THING THAT kids. I became a taxi driver, but my love for “iingoma”
(music) never wavered. I even transported people
CAN CHANGE PEOPLE’
to events where I would also be performing. I drove
people around for several years because, at the time,
the type of music I was making apparently didn’t have
commercial value,’ he told GQ.
After years of being an independent artist, in 2015, he signed a record
deal with Universal Music Records, opening the door for his debut album,
Ushun’ Wenkabi. He described this album as a labor of love and dedication, a
journey in search of his own identity as a singer.
He stated, ‘As an artist, you need to know what you’re doing. With this
album, I was trying to find myself and claim that identity. Music is a deeply
personal thing that can change people.’
His second studio album, Ungqongqoshe
Wongqongqoshe, was released in 2019 and
featured some of South Africa’s biggest names,
including Cassper Nyovest, Musiholic, and
Kwesta. His lead single, featuring Kwesta, became
an instant hit, solidifying his status as a rap
artist. Big Zulu’s second single, ‘Ama Million,’
reached No. 5 on the iTunes Chart, a testament
to his growth and individuality. He earned a
nomination for Best Hip Hop Album at the
South African Music Awards (SAMA26) and also
received nods for Album of the Year and Best
Male Artist of the Year at the South African Hip
Hop Awards.
Establishing a record label
Two years later, Zulu regained his independence
by establishing Nkabi Records and released his
third album, Ichwane Lenyoka, which catapulted
him to superstardom. The album featured hits
such as ‘Mali Eningi,’ featuring Ntaba Yase Dubai
and the late Riky Rick; ‘Inhlupheko,’ featuring
Mduduzi Ncube; and ‘Umuzi eSandton,’ with
Lwah Ndlunkulu.
As a testament to his persistence and talent,
Big Zulu won several awards, including Song of
the Year for ‘Mali Eningi’ and Album of the Year
at the 2021 South African Hip Hop Awards. The
star also clinched ‘Collaboration of the Year’ at
the 27th annual SAMA Awards.
Big Zulu revealed that one of the reasons
for opening his own record label was the
lack of understanding from many record
companies. ‘The record companies I have
worked with do not seem to understand
me, or perhaps I do not understand them,
depending on one’s perspective,’ he explained.
‘This reached a point where I felt that the
record company wasn’t assisting me or simply
didn’t care, but in reality, they were just
confused about what I was trying to achieve. »
P 67
 This limitation affected my work, as I ended up conforming to their preferences rather than pursuing what truly made me happy.’
Big Zulu is known for his distinctive style, often seen wearing Brentwood, a 100% pure Venetian woolen trouser that exudes
authenticity. This premium quality clothing item is particularly popular among mas’khandi and isicathamiya singers, especially
in KZN.

Enter... ‘Inkabi Zezwe’

Through a Warner Music Africa (WMA)-inspired partnership, Big Zulu and Sjava, two musical heavyweights, joined forces as
Inkabi Zezwe on their popular album, Ukhamba, which has enjoyed significant success on multiple fronts.
The duo explains that the name, Inkabi Zezwe, is a Zulu term of endearment that, in the context of music, conveys a sense of
unified brotherhood representative of the nation. ‘Zezwe’ translates to ‘of the nation,’ signifying that these two giants have united
to offer their music to the nation.
Their collaboration, reminiscent of Izingqungqulu Zomhlaba, places them at the forefront of an intriguing moment in music
and culture. Inkabi Zezwe centers around community and the beauty of shared experiences.
Describing how the duo came together, Big Zulu shared, ‘Everything begins with a love for people. An idea emerges, and you
work around it. However, if the time is not right, it won’t work. We attempted to bring this idea to life earlier, but I suppose the
timing wasn’t right.’
Despite their somewhat different approaches to music, both artists share a deep appreciation for love, hope, and family, with
IsiZulu culture as their common ground. Consequently, a collaborative album between Sjava and Big Zulu can only highlight the
rich tapestry of complex IsiZulu identities, its people, and their ambitions.
Their goal was a personal one – an immersive recording process for a full-length body of work. The backdrop for this creative
endeavor was Bergville, the birthplace, and home of both musicians. This proximity to their roots meant that the music would be
poignant and would carry fragments of their intimate world, reflecting the people who raised them and the lush hills that nurtured
them. At the time of writing, the album had amassed an impressive 31.8 million streams, with dedicated listeners spanning South
Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, and the United Kingdom.
‘This idea of bringing Sjava and Big Zulu together for a one-time project began to take shape. We aimed to create something
truly special. However, it wasn’t an instant process; it required numerous meetings, piecing everything together, and establishing a
structure that suited all parties,’ recalled WMA’s Managing Director, Temi Adeniji.
‘After a few months, we reached a consensus, and everything fell into place. For me, this project holds great significance. It’s
the most substantial project Warner has undertaken since my tenure began, aligning with our intention to
transform our business and firmly establish it at the center of the cultural landscape in our country. In my

‘THIS IDEA OF opinion, it couldn’t be more perfect.’

BRINGING SJAVA AND

BIG ZULU TOGETHER
The duo’s anthem
In March, the duo captivated South Africans with their fresh, chart-topping love anthem, ‘Umbayimbayi’,
which achieved double-platinum status. The official music video garnered over 1.3 million views in just
ten days. Right from the beginning, the track dominated streaming platforms, reaching the No.1 position
on Spotify’s ‘Made in South Africa’ and ‘Bhinca Nation’ playlists. On Apple Music, it held the No.1 spot

FOR A ONE-TIME on the ‘Top 25 Johannesburg,’ ‘Durban,’ and ‘Top 100 South Africa’ charts, while also claiming the No.1
position on iTunes. On TikTok, the official ‘Umbayimbayi’ sound became a fan favorite, accumulating over

PROJECT BEGAN TO 236k creations on the app. Additionally, this hit song held the No.1 spot on South African radios for three
consecutive weeks.

TAKE SHAPE. WE AIMED The literal meaning of the single is a cannon field gun powerful enough to bring down a tall building.
However, for these two hopeless romantics, known for delivering love songs in their unique way, the

TO CREATE SOMETHING Afropop ballad fused with Maskandi jam is their heartfelt declaration of love, albeit with a twist.
‘When we were growing up, we had a saying that mountains can hide things from you, especially
someone you love. Then we thought of the saying, “we will buy our lover the cannon guns to break down
TRULY SPECIAL’ these mountains, and they will be able to see us.” It’s a love song that draws from our childhood sayings and
references. In this way, we invite people into our world while giving South Africans a song they can truly
claim as their own,’ explains Zulu, downplaying any romantic labels.
Big Zulu is not yet married, but he is in a relationship with Lebogang Makenete, with whom he shares a daughter. In his
previous relationship with Bulelwa Nazo, he had a son. On the other hand, Sjava prefers not to discuss his relationships, though he
did hint that there might be someone special in his life.

Bringing Ukhamba to life

Both artists describe working on the project as a pivotal moment in their careers. They acknowledge their dominance in their
respective genres, yet emphasise their understanding of what needs to be accomplished.
‘I was initially apprehensive and felt some pressure when we entered the camp. I recognise that we are both prominent artists in
our own right. However, because I know Sjava personally, he’s my close friend, and I’m familiar with his personality and lifestyle,
collaborating became more comfortable,’ shares Big Zulu. ‘During our time at the camp, there was a strong sense of love, respect,
and brotherhood, resulting in very few challenges.’ »

P 69
 ‘DURING THE TOUR, THE
GROUP PARTNERED WITH
In alignment with Big Zulu’s sentiments, THE CLOTHING BRAND
the uMama singer underscores the project’s
significance for both of them, especially in the BUTAN. BIG ZULU AND THE
context of today’s music industry. He goes on to
describe the project as a ‘game-changer’ due to its SOULFUL SENSATION SJAVA
WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE
far-reaching impact on the industry.
‘When you observe the current music
landscape, you can clearly see the influence of
Inkabi Zezwe on the songs being released. This
indicates that our work is on the right path. BUTAN TEAM TO CREATE A
We are trendsetters, as more and more people are
beginning to follow our lead,’ alluded Sjava. COLLECTION BEFITTING TWO
Sold-out tours & collaborations
Soon after releasing their album in May, the
AFRICAN GIANTS’
duo announced a nationwide tour, starting by
sharing a meal with their fans at KWA MAI MAI on a Sunday. Fans were
treated to ticket giveaways as well as merchandise. In line with the duo’s
ethos, fans were also provided a platform to showcase their skills and talents.
The duo continued engaging with their fans ahead of their national tour,
which began on June 24 at Sunbet Arena in Pretoria. Following this, the next
stop was in the mother city on July 28, allowing fans the opportunity to meet
and greet at Shesha store in Canal Walk.
The second leg of the four-city tour took place on July 29, with Inkabi
Zezwe performing to a packed Grandwest Arena. This was their second
sold-out show following the success at Sunbet Arena in Pretoria.
Fans were treated to opening performances by Inkabi Nation’s Mduduzi
Ncube, who performed his single ‘Njalo’. Other opening acts included Xowla
and Siya Ntuli, as well as Cape Town-based Hip Hop artist Bravo Le Roux,
who has featured Sjava on ‘Umntu’.
Similar to the previous show, Iingoma dancers electrified the stage with
their performance, highlighting the colossal tune ‘Intro (Inkabi Zezwe)’.
In addition to all the tracks from the Ukhamba album, Inkabi Zezwe
performed songs from their solo catalogs, delighting both Sjava and Big
Zulu fans.
Big Zulu commented on the Cape Town show, saying, ‘I could not believe
what I saw in Cape Town. We were doubting that the show would be such a
success, but we managed to fill the seats despite the cold, rainy weather that
day. “Kwakuyinto emnandi ukubona intlaninge yabantu iphume kanje.” We
enjoyed seeing people come out to support us, and many started singing as
they left the arena. It was a fantastic atmosphere and feeling.’
The musical heavyweights then graced Carnival City, Johannesburg on
August 26. The duo’s concert, eagerly anticipated, lived up to all expectations
and more, as fans were treated to an unforgettable night of performances
and exhilarating moments.
The evening began with opening acts from Lwah Ndlunkulu, Siya Ntuli,
and Xowla. Their captivating performances set the tone for the night ahead,
leaving the crowd in awe of their musical prowess.
One of the night’s highlights was a special guest appearance by the
renowned Zahara. Her soul-stirring performance left the audience craving
for more, leading to overwhelming demand.
Sjava and Big Zulu postponed their Durban show, originally scheduled
for September 3 at HollywoodBets Kings Park Stadium. They made
the announcement on their Instagram timeline: ‘Due to unforeseen
circumstances, the Durban
show on September 3 has
been postponed. A new date
will be announced soon. You
can continue to stream the
album at #Ukhamba and read
the lyrics to this music. One
love is one. If you have already
bought tickets, you can keep
them for the future date or
reach out to Computicket for
a refund. Thank you so much.’
Reflecting on the entire
tour, Sjava expressed his
disappointment, saying he
feels they could have done
more and maintained their momentum. ‘I think
we could have done more. If it’s possible, we will
do another tour. The work we’ve done, however,
is great and important to us, neNkabi yam,’
Sjava said.
During the tour, the group partnered with the
clothing brand Butan. Big Zulu and the soulful
sensation Sjava worked closely with the Butan
team to create a collection befitting two African
giants. They poured their hearts and souls
into every stitch, infusing their creative genius
into each piece. This collection isn’t merely
M S I T H I N I ; A S S I S TA N T S T Y L I S T : M U S A M O S I A ; L O C AT I O N : B E E C H W O O D G A R D E N S ; TA L E N T
C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R : E R I C G Y I M A H ; A S S I S TA N T P H OTO G R A P H E R : I T U M E L E N G R A M E L A ;
merchandise; it’s an extension of their artistic
WA R D R O B E : B U TA N X I N K A B I Z E Z W E C A P S U L E C O L L E C T I O N ; S T Y L I N G : N O M B U Y I S E L O
heritage.
But that’s not all. In a groundbreaking move,
Inkabi Zezwe is bringing their everyday life into
the spotlight. You’ll be treated to a captivating
ad that offers an exclusive look into the artists’
world, with their cars and the city as the
G R O O M I N G : KG O M OT S O M O KO B I ; S E T A S S I S TA N T : U N O PA X U L U
backdrop. It’s an intimate glimpse into their lives
that will leave you wanting more.
The Butan X Inkabi Zezwe Capsule Collection
features an array of must-have items. Be sure
to keep an eye out for the brand-new bomber
jackets and the iconic rugby jersey. The leopard
print pattern under the collar adds a unique
dimension. Adorned with an asymmetrical stripe
detail and featuring custom artists’ badges, these
two hot-ticket items will be available at all Butan
official retailers and Shesha stores nationwide.
Grammy ready?
After the chart topping album and a sold out
nationwide tour, is a Grammy nomination
next? Speaking about this, Sjava said they did
submit for consideration, adding, ‘We can only
hope to receive a nomination. But we will take it
as it comes.’
P 71
58 Dos and Don
Getting Dressed
Is it ever OK to repeat outfits? Should your socks match your shoes? Are Henleys
cool? GQ staffers weigh in on all the most pressing style questions of the day
 F O R D ECA D E S,
G Q WA S T H E
P L AC E M E N
LEARNED
TO D R E S S
T H E M S E LV E S.
We’d teach you how
to talk to your tailor,
introduce you to
your next game-
raising boots, and—
crucially—lay down
a handful of hard
and fast rules about
style that you, the
reader, were meant
to follow religiously.
Like: Never wear
a tie wider than
three inches. Plaid
flannels are fine for
a lumberyard or a
hardware store, but
not a formal office.
Don’t go shirtless at a
music festival. (That
one is still true.)
On occasion, we’d
even explain how to
properly break the
rules with panache.
But a few years
ago, GQ pumped
the brakes on all
the lawmaking. The
thought was: We had
entered menswear’s
Wild Style era, where
stylish guys began
exploring new modes
of self-expression at
every turn—ditching
their tuxes for flowy
tunics and jumpsuits
on the red carpet;
n’ts for
dabbling in makeup
and nail polish;
investing in flashy
It bags. Dictating
d Right Now
By The Editors of GQ Illustrations Gabriel Acala
D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 7 3
exactly what one
should and shouldn’t
wear suddenly felt
curmudgeonly
and antiquated.
Who were we to
stand in the way of
progress? It was a
time for unbridled
experimentation.
In 2023, though,
the moment finally
feels right for us
to lay down a few
new sartorial edicts.
The anything-goes
abandon of the last
couple years has
given way to a return
to elegance.
That’s why our
team has come
together to devise
this new list of Dos
and Don’ts for a new
age of men’s style.
Some of the advice
is traditional, like
which tie knots
to avoid like the
plague; some of it is
extremely right now,
like how best to parse
TikTok menswear
trends (hint: don’t).
Unlike in the past,
however, when GQ
would’ve issued
definitive rules as
an institution, these
new guidelines are a
little more fluid and
subjective, based
more heavily on the
personal style and
lived experiences
of our staffers than
ever before. Follow
them, ignore them,
debate them, share
them—it’s really up
to you. These are
GQ’s Dos and Don’ts
for getting dressed
right now. »

REPEAT YOUR
OUTFITS OVER AND
OVER AND OVER.
Trust us: No one but you is
keeping track of how often you’ve
worn those jeans with that shirt.
Part of the beauty of holding onto
clothes for the long haul is finding
new things to enjoy about them—
how good your ass looks in those
jeans, say, or how sick a tie looks
with that shirt—once you’ve worn
them so thoroughly you thought
they had no secrets left to reveal.
—AVIDAN GROSSMAN
2 Cool it on the flares.
Flared jeans, if done right, are
killer. But it’s starting to look like
Boogie Nights out there. Let’s put
the bootcuts on ice and revisit in a
few years. —SAMUEL HINE
3 When faced with
a choice between
being overdressed and
underdressed, do
the former.
This one’s simple: No one ever
feels bad for the guy wearing
a suit when everyone else is in
jeans. But they feel all sorts of
things about the guy wearing
jeans when everyone else is in
suits. - SAM SCHUBE
74 GQ.CO.ZA | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4
4 5
TRY DRESSING LIKE…
OLIVER TWIST?!
Ilaria Urbinati—the Hollywood
megastylist who counts Chris Evans,
The Rock, and Ryan Reynolds among
her clients—has a reputation for
keeping her finger on the menswear
pulse. And lately, her mood boards
have been leaning a little Victorian.
‘Obviously, the biggest shift in the
last few years is pants, which is
because we beat that dead horse of
skinny pants for so long,’ Urbinati
says. ‘I really only like two kinds of
pants now: either a wide crop
revealing a nice sock with a derby or
a boot, or a floor-grazing, flowy,
almost slightly retro trouser. I want to
style everybody like they’re in a
Dickens novel. A lot of cropped
pants, big shoes, rouche-y socks. I
tuck everything these days: ties,
T-shirts, knits.’
If it has stretch in the
mix, don’t buy it.
You can now find jeans, button-up
shirts, and even suits made from
athleisure-pilled stretch fabrics.
Resist the temptation and opt
for real-deal cottons and wools.
Sure, the stretchy stuff feels
comfortable, but it looks cheap to
the naked eye and won’t hold up
nearly as well over time. You’re
an adult—you don’t need to be
shrouded in cosy yoga-pant
material 24 hours a day.
- YANG-YI GOH
6 If your pants have
belt loops, always
wear a belt.
Especially if you have your shirt
tucked in. A beltless waistband
on pants with belt loops is like a
pair of shoes without laces. Plus,
belts are cool, so why miss an
opportunity to wear one? -
NOAH JOHNSON
7 Freak your
footwear game.
Too many dudes are playing it
safe when it comes to footwear,
and that’s a real shame. Break out
some fuzzy mules! Go wild with
strappy sandals! Give a platform-
heeled, square-toed boot some
run and bring some funk to your
ensemble. - GERALD ORTIZ
8
ONE HEAD
ACCESSORY AT A
TIME IS IDEAL,
T WO IS THE
ABSOLUTE MOST.
When it comes to sunglasses,
hats, earrings, headphones, etc.,
two items at a time is the absolute
threshold. Three or more cranium
accessories make you a Mitch
Hedberg punchline. -
CHRIS GAYOMALI
9. Wear your dress watch
casually and your sport
watch formally.
Smart outfit architecture is all
about contrasts. A Cartier Tank
looks phenomenal with a white
T-shirt, and over the past few
years, it seems like every celebrity
has learned that nothing looks
better with a suit than a stainless
steel sports watch like the Rolex
Daytona. - CAM WOLF
10. Pants look better
with a break.
There was a time, not too long
ago, when this very magazine
ruthlessly advocated for all things
slim, cropped, and tapered. We
goofed. Unless you’re Thom
Browne (or one his zealous
acolytes), your pants should
skim the middle of your shoes.
Anything above the ankle is a
serious no-go, and anything that
swallows your toes is an elite-level
swerve. - AG
11. Create a work uniform.
A few years ago, I started wearing
the same thing to work every day:
white oxford, black knit tie, jeans,
and a blazer. It made me feel good
about my job, but it made me
feel even better about wearing
everything else in my closet—
graphic tees, sneakers, odds and
ends—when I was off the clock.
Your clothes serve as a reminder
of where you’re supposed
to be. - SS

CUT MORE
STUFF UP.
The easiest way to juice up your
tired clothes? Break out the
scissors and go to town. Chop
your busted jeans into your
new favourite shorts, turn your
unflattering tees into smoking-hot
crop tops, and slice the sleeves
of your age-old oxfords off at the
elbows for a punkish
frayed edge.-YG
13 Bust your kicks up
a little before you
wear them out.
As far as most classic sneakers
are concerned—your Vans, your
Converse, your Adidas Sambas—
wearing ‘em fresh out of the box
frankly looks a little try-hard. The
more beat up and lived in those
OG models look, the better. Don’t
be afraid to break them in around
the house before debuting them
to the world. (One former GQ
editor goes as far as to drive his
car over his Chuck Taylors a few
times to get them just the right
amount of effed up.) -
MAT THEW ROBERSON
14 Wear the clothes
you own.
Put some thought into what you
buy. Buy things that you like, that
fit, and that you have a need for.
Then wear the hell out of them.
Don’t be a collector or a hoarder.
Life is too short and square
footage is too valuable. - NJ
15 Bowties are never
cool, unless you’re
wearing a tuxedo.
You don’t want to look like Tucker
Carlson, and we shouldn’t have to
explain any further. - AG
16
SHOPPING VINTAGE?
KNOW YOUR
MEASUREMENTS—AND
KEEP THEM ON YOU.
When Bijan Shahvali, the
Brooklyn-based vintage guru behind
Intramural Shop, goes shopping for
himself at flea markets and garage
sales, he always carries two things
with him. ‘My measurements and a
tape measure,’ he says. ‘It’s good to
have those at the ready so when
you’re somewhere you can’t try
something on—or maybe you don’t
want to—you can just measure it
quickly. It’s a handy, easy way to
make sure you get something that
fits you.’ And getting those
measurements, Bijan says, doesn’t
need to be overly complicated. ‘Just
measure a few pieces that you like
and fit you well—a T-shirt, a pair of
trousers, a blazer, etc.’
17 Tie more
sweaters around
your shoulders.
What used to be the sole territory
of ’80s teen-movie villains and
badminton-playing seniors is now
the freshest move in fashion. It’s
both a great way to add texture
and depth to an otherwise simple
ensemble and a practical measure
for when the weather is going
haywire or the restaurant AC is
cranked too high. You don’t have
to stick to traditionally preppy
pullovers, either—the look works
just as well, if not better, with a
heavyweight hoodie. - YG
‘As far as most
classic sneakers
are concerned—
your Vans, your
Adidas Sambas—
wearing ‘em fresh
out of the box
frankly looks a
little try-hard’
18
GET EVERY THING
TAILORED—EVEN
YOUR T-SHIRTS.
Ever wondered why clothes look
so much better in magazines or
commercials than they do on
you? It’s because they’ve been
tailored: taken in an inch here,
adjusted a smidge there. We all
know we need our suits to be
altered to better accentuate our
individual proportions, but all
of your clothes—even the ones
meant to be flowy and oversized—
could stand to benefit from that
treatment. - GERALD ORTIZ
19.Embrace
bigger collars.
Your shirt collars will look
much cooler once they hit the
juice. Be wary of boogieing into
period cosplay, though; too small
and you veer into indie sleaze
territory, too big and you veer
into ‘70s sleaze territory.
The sweet spot is somewhere
in between. - AG
20. No more sneakers
with suits.
Getting truly dressed up these
days is already rare enough.
If you’re going to do it, do it
properly—and that means lacing
up a shiny pair of oxfords or
brogues, or at least slipping on
some loafers or dressy boots. You
don’t look subversive pairing
Common Projects with your
business-formal two-piece; you
look played out. -
KEVIN SCHLIT TENHARDT
21.Lose your sleeves
more often.
If your upper arms only see the
light of day in a Dri-Fit tank at
the gym, it’s high time you let ‘em
shine outside the weight room.
Look at Justin Bieber pairing
a basketball jersey with some
statement trousers. -
MICK ROUSE »

DOCUMENT EVERY FIT.
Fit pics have long been a form of social media currency. But you shouldn’t let the online flex distract you
from documenting what you wear for your own personal reference, too. Get in the routine of snapping a
photo of your outfit every morning before you walk out the door. Save it in a folder on your phone. Repeat.
It’s fun to capture your style evolution for posterity. And if you’re ever not sure what to wear, open up your fit
gallery and let it guide you. —SH
23 Don’t wear
more than
one big, visible logo
at a time.
Nothing wrong with that
tiny Swoosh on your socks
or the Ralph pony on your
polo. But when you start
mixing an enormous chest
graphic with a glaring
wordmark on your cap,
you start looking less like
a person and more like a
walking brand activation.
Leave the logos to the
Soccer players. - YG
7 6 GQ.CO.ZA | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4
24 Never tuck
your pants
into your boots.
Failure to heed this
mandate will not make
you look like a rugged
frontiersmen; it will make
you look like your best
friend is a luminescent
fairy and you’re a
very long way from
Neverland. - AG
25 Buy multiples
of anything
you love.
You know how good it
feels to find that perfect
pair of chinos, or the ideal
white T-shirt, or a denim
button-down you want
to wear every day? It feels
exactly that bad to bust a
but I believe that all
the caramel-brown
dress shoes that I’ve
seen grooms and their
groomsmen wear with
their navy suits are going
to age the way the poofy
bridal gowns of the ‘80s
and ‘90s did: like milk.
If you’d prefer to avoid
cringing at your wedding
album 20 years from now,
pivot to black or dark
chocolate lace-ups.
- EILEEN CART TER
27 Your watch is
probably too
big for your wrist.
Imagine your dream
watch. Now shrink it by
roughly 17%. There,
it’s perfect. - CW
28 Wear
whatever
glasses you want—
your face shape
doesn’t matter.
Don’t fall for the face-
shape agenda. It’s all a
bunch of pseudoscience
that merely winds up
limiting your available
eyewear options. What
matters more is the size
of your frames: You want
‘Next time
you find
hole through the knee of
the chinos, or to lose the
tee to an ex-girlfriend,
them wide enough to
sit comfortably on your
temples, but not so wide
something or the Western shirt to they look like clown
a crayon incident—and glasses. - GO
(non-vintage, then learn that you can’t
non-designer,
non-one-of-
go back to the store
and buy another one.
Inventory rolled over.
29 It’s cool that
your jeans
are from Japan, but
one) that you Model year ended. Shit you don’t have to
out of luck. So next time tell everyone.
love, buy two’ you find something (non- If you ever catch yourself
vintage, non-designer, describing the type of
non-one-of-one) that you
love, buy two, and avoid
the problem altogether.
loom your pants were
made on—or which city
in Okayama they came
- SS from—stop it. Your
jeans should be the least
26 The caramel
dress shoe
is over.
interesting thing about
you, and spending a
month’s rent on
I love seeing pictures Japanese denim isn’t a
of friends’ weddings, personality. - AG

UNDERSTAND
YOUR BODY.
Reporting live from menswear’s
trendless present: We have good
news for you. You don’t have to
wear skinny jeans. In fact, most
guys don’t look good in skinny
jeans, tight bulging shirts, or
barely hanging-on sports jackets.
One of the most important
lessons to learn while developing
your style is understanding what
looks good on your body. I’m
proud of you for committing
yourself to leg day, but the cling of
your jeans doesn’t need to make
that point. - CW
31 Don’t be snobby
about band T-shirts.
Band tees were once a badge of
honour, attesting not only to
your taste in music, but your
commitment to leaving the house
to hear it in person. Now, of
course, you can pick up a Nirvana
shirt at Cotton On. But instead
of asking high school students to
name three songs, as some TikTok
jokers like to do, we should
embrace the democratisation
of music merch. Streaming
pays pennies and touring is less
profitable than it once was. When
I discover an artist I like, I might
buy their album on Bandcamp
or pick up a concert ticket. I’ll
also search to see if they sell
a cool-looking T-shirt in my
size, and then I will order it and
wear it around the house and on
weekends, or under a button-
down shirt at the office. And yes,
when I wear my Gulch shirt, I feel
cool as hell. - NICK CATUCCI
32 Pack light—it
forces you to
be creative.
You’re not a sommelier—don’t
pack a ‘capsule wardrobe’ of basics
you think will pair nicely together.
Stuff the clothes you love most
into a carry-on and figure it out
once you’re there. Necessity is the
mother of invention, and limiting
your choices will inspire the type
of gloriously unmeditated fits you
usually see at the bodega. - AG
33
TAKE STOCK
OF WHAT YOU HAVE.
Every few months, Hanif
Abdurraqib—the acclaimed cultural
critic and poet—goes into his sneaker
room and surveys his entire 230-pair
collection. ‘I’ll pick out the 20 or so
pairs that I’ll rotate through for the
season,’ he says. That tight edit
allows him to get dressed every
morning without feeling
overwhelmed by the sheer number of
options available to him. ‘It’s mostly
based on colour palette: In the fall
and winter, I’m wearing mostly black,
which gives me a lot more flexibility
in the sneakers that I can wear.’
While he’s sorting through his shoes,
though, Abdurraqib also picks out
the pairs he hasn’t worn in a while to
give away. ‘There’s a culture,
particularly around sneakers, that
revolves around how much you have,
how much you’ve attained, and how
much you can hold on to. But to me,
none of that serves the questions of:
What are you actually wearing? What
feels good on your feet? And who can
benefit from me being honest with
myself about what I don’t
need anymore?’
D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 7 7
34 Wearing a shirt?
Tuck it in.
Tees, tanks, sweaters, button-
ups—they all looked better
tucked. Your legs look longer, and
the rest of you looks leaner, when
your pants constitute two-thirds
of your outfit. - AG
35 Buy a fancy
tuxedo.
Even if you only wear it a couple
times a year, it’s worth splurging
on a fancy tuxedo. Nothing is
more memorable than a dreadful
boxy rental tux. - SH
36 Never wear flip-
flops outside of the
beach or pool.
Are you gazing out at a blue-
green ocean right now? About
to mosey over to the pool bar for
another tequila soda? Financially
dependent on getting featured
on wikiFeet Men? No? Then
you, my brother in fits, should
not be wearing flip flops. As
a resident of New York, I’m
spiritually dismayed whenever I
see someone strolling around a
city in thong sandals, their feet
barely supported and exposed
to all manners of grit and grime.
And don’t even get me started on
what they look like—“flop” is in
the name. Do us and your soles a
favour and save the flip flops for
your beach vacation. And while
you’re at it, explore the wonderful
world of huaraches, espadrilles,
and slides. All exponentially
better styles, requiring the same
amount of extremely low effort.
- GABRIELLA PAIELLA »

WEAR
A TIE 40All shoes look
better with socks.
WITHOUT
A JACKET. 41V-neck sweaters?
Good. V-neck tees?
Falling in the vast realm of
dressing in between suits and
sweats, “business casual” is the
trickiest style to nail. Consider
the rogue tie (i.e., one knotted
without a blazer) your secret
weapon to making any outfit
look the right amount of
consideration. -SH
38 Ignore the
TikTok hordes.
We are so eager to make trends
that it takes only a few TikTok
videos before someone attempts
to establish it as a movement.
Forget Rat Girl Summer,
Plazacore (not related, as I
initially thought, to Aubrey
Plaza), Whimsigoth, or Tomato
Girl Summer. These aren’t even
jokes—they’re “real” trends!
And in our new style economy,
they last about as long as a fast-
fashion T-shirt. Exert some effort
and seek out some trends (and
clothes) that will last. - CW
39
NEVER CHEAP OUT
ON A WATCH.
Mike Nouveau, a vintage watch
dealer and WatchTok royalty,
suggests stretching your budget
when purchasing a watch. Or as he
puts it: buy once, cry once. ‘You buy
once and you suffer once when you
pay a lot, and then you’re happy
forever after that,’ he says. Instead,
Nouveau insists, “don’t be afraid to
pay up to get the best one
you can afford.’
When in doubt, go white and
ribbed. - AG
Still bad.
You can’t go wrong with a classic
V-neck knit over a polo, an
oxford, or nothing at all. But the
fashion cycle has yet to shine
favourably again upon the V-neck
T-shirt, which still hasn’t shaken
the navel-exposing sleazeball
associations from its mid-aughts
American Apparel heyday. - YG
42 Be selective with
your camouflage.
In terms of wearing camo, there
are really only two types: Realtree
and tiger stripe. All other versions
of the pattern put you at risk of
looking like an insurrectionist.
- CG
43 No Windsor tie
knots. Ever.
They’re too big, too symmetrical,
and too closely associated with
corrupt oligarchs. Stick to a semi-
taut four-in-hand and figure out
the dimple situation for yourself.
- AG
DON’ T MATCH
YOUR SOCKS TO
YOUR SHOES.
You want some kind of contrast
between the hem of your pants
and the collar of your shoes—
otherwise you might look like
you’re wearing one of those
motion-capture body suits. - NJ
45. Don’t buy a sweater
that you would only wear
to a holiday party.
It is not a “good bit” and you will
not come across as “charmingly
festive.” You will come across
as the guy who spent his actual,
hard-earned dollars on a novelty
knit with an embroidered elf on
the front. - AG
46. The perfect white
T-shirt doesn’t exist.
Trust me: I’ve been looking for
years. It’s OK—healthy, even—to
just settle for “pretty good.” - GO
‘If it’s not on your wishlist before the
price hits the basement, don’t buy it’
47. Laugh at the idea of
“ladies’ watches.”
As far as timepieces are
concerned, the gender binary
is absolutely fake. Some of the
raddest watches on earth are
designed specifically for women,
and there’s nothing stopping you
from strapping ‘em on yourself.
- CW
48. Rare sneakers are
not an outfit.
So, you spent a fortune to cop
your dream Jordans on StockX.
Happy for you, king. Now just be
sure to pair ‘em with a look that’s
worthy of their stature. Too many
sneakerheads fall into the trap of
thinking their kicks are enough
of a flex to outweigh the sloppy
joggers and dated button-ups
they’re rocking above them. The
whole picture matters; nobody
will even notice your sick shoes if
you’re awfully dressed. - YG
49. Don’t overindulge
during sale season.
Fall clothes are hitting the major
e-commerce sites right now,
which can only mean one thing:
they’ll be 70% off before you
know it. Sales season is getting
longer and steeper as e-comm
competition ramps up, which
means it’s easier than ever to play
yourself in search of a good deal.
Say, copping a pair of pants in
almost the right size. Or buying
a funky knit that you can see
yourself wearing to a totally
hypothetical theme party. If it’s
not on your wishlist before the
price hits the basement, don’t buy
it. - SH

GET INTO HANDBAGS.
You never want to be the guy who goes out for the day with a ton of shit stuffed into their
pockets, or who leaves their gum and sunglasses and subway novella at home to avoid the
indignity of being just another dude with a novelty tote bag. The convenient—and fly—move is
instead to invest in a tiny leather or canvas bag, also known as a purse. - SH
51 Don’t worry about
Supreme. Supreme
doesn’t worry about you.
The world is burning, bees are
dying at an alarming rate—the
last thing you should be stressing
(or arguing about on Reddit) is
whether a multi-billion-dollar
corporation is still cool. This
sounds like a you problem, bud.
Give it a break. - AG
52 Friends don’t
let friends wear
Henleys.
You don’t look like Ryan
Reynolds. You look like a rejected
Bachelorette contestant. - GO
53
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS.
‘I generally don’t like the dos and
don’ts conversation,’ J.Crew
men’s creative director Brendon
Babenzien says. Instead, he advises:
‘Do what you’re comfortable with.
And don’t listen to the powers
that be. I want to put confidence
back in people’s hands, and
I don’t want them to have to
worry about it.’
54 Copy movies, not
paparazzi shots.
As someone whose literal job
is to opine on what celebrities
wear, I maintain that movies and
television shows, not red carpets
and pap shots, are the best style
inspo for the average person. Lots
of celebs now have stylists and/
or brand deals that dictate their
looks; copying them usually won’t
yield the most original results.
One of my earliest cinematic style
icons was Michelle Trachtenberg’s
Harriet M. Welsch in the 1996
flick Harriet the Spy, with her
yellow raincoat, baggy blue jeans,
primary-colour sweaters, and
black-and-white composition
notebook as an accessory.
Costume designers are some of
my favourite people to interview;
to me, they are geniuses. There’s
a reason you want to dress like
Christopher Moltisanti.
Run with it. - EC
D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 7 9
55 Actual sports
jerseys > designer
sports jerseys.
There are thousands of sports
teams with sick uniforms, kits,
and merch. Get your soccer
jerseys and baseball caps from
your favourite local club rather
than from your favourite fashion
brand. - SH
56 Expand your hat
vocabulary.
As much as we love ball caps and
beanies around these parts, it’s
high time more fellas indulged
in the offbeat pleasures of berets,
Sam Jackson-style backwards
Kangols, and even certain cowboy
hats. Just continue to steer clear
of short-brimmed fedoras and
pork pies—the pick-up artist
community has officially ruined
those forever. - YG
57 Remember that
every time you
buy something, you’re
supporting someone.
Not every purchase has to be an
act of altruism, but you should
consider that clothes are sold for
profits that keep businesses afloat.
So if you need a new pair of pants,
you might as well buy them from
a brand that you believe in. - NJ
58
ALWAYS DRESS
OLDER THAN
YOU ARE.
If you’re 50 trying to dress like
you’re 20, it’s embarrassing. If
you’re 25 and dress like you’re 85,
it’s provocative. if you’re over 65?
Wear whatever the hell you want -
you’ve earned it. - AG
I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H H U AW E I WAT C H G T 4

Photographs by Zander opperman

Creative direction and styling by Luke Diva

From scoring goals to scaling the
heights of the business world, South
African football legend Teko Modise,
known for his style on the field, as
well as his fashion forwardness off
it, continues to move with elegance
as one of the ambassadors for the
Huawei Watch GT 4.

of

8 0 GQ.CO.ZA | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4
 ‘IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO REBRAND MYSELF, EVOLVE AND THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX ABOUT

HOW I CAN MAKE THE TRANSITION SUCCESSFULLY AND IN A WAY THAT WAS UNIQUE. IT WAS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR ME
ABOUT AND NOT FOR THE SAKE OF SIMPLY HAVING SOMETHING TO PUT BEHIND MY NAME’

OPENING SPREAD
Cos blazer
Panaga sweater
Balmain trousers

THIS PAGE
Panaga shirt

TO FIND THINGS THAT INTEREST ME, BECAUSE I WANTED TO DO THINGS THAT I WA PASSIONATE

TEKO MODISE WAS A BRIGHT
STAR DURING his time on the soccer
field, however he intends to shine even
brighter as an entrepreneur building a
new legacy in business
Interview by Luthando Vikilahle
Words by Shannon Manual
FEATURING AS OUR COVER STAR IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE HUAWEI WATCH GT 4, Teko Modise is no
stranger to being in the spotlight and is known for his
stylish fashion fits, best-selling sports biography The Curse
of Teko Modise, ambitious nature, and of course his football
career.
Similar to the trendsetting Huawei Watch GT 4, during
Modise’s tenure as a professional player, he quickly rose to
prominence due to his exceptional skills and playmaking
abilities. He played for several South African clubs during
his career, starting with City Pillars. Modise gained national
recognition during his time with Orlando Pirates, later
transferring to Mamelodi Sundowns; winning several
league titles and cup competitions during his time with
the club. He also represented the South African national
team, Bafana Bafana, earning numerous caps during his
international career
In the later stages of his career, Modise joined
Cape Town City FC before retiring from professional
football in 2019.
Since his retirement, Modise has remained involved
in the sport through various endeavours, such as being
Supersport pundit and a Mamelodi Sundowns ambassador.
In addition, he is an ambassador for a range of brands
including NGR, Samsonite, and Huawei.
Speaking of his partnership with the Huawei Watch 4
series, Modise says that the watch fits perfectly into his busy
lifestyle, not only due to its exended battery life of up to 14
days, but its versatility of being able to suit and accompany
him through every facet of his day.
‘As someone who’s juggling different roles, I need a watch
that is not only functional, but also stylish and compatible
with any smartphone I have, whether Android or IOS,’ says
Modise. ‘Even though I’m not a professional football player
anymore, I’m still quite active and the Huawei watch GT 4
has some of the greatest sportsmodes such as running and
I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H H U AW E I WAT C H G T 4
cycling, as well as trendy sports modes includng e-sports
and padel.’
Over the past four years his aspirations have
shifted as he strives to redefine himself as a successful
businessman. Eager to leverage the discipline, teamwork,
and determination he honed on the soccer field, he’s now
applying those qualities in the boardroom. With a keen eye
for opportunities and a passion for innovation, he envisions
a future where he’s recognised not just for his sporting
achievements but also for his prowess in business, where
he’s determined to make a lasting impact through strategic
investments and creative entrepreneurial endeavours.
THE TRANSITION GAME
Modise says he never thought the day would come when he
had to even think of retirement, but once he did, he had no
idea as to what exactly he wanted to do.
‘It’s very daunting when your next move is not set in
stone. When I left football, I didn’t want to fall into a safe
space such as coaching, because that wasn’t my passion and
would be an environment that I’m already familiar with,’
says Modise.
‘The transition itself was quite difficult because I wanted
to venture into business and I needed to be viewed not
just as a footballer, but as a legitimate business person.
The transition was also made harder owing to the stigma
attached to many footballers. It was very difficult to rebrand
myself, evolve and think outside the box about how I can
make the transition successfully and in a way that was
unique. It was also important for me, within the transition
itself, to find things that interest me, because I wanted to do
things that I was passionate about and not for the sake of
simply having something to put behind my name.
‘The first thing I wanted was to have my own company.
Second, was to own my name. I’ve been playing »
D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 8 3
I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H H U AW E I WAT C H G T 4
football for almost my entire life and my name was signed to other companies. Football
teams were basically owning my name and my image, and I wanted to own those things’, says
Modise. ‘The difficult thing about a career transition is the fact that you learn as you go and it
is rarely an instant change. Becoming the brand that I am today didn’t happen overnight – it
took years and years of evolving and learning new things.’
He says the biggest lessons he learned throughout this career pivot was the business side
of things. ‘As a footballer, your main concern is not really the business behind the scenes, you
are focused on your performance on the field,’ he says. ‘And when you are young and still
playing the game, you do tell yourself that one day you want to be a businessman, but until
you actually physically enter that space, you don’t actually know the nitty gritties that go into
it. The biggest lesson is knowing how to speak business to these people, coming from being
a person who used to just play the game and main people you spoke to were the coaches. In
the business world it’s totally different. In every meeting that I’ve gone to, I’ve learned how to
be seen less as “Teko the footballer” and as “Teko the business person” instead.’
While Modise has no immediate ambitions to become a football coach, he says that he
will always be involved in giving back to the sport that has given him so much.
‘I do want to stay in the football space and I’m trying to give back, but in a bigger way that
has an impact. There’s a number of corporate companies that I am working with in the space
to make this a reality. I want to build up this community and be an agent of change. It may
be something involving schools and the business sector or establishing programmes – there
are many opportunities and ways to make a difference that will stand the test of time. When
I played football, I wasn’t just being supported by football playing people – it was normal
people involved with the sport that loved me as fans, so how do I give back? I can’t isolate it
and only give back on the football field. I need to be able to create something that everybody
who was, and still is, supportive of me can benefit from.’
It is this desire that led to the creation of The Prestigious Group; a management and
creative agency that aims to discover and nurture young talent.
‘We are looking for sports talent in general to be able to mould, mentor and eventually
manage. By using my name and experience, we’re able create opportunities that they
never would never otherwise have. We are venturing into events as well. We’re not boxing
ourselves into just being a creative agency. The biggest name is me, the agency still manages
my affairs. From a creative perspective we have Keagan Buchanan, whom we are dealing
with on the commercial side. The difficulties and challenges that we have is finding talent
that will fit into the agency’s philosophy and pillars. And Keagan fits in so well. We are
having conversations with a couple more talents that we are trying to see if they can fit into
the business model that we are creating.’
A TIME TO HEAL
Modise has spoken out previously about the mental health struggles that accompanied his
transition to Cape Town City. Expanding on his experience, he says it was a very difficult
time for him that required a lot of personal work on himself to overcome.
‘The transition to Cape Town City was risky. I played for Mamelodi Sundowns and
won everything with them, and was one of their highest paid players. Towards the end of
my career at Sundowns I needed to fall in love with the game again, and I thought that if I
had to retire being in the space I was mentally, I was going to hate the game and that’s never
something that I wanted. My biggest fear is to hate the game that had gotten me so much.
I needed to find a new environment and a new challenge, while
rediscovering the reason that I fell in love with the game in the first place.
I never played football for money and fame, I loved the game itself and it was also an escape
– as well as a sort of therapy – for me. I moved to Cape Town City because I wanted to
survive; because at the time I felt like I was going into a depression.
I needed to go back to liking myself, not just as a footballer, but as a person. Cape Town
City provided peace and sanity and it helped me to reform, find myself and have that
mental peace that I never had since I started playing professional football. If that CT City
move hadn’t happened, I don’t know where I would have been today. I’m forever grateful for
that opportunity.’
Taking a moment to reflect on his highs and lows, he reveals candidly that his biggest low
point was the failure of not going overseas; knowing that he possessed the capabilities and
characteristics to make it as a successful international player.
8 4 GQ.CO.ZA | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4
‘It became annoying and irritating when, wherever I went,
people were still asking why are you still here? Why are you
still in SA? That was the most difficult thing to face, and it
made me become very jaded. At the time it took me forever
to come out of that situation. There were many days where I
thought everything in my life was worthless because I wasn’t
happy with myself, despite all that I had achieved.
I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere and that knowing
football like I did was a curse. For me to come out of that,
I had to be at my lowest to understand how low I was. I
started drinking and isolating myself – I felt that nobody
would understand even if I did explain it to them, so what
was the point?
‘Besides feeling very low, I was so mad at everyone
around me; at God, and at myself. I was just mad at
the world. I understood that the world doesn’t owe me
anything, but I lived by the belief that what you put in, you
get out. And I had put so much in, but not getting what I
felt I deserved. I would see everyone around me that had
put in less, get everything they wanted. I was mad at the
circumstances as to why I had to fight so hard to get what
other people were getting so easily.
‘While I was in that phase I saw an ad about psychiatry
and I realised that was one thing that I hadn’t tried.
Speaking to someone who possibly didn’t know who I am.
And once I went to that first session, I realised how angry
I was, because she asked me one question and I didn’t stop
talking for the whole hour. I cried my eyes out because of
how angry I was. Therapy helped me realise that it was okay
to be mad – I had been putting on a brave face, trying not
to show how angry and disappointed I was, but that space
allowed me to be vulnerable. Ever since then, I am never
fearful of being vulnerable and speak about the things that
I went through.’
Modise says that while his past struggles have played
a huge part in shaping the person that he is now, he is
greatly focused on creating a sustainable future built on a
foundation of positivity.
‘We are very excited to grow the Prestigious Group
to become one of the premier companies that represents
sports and entertainment as one on the continent. That’s a
huge challenge that we are undertaking, in terms of finding
problems to solve in sports and entertainment. We don’t
believe that you need to be an artist or a performer to know
what entertainment is all about. We are looking at scaling
up; hiring more young people who deserve a chance to
expose their creativity to the world. We have different grants
already and we have more in the pipeline.’
His advice to young people is to learn and unlearn as
much as possible.
What may have worked a couple of years ago
might not work now. You need to be teachable.
As young people, we tend to have an ego because we believe
we know everything – on social media we can find as
much information as possible – but then we forget the
human element. We forget about mentors and to ask for
help from people who have done the same things you want
to do. Never be afraid to ask challenging questions and be
sure to back that up with a willingness to learn and a hunger
to work on the opportunities presented to you.
 ‘I DO WANT TO STAY IN THE FOOTBALL SPACE AND I’M TRYING TO GIVE BACK, BUT IN A BIG

GER WAY THAT HAS AN IMPACT. THERE’S A NUMBER OF CORPORATE COMPANIES THAT I AM WORKING WITH IN THE SPACE
. I NEED TO BE ABLE TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY WHO IS SUPPORTIVE OF ME CAN BENEFIT FROM’

OPENING SPREAD
Balmain shirt and
trousers
GROOMER: GIO JUNGLE

TO MAKE THIS A REALITY. I WANT TO BUILD UP THIS COMMUNITY AND BE AN AGENT OF CHANGE
 I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H B I R K E N S T O C K

MASTER OF MELODY
Words by Shannon Manual

INSIDE THE
MUSICAL MIND
OF
Photographs by Zander Opperman

The multi-talented musician is renowned for his skills as a vocalist,

trumpeter, and composer with a remarkable range, soulful music
and captivating storytelling abilities

Creative Direction and Styling by Luke Diva

D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 8 7
I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H B I R K E N S T O C K
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I’VE HAD THE
PLEASURE OF INTERVIEWING MANDISI
DYANTYIS, and as before, I am greeted by
a very chill and laid-back personality when
walking into the cover shoot for our end-of-year
entertainment issue. His personality permeates
the set, as there is quite a calm vibe to what can
be a chaotic event, but it’s good spirits all around
as we move from one great fit to another.
‘The day was great,’ he says when we meet up
at Kloof Street House two days later. ‘I loved the
looks. I love fashion and people who understand
fashion. Many just follow it because it’s trendy or
superficially for the brand name, so I like people
who can move it around and take risks. So I
enjoyed it. It’s also surreal, because I’ve been a
staunch GQ fan since way back, so to be on the
cover is very exciting.’
Appearing in partnership with Birkenstock,
Dyantyis says that the collaboration with the
brand has been nothing but smooth sailing.
‘I genuinely am obsessed with their brand
and their shoes. Initially, when there was an
opportunity to do a social media story or
post, I took it on because I was such a fan. Our
relationship then grew because it’s a really good
match. They understand what I’m about and I fit
into their identity without needing to change or
compromise in any way. It’s rare to find a truly
symbiotic brand partnership nowadays, but that’s
exactly what my partnership with Birkenstock is.’
Dyantyis is a well-known figure within the SA
jazz music scene and is internationally beloved
for the profound emotional journeys he weaves
through his music. In 2018, he released his first
album Somandla, following it up with his second
album Cwaka, in December 2021. Both received
rave reviews, cementing him as a lasting presence
within the music industry.
Additionally, in his role of theatre Musical
Director, he has led a number of successful music
productions to international acclaim.
As we settle in, he laughs as I tell him I’m
8 8 GQ.CO.ZA | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4
under strict instructions to take it way back to
where it all began. ‘Let’s do it,’ he says.
The starting point
‘The first sound I knew was that of people. I grew
up in a family house where there were always
people – be it family or friends. My exposure to
music was threefold. There was always a radio
playing, next door to my house was a tavern that
played all the popular music of the day, and lastly,
the biggest musical influence was the church,’
says Dyantis.
‘My grandmother was big on church. It didn’t
matter which church you wanted to belong to,
as long as you went. My older brothers, sisters
and cousins used to go to church and come
back with songs because they started being part
of the church choir, and then the school choir.
Port Elizabeth had a very strong choral music
culture, especially at that time. Yes, it also has
a very strong jazz culture, but that is relatively
niche. Even in the township, there is a jazz
community, but the big one is choral music.
‘You had strong choral music in schools,
which used to compete in churches and
with each other. So they would come back
singing these choral songs and began playing
instruments – trumpets, euphoniums,
trombones and so on – and I wanted to copy
them and become a part of it. So, that was my
introduction to music.’
He says that being so young, he didn’t grasp
that he was actually learning music as he started
joining his siblings and cousins in their musical
participation, and only realised the seriousness of
it all when he was a bit older.
‘My primary school, Pendla, in New Brighton,
became really strong in choral music. And it was
then that it dawned that I was a part and at the
forefront of it. Choirs are all about a whole lot
of repeat practising, discipline, teamwork and
harmony. It’s a regiment of choirs. And I took to
that like fire to gasoline. I was very serious about
it. I was telling a friend of mine that I’m sure
people who knew me when I was in primary and
high school thought I was just a horrible person
– especially if they were in the same choir –
because I took it seriously, and if you didn’t, I had
a problem with you. I was one of those people.
Some kids just went to the choir to pass the
time - I was in the choir because I wanted it to be
the best. I was really tense about it.’
He says that after receiving a high school
scholarship to study music formally, the biggest
and best change was the access to music.
‘You must remember that these were not
the days of iTunes. Our access to specific music
like symphonies and choral and jazz pieces was
limited to borrowing vinyls from the city library.
That was my access to classical and all sorts of
other genres of music. You’d listen to that. And
it was a thing when one person had borrowed
an LP, we all went to their house to listen to it for
a few hours, especially on weekends, and then
go to choir practice. So there is a point where,
literally, all I did was music and all that people
wanted me to do was music.
‘And then I went to a high school that had
access to music libraries and instruments.
We had an orchestra, a wind band, jazz band, a
choir, drama – we had all of these things and I
kid you not, I did everything in high school
because for me it was a case of ‘why not?’
I became even more intense because now I was
in a school that rewarded those things. I went
and sang for the Eastern Cape Youth Choir, I
played for the Eastern Cape jazz band orchestra,
and was in the national youth choir up in
Drakensberg. I was introduced to Grahamstown
and the larger music community, which really
opened my eyes.’
All of this led him to UCT, which he credits
as one of the most life-changing experiences.
Coming into a community of brilliant musicians
and being exposed to so many different people
and levels of talent was amazing. Asked where he
placed himself in the talent pool as a first year he
laughs and says, ‘when you walk in there, you are
at the bottom.’
‘The first day you walk in and you hear a third
or fourth year playing, you go “ok things are
about to change.” But it’s a system that allows for
growth. I don’t know where I got these insights
from, but I always say to people, all I have is hard
work. Even now. I know that I might not know it
today, but give me time. I’m wired like that. To go
“okay I can’t play or sing or compose like that, but
give me time, I’ll get there.” Life is about growth.
And I do believe that the reason why we become
so messed up is because we don’t realise that you
could be really good today – you could come up
to me and say “Mandisi, you’re good,” but that
doesn’t mean that I’m good for tomorrow. Or
next year. And so on,’ he says.
‘I was really good in high school, and I was
probably good in my first year, but I was not
better than the other players. I grew and grew,
and when I finished my degree I was still not
better than the musicians who were playing. I
had to learn other things that I’m still learning
to this day. Every single day I’m learning and I’m
studying. You’re not going to get to a point »
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‘Singing, writing,
playing, all of these
things need oiling.
They need practice. If you
don’t do them, you fall back.’

where you say “I’ve clocked it now, I’m not
going to do anything more.” Singing, writing,
playing, all of these things need oiling. They need
practice. If you don’t do them, you fall back.’
He adds that the university provided easy
access to knowledge, as you were able to
approach a practising jazz musician and ask
for advice about various aspects of the music
industry, and could watch them perform on
big stages.
‘UCT students could attend the Jazz Festival
and participate in workshops, where they could
meet and learn from experienced musicians.
Cape Town is a lively city with many clubs, so
students often visited these venues to listen
to musicians. Students could also get free or
discounted access to these events. So while you
were a student, you also felt like you were part of
the scene in the community of musicians because
that’s the only way you could grow.’
‘During my third year I formed my first band,
which was another learning experience, because
now I was a band leader as well as a musician.
I had to lead people, negotiate things, write music
for the band, keep the band interested. I had to
keep the audiences interested. You started getting
booked in clubs and would come and play and
people were not listening to you. You needed to
deal with that.’
He says that even at that age he was very intent
on wanting to play his own music, as he was (and
still is) obsessed with finding out what his ‘role’
is as a musician. ‘Back then I didn’t mind playing
other people’s music. I still don’t. However, I
don’t think that I was given this talent or gift to
regurgitate other people’s thoughts. I think I’m
given it for a certain time, a certain message, and
a certain intention.’
‘In any generation you have the people who
will push the narrative, and others who just
follow. I wanted people to remember me for what
I did and what I had to say; not just, “oh, Mandisi
has a good voice”. Everybody’s got a good voice.
Think about it, you turn around and go to any
township and just walk and hear kids singing.
Having a good voice in SA is common. But what
are you doing with that voice? What are you
saying? Is it touching people? Is it saying things
that people want to gravitate towards?’
He laughs and says that he probably
didn’t have the right to be thinking that
way at such a young age, but believes it to
be a blessing to have had that focus and
purpose as he knows that it’s something
that many people may struggle to find.
He attributes it partly to his upbringing.
‘My mother was very frank and told me
straight that if I didn’t make the opportunities
I got work, I was going to end up nowhere.
She didn’t have the money to provide me with all
the things and experiences these opportunities
provided. She didn’t have the money to give me
a second chance if I messed up, as much as she
would have liked to have been able to. She would
tell me “you have your high school scholarship,
make it work. God has blessed you with a bursary
to university, make it work.”
‘But I knew that I’d chosen the music, that
there was a reason and that it felt right. I never
felt like I was doing something wrong. I felt like
I was doing something hard and sometimes
unforgiving, but it always felt right. And so that’s
why I took the journey.’
Defining your identity
When talking about the evolution of access to
music over the years, our discussion turns to
Spotify. When asked if having access to all the
music that we currently have makes it easier
for new musicians, he says yes, but that it’s
not necessarily more beneficial than the way
he grew up.
‘Too much access to some things is bad.
With these online music platforms, there are
algorithms that are designed to suggest music
based on past listening history. If you listen to
one album of R&B they’re going to give you
20 albums. How do you expand your taste?
Especially as a creative musician, you constantly
need to have a whole lot more sound and textures
in your creative arsenal. How do you do that if
you only listen to one type of music?’
‘When we went searching for music, we
were searching for specific things that could
expand us. For example, on a Monday I would
be listening to a classical piece, on a Tuesday
reggae, or punk rock. At one point I was listening
to Chinese folk music because it was important
to diversify your influences and music education
of different styles. Now sometimes, everything
you hear is the same and you go “I’ve heard
this before.”’
He says that within art, identity is not spoken
about as much as it should be. ‘Identity in art
needs to be nurtured early. Who do you see in the
art that you produce? Do you see yourself and in
what way?’
He reveals that identity plays a huge
role in why he sings exclusively in Xhosa.
‘Singing in Xhosa was/is intentional. It’s who
I am. I am Xhosa. We need to look for the easy
things that remind us of who we are. You can
D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 | GQ.CO.ZA 9 1
I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H B I R K E N S T O C K
talk big about “know who you are ‘’ and “be your
authentic self ” but if you ask a kid growing up
who they are, they will say “I don’t know, I’m who
I am.” But we need to find those little nuances.
My starting point is my language. Can I own it?
Can I enjoy it? Can I express myself in it? Can I
tell stories in it? Can I get other people to connect
to it, even though they don’t understand the
language? That was the first catalyst.’
‘Music crossing language boundaries is not a
new thing. We’ve got K-Pop, one of the biggest
types of music taking over the world. I grew up
loving French music. And one of the reasons
we talk about the African Renaissance is – all
I ever want to do is contribute in whatever I do.
I’m glad when I hear parents say their kids are
singing your songs and it’s the only way I can
teach them Xhosa. And that’s cool. Because
otherwise these kids with Xhosa names would
not know anything. And then someone in
another country goes, what’s this language, and
their music knowledge expands.’
‘When I was in high school I used to write
some songs in English, but it was actually a
Miriam Makeba concert video that had the
greatest impact. She was performing in Germany.
She opens the stage and starts singing in Xhosa
and the audience is just transfixed. I was drawn
to her confidence in her identity; singing in her
language and the connection she had with this
audience through that. I guarantee that you’re
not going to understand me but you are going to
understand through intention. And that was it
for me – it was the confirmation that I needed.’
A trumpet player since the age of eight years
old, he says that his choice of musical instrument
was purely a twist of fate.
‘Honestly, the trumpet chose me. My sister
played the trumpet and I played the tuba, but
because I was a junior in the band, I used to
always set up the instruments, chairs and stuff
like that for rehearsals. I’d have time to mess
around with those instruments before everybody
came in. The conductor overheard me with the
trumpet one day and told me that I should stick
with it. I didn’t see it, but I trusted his judgement
and that was that. Had he not heard me and
pushed me in that direction, most likely I would
not have been a trumpet player.’
Besides being known for singing in Xhosa,
Dyantis is known for his emotional songs.
When asked what leads him to create his
music and if he enjoys the writing process
he shakes his head, and says that people are
always a bit stunned or confused when he tells
them that he doesn’t enjoy writing songs. »
I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H B I R K E N S T O C K
‘I really am not a volunteer songwriter. To use a
very artistic up in the air way to put it - a song
needs to want to literally come out. So there’s a lot
of things that happen in the system for the songs
to come out. But once it does, it flows out in a
rush. I called my pianist yesterday and told him
to come through because I’ve written a song. I
was at an airport in Mtata coming to Cape Town
and this melody was in my head that I ended up
recording for myself on a WhatsApp voice note.
Songwriting is this process of constantly
grappling and fighting with this force that wants
me to sit down and do it, and I don’t want to. It
takes a lot out of me emotionally. A song literally
changes my person and the mood I’m in - it
exposes what I’ve been thinking. I don’t know
what you’re thinking about me now from the
inside, because it’s hidden. A song will reveal
that though.’
‘I write for the things I feel, that concern me,
touch me - things I think about or see. Most of
my songs are based on the human condition.
How does love affect me? How does loss and
despair affect me? How does it feel to lose things
that you’ve had like family, friends? How does
the quest to try and live a life go when everything
looks like it’s just not going right everywhere?
But then we have another opportunity to live
tomorrow, another opportunity to live the next
day. So how do we navigate ourselves?’
The thing that makes the whole process
worthwhile, he reveals, is seeing the impact
that a song has on the audience, describing
the connection between music and the people
listening to it as his favourite part of performing.
‘I’ve been known to have the rowdiest crowds
and that energy really does make a difference.
There’s a certain energy I’m going to have with or
without the crowd, but a good crowd can send it
to the stratosphere.’
Industry talk and the
misconceptions of jazz
His opinion on the jazz industry in South Africa
is that while it is a healthy community, there are
things that can be improved.
‘I think one of the biggest things we need to
work on is our relationship with our venues and
owning the spaces we’re in. We need to look at
the music that we are playing. If someone is going
to a venue, are they hearing the same thing from
Monday to Friday? So from that perspective we
need to look at artist bookings.’
‘There are differences in the jazz communities
from different cities, because it fluctuates. Venues
make the scene. The more jazz venues you have
in the city, the better the jazz scene is going to be.
9 2 GQ.CO.ZA | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4
There was a time in Johannesburg where you had
four to five jazz venues, now you have one or two.
In Cape Town you have five or six regular jazz
venues. That makes a difference to young jazz
musicians coming in, because they have more
places to see music. It makes a difference for
audiences, because they’ve got a choice. It pushes
you as a musician to be on your game, because
you’re not the only person playing that night. So
if someone comes in and you’re playing and you
don’t sound good, they get up and go over the
road to watch someone else.
We need to create venues that are
synonymous with good jazz music, where all
you need to hear is the name and you know
that you’re in for a good show. It is my dream to
contribute to creating more live venues.’
As I pose the question of whether audiences
tend to connect more in smaller or larger groups,
it leads the conversation to the perception of jazz
music and it’s constructed misconceptions.
‘It’s the same no matter what size the
audience. It’s a myth. We struggle so much as
jazz musicians that we’ve created these myths.
The identity of jazz has been constructed as
small audiences in a dark room and it’s curated
BS. If you only have five people in the room,
you are not making money. You’re not getting
paid. It claims to be this boutique event, but
it’s not sustainable.
‘There are many misconceptions about
jazz music and jazz in general. Art is meant to
communicate only. And we’ve created things
that don’t speak to people. Because we’ve been
caught up on our own thoughts – because I’m a
virtuoso. I’m in my own vibe and we’ve insulted
people by saying, they don’t understand us. And
that’s a lie. Because these people are the same
as us. They should be able to understand us.
But we’ve taken music from a certain time and
we’ve kept it boxed. And we’ve haven’t moved this
music of a certain time to our time now.
If you listen to the people from back then –
they have audiences that understood them at the
time. But the audiences don’t understand us now
because we are still playing that music.
And then they disconnect. We then make
all these rules – the boutique jazz, the I’m in
my own spiritual this and that, and I’m going,
“no, don’t lie.” There’s no need for gatekeeping
or asserting that certain styles of jazz are true or
authentic. There should be no one hesitant to
attend a jazz show because they feel as though it’s
not their place, or be made to feel as though they
are interpreting the music incorrectly. You are
allowed to understand and be inspired by music
in your own way and form your own connection.’
Segueing into what inspires him, he says that
the music that has influenced him changes over
time. ‘Not to say that they lose their value so to
speak, but you grow as an artist. And something
that may have inspired you at early stages,
may not be the same influence at a later point
in your life.
So for me, relating to jazz, there’s three
categories. It’s either I follow people for
their singing, their trumpet playing,
or for composition.’
While he has played with some of the
country’s top musicians over the years, and has
a community of musicians with whom he works
with all the time, he hasn’t done many song
collaborations to which he replies, ‘when people
sometimes talk about collaborations and tell me
I haven’t heard of you with some big artist, I say
that the time will come. What I wanted to do first
was establish a voice where most people know
what I am about. I genuinely think that in SA
people collaborate for the sake of collaborating.
Sometimes we collaborate as a means of getting
FA S H I O N A S S I S TA N T : C A R M E N G O R D O N ; G R O O M I N G : L E S L E Y- A N N E K L E I N H A N S ; D I G I TA L & L I G H T I N G : T I A N O X AV I E R
our rates up by using the other person for
name recognition.
And for me, when I go into a collaboration I
really want to create with you because I respect
you and your art. And I want to create with you
from scratch. I want to find out what happens
when we walk into a room with nothing and
see what comes out of that day. Not me coming
with a half-done piece and telling you to put
something on it. I don’t like that. And if I’m
wrong for not liking that then so be it.’
While he is generally excited for what the
new year has to bring, he is looking forward to
recording a new album, confirming that he is
currently sorting out dates for studio recording.
‘I do take my time when making albums as I like
to have completely “let go” of the one, before
starting another. I don’t want what I have done
previously to cloud what I am doing next.
I view my music as pages and chapters of a
book. Yes they all follow on and are part of the
same story overall, but within each new chapter
there is a new idea or character or feeling and
that’s what I want my music to feel like.’
Asked if his memory was completely wiped
out and he could only remember five of his
songs, his facial expression turns into one of
deep struggle.
‘I honestly can’t answer that. It’s actually so
painful to think about as I’m connected to all of
my songs. Picking a top five is impossible. You
know, I have actually thought about this in the
past, if I would be able to rate my songs - but I’ve
never been able to.’
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‘You are allowed to

understand and be
inspired by music in your
own way and form your
own connection’
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PHOTOGRAPH BY: ZANDER OPPERMAN

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9 4 GQ.CO.ZA | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4

IN AN ER A WHERE
T IME G OVERNS OUR
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JUS T T HE HAND S ON A
CLO CK T HAT DIC TAT E S
OUR RHY T HM.
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9 6 GQ.CO.ZA | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 /JA N UA RY 2 0 2 4 P H O T O G R A P H B Y N I Q U I TA B E N T O