dancers-from-south-africa

"Amapiano is a vibe, it is a culture and it is a celebration of being young."

"I want them to watch how I navigate my career and how I carry myself, more imperatively they must watch how I treat people. Everyone you know brings you closer to your next yes."

"I'm happy with the way I am. I'm a product of God. People should be supportive about my career, not be judgemental."

"I'm busy, but I don't find it difficult. When it comes to my lifestyle, the industry, I get a lot of time cos I know no one dictates for me. It's about me."

"When it comes to football everything runs on time, on their a schedule, we must be there. We signed a contract, and working for them. But as an individual, I'm working for myself."

"What I like about me, I can transfer this energy. If I'm at soccer, I'm at soccer, I train I keep the energy. I go home, get a bit of rest, and I go back to the studio. On and off the pitch I can still work, than someone who can complain 'I'm from soccer' and they sleep. I'm not like that."

"I am grateful to pursue my love for music and football simultaneously. Doors that I have never imagined are opening for me because I work hard in all that I do. It is a marvellous time to live a dream that I never saw coming. Now that I am realising my dreams across both fronts, I aim to keep soaring higher. Like I always say, believe in your dreams, because if you do not give up, that dream will become a reality"

"What a time to be alive. I appreciate the fact that we live in a time where we as the youth are reaping the blessings that our ancestors struggled for."

"I want people to respect and support me."

"When you score goals, you increase your chances of winning games. As such, we are determined to score more in April. I am happy with the way even the new signings have hit the ground running in terms of putting the ball in the back of the net."

"Dancing has always been there, as part of street culture."

"Reality is we are all from different backgrounds [that is why] it’s a special place to find family within a work space regardless of the industry. The family aspect of it all, everyone at Sundowns has yellow blood."

"Essentially, if things are not fair between two people, it builds some sort of resentment."

"It’s in recognizing that it’s okay for a woman to take care of the household if she earns more – it has nothing to do with my level of being a man in the home"

"I believe that whoever has the means to work, let them do so. Maybe I say this because I’m a freelancer. Sometimes I’d be in a good season and sometimes not at all. But if my wife is able to take care of the day-to-day expenses, I find no issue in her helping to alleviate the situation"

"I love controversy; it’s what makes good stories and good characters. Peter O’Toole was once asked what made a good actor and he said good characters."

"These activities are important for young people because if they are doing nothing they will get involved in drugs and crime."

"I spend most of my time happy, I struggle to be an angry person, I think it’s because I know that when I feel upset I close myself indoors to be alone."

"I know what heals me when I am troubled, I learn to calm myself, I have my own ways of keeping myself together, if I need to cry I will."

"When you are a star in America you can feel that you are a star. To be a star you must have money. In the States they pay actors a lot of money to portray certain characters. They (understand) that the character has to live inside of you (spiritually) and it changes your life forever. So they give you millions. In SA, you are just an actor trying to sustain a living."

"I always tell them [youth] that take whatever you do and your life serious. I tell them that success does not go hand in hand with drugs. Stealing or going to jail in order to be successful is wrong. I give them this information so that when they decide to take a decision they take an informed one."

"Sarafina! was not only an entertainment show, it was a 'struggle' piece of art. It is actually really sad that it is not recognised. We were soldiers on stage, fighting for this country through art."

"I have taught myself that maybe South Africa doesn't recognise the talent in actors. Because since I began my career I have never received a single award. For all the iconic characters, I never achieved anything."

"People always expect you to be happy, they think just because you on TV your life is better, but truth is we all go through the same life issues."

"I don’t take advantage that I am a star."

"I draw a line between acting and real life."

"During those days, we survived on the principles of ubuntu. Money was not as important as it is today."

"I think there is a need for people in the public eye to take a stand against crime, violence, gangsterism and other sensitive issues that affect us as black people, especially the youth."

"I’m an actor with a purpose. My intention is to open the eyes of young boys who want to travel down the road of gangsterism."

"My message in my art is crime does not pay. I like roles that emphasise the gospel that prison is not paradise and crime does not pay."

"It is through your direction that Mhlengi is now a household name. I am speechless, but truly grateful to God for his divine blessings ... and congrats to my fellow nominees,” he wrote."

"I grew up in court. I knew the justice system. Boys will be boys was the judgement and I knew the judgement before it was even given."

"Being arrested was a blessing in disguise."

"One thing I will do is appreciate every milestone in my career ... I'm grateful for this talent and more for the recognition for it. To going bigger and celebrating more."

"I won't lie, when you are into theatre ... first, people like to assume that a professional actor is only the one that's on TV, but that's a lie, because there are professional actors making a living in theatre. For me, personally, when I graduated with my diploma, I didn't want to do TV (jobs)."

"When people like or love you for your work, they can even see you behind a mask!"

"I think there's no difference in acting for TV and for theatre, that was just me ... As long as you are telling the truth and you are true to the script and to the character. You can get away with anything as long as you tell the truth."

"In terms of his life as a character, it's been hard. In terms of me as an actor, it's been a great journey to have to play such a complex character and to have to challenge myself to gelling to the emotion, to the life and to the imaginary lifestyle that he has. It's been a learning curve for me and I am still trying to understand where I can go further in terms of my career."

"When you're into theatre and you are lucky enough to gigs in theatre, we tend to think that TV actors are coconuts. So I didn't want to do TV because I thought I was gonna be one of those 'cheesy' actors ... However, as time went by, I grew and became a man with responsibilities and the luxury to choose? Well, that was demolished and I had to audition for TV,"

"I’d love to be known as somebody who used her influence for the betterment of her people. I want to be remembered as somebody who fought for dignity for all, showed people love, a great mother and a wonderful partner."

"Understanding that my talent can take me to places that my pocket cannot."

"I have been exposed to phenomenal opportunities and I’m not restricted to the confines of any geographic space. My talent is my passport throughout the world. My work fuels me and my purpose and I can channel the influence I gain into what I call spirit work, that’s an amazing thing to me."

"The joys: you can do what you love. I’m able to live my dream, which I know is a luxury. I know I’ve risen above so much history and I’m able to dream, that’s a beautiful thing."

"I want to empower other women struggling with weight to see their health in a whole new light. I want them to embrace non-scale victories and understand their bodies inside and out. That’s where the real transformation happens — nourishing not only our bodies, but our minds and souls too."

"Fat-erasure is still a very tense conversation in casting rooms, and I believe that until we can all have the seemingly difficult conversations, and make bold choices that truly represent South Africa, we will continue to raise a society filled with unnecessary shame, a warped understanding of beauty and the striving for unrealistic aesthetic standards."

"The conversation is bigger than just fat people on screen, the conversation is bigger, deeper, and definitely political."

"The industry is still struggling to see plus size actors as romantic leads, or deep intricate story bearers who aren't there for just comic relief."

"I’ve always understood that we’re on this earth to do something and I’ve known that mine is to do with acting. I am constantly inspired by my love for the craft and the ability to tell beautiful stories through my work. Even though some characters are fictional, the stories I tell are not."

"This campaign is about putting our bodies where our minds are at."

"It’s empowering to give a voice to the voiceless."