Zawadi Yamungu Joins Shakailembes2 Season 2
Musician Zawadi Yamungu shares excitement for Mzansi Magic’s Shakailembes2 Season 2 launch
Pratibha holds a master's degree in English from Madras University. A bookworm from a young age, she devours books and digital humanities to nourish her writing projects. Pratibha began her writing career in 2018 and has experience writing formal, informal, and technical content.
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Zawadi Yamungu Signs On For Shakailembes2 Season 2
South African-born musician and indigenous instrumentalist Nkosingiphile Mpanza—better known by her stage name Zawadi Yamungu—has confirmed her participation in Bomb Productions’ reality series Shakailembes2 on Mzansi Magic. In a recent Instagram post (https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ6NHfFoOP5/), she wrote: “#shakailembes2 I’m so excited for @bomb_productions @mzansimagic for this new season! All the best and thank you for having me ✨🤝🏾.”
Zawadi tagged @bomb_productions and @mzansimagic to acknowledge the production house and the channel, and credited @indonifashionhouse for her wardrobe, @senzo_legacy for hair and makeup, and @kaizenmediaza as her photographer.
Shakailembes2, now gearing up for its June 15 premiere on DSTV’s Mzansi Magic channel, has already teased returning fan favorites alongside fresh faces. Zawadi’s involvement marks her first foray into mainstream television reality formats, adding to her profile as a boundary-pushing artist whose work fuses indigenous sounds like umakhweyana and sound pan with contemporary production.
On-the-ground Activations Build Buzz
Ahead of the June 15 debut, Zawadi has been active at a series of launch events for the series. On Day 3 of the Shakailembes2 activations, she shared behind-the-scenes images at https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ0-rguoX2_/ and wrote: “oh what a time, #shakailembes2 bekumnandi bakwethu! Siyabonga kakhulu @mzansimagic @dstvza for ukuphakamisa uZulu kangaka.” The isiZulu phrase “bekumnandi bakwethu” translates to “it was so enjoyable, my people,” while “Siyabonga kakhulu” means “thank you very much” and “ukuphakamisa uZulu kangaka” means “for celebrating Zulu culture so highly.”
Earlier, during an activation day captured at https://www.instagram.com/p/DJwJFJRtCAR/, she described the honor of kicking off the second season with DSTV and Mzansi Magic, noting she “cannot wait for the 15th June!” These in-person events, attended by media and fans, have highlighted Zawadi’s warm stage presence and her eagerness to bridge the worlds of indigenous art forms and mainstream entertainment.
Artist Profile: From Magogo To Main Stage
Zawadi Yamungu first emerged on the music scene in 2020 with her debut EP Magogo School of Thought. Since then, she’s collaborated with veterans such as Thandiswa Mazwai, Dr. Madala Kunene, and De Mthuda, and won African Female Artist of the Year at Ghana’s 2024 Ladies in Media Awards. Her stage name means “Gift from God,” a nod to her upbringing in Emandeni and her commitment to amplifying African musical traditions.
Alongside television, Zawadi has been readying her new album, Ngimuhle, set for a June 13, 2025 release. She’s already unveiled its cover art on Instagram and opened pre-orders, teasing fans with her trademark fusion of ancestral instrumentation and modern songwriting.
While Shakailembes2 is primarily a reality series, Zawadi’s casting underscores growing interest in incorporating authentic cultural voices into mainstream programming. By featuring a classically trained vocalist and instrumentalist, the show taps into a wider narrative about South Africa’s diverse heritage—and Zawadi is poised to bring her own creative flair to the competition.
As fans count down to the June 15 premiere, Zawadi remains active on social, sharing studio updates, rehearsal clips, and snapshots of UZulu’s vibrancy. Whether she’s on camera or on stage, her focus on celebrating local culture shines through.
Zawadi Yamungu’s announcement via Instagram reflects both gratitude to Bomb Productions and excitement for viewers to discover her on screen. As Shakailembes2 returns with new challenges and dynamic personalities, her presence promises an intriguing blend of musical artistry and reality-TV drama, all set against the backdrop of Zulu-inspired storytelling.
From her early indigenous music showcases to now stepping into the world of televised contest formats, Zawadi continues to evolve—offering fans multiple reasons to tune in and celebrate her journey.
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