Thuntsha Dithole is a diverse artist who is poet, composer,
song writer, music coach,vocalist, and cut across various
genres, though her speciality area is African culture. She is
radio personality, an author,an influencer,a Digital
marketer and Entrepreneurship Developer.
She a musician, who was born and raised in Southern
Africa, in Molepolole village,Botswana, just 50 kilometres
away from Capital City,Gaborone. The musician was raised
by her parents,relatives and Bakwena tribe in Molepolole
village,where she originates. She was raised by her late
Grandmother Ms Goitsemang Kebawetse,who played
major role in building her onto a brand child. Her
Grandmother was an artist, who did African crafts and
recycling of various African household commodities. Her
uncle Mr Kopanang Kebawetse, who was a
Pastor,Evangelist and a vocalist, introduced the little girl to
the church choir at the age of 6 years. She lost her mother
Ms Lebopo Kebawetse at the age of 25 years and the
mother was a vocalist, music coach, composer and a song
writer did motherly introduction to her music team, where
the little girl was taught how to listen to the rithym of a
song, making of its analytical the composition of every
song, suggest how it should be directed before it could be
rehearse with the whole choir. The mother was the
Founder, Director and choir conduct and Music coach of
Maunatlala Choir, which she executed well for a period of
about 10 years till it collapsed due to the choir internal
conflicts.
Thuntsha Dithole just sang a low alto in the assigned choir
duty. Nobody could ever recognize her talent, it was known
that like any other child she could sing. As a composer in
one of bad memories, she remember where she was bitten
by the teacher for drawing the friend’s ears in the black
board when she was aged 9 years. Thuntsha Dithole as a
kid by that time she revealing her artistic composition
through her drawing the ears.The other kids reported her to
the teacher who lashed her for drawing the friend’s big
ears. She was lashed 5 times by stick on the palm of the
hand as a way to discipline her. She continued now started
to live a reserved life, but that could not work since other
kids always believed on her and loved her artistic creations
of unique African kids games. The talent could not be
realized and unveiled by anybody though the young Girl
felt that there was something unique about her, but could
not tell.
Like other youth, Thuntsha Dithole at one point was
looking for employment and she will drop her applications
in the morning,go to some interviews and do some hustles
during the day till afternoon. This musician instead of
making her appointment with her boyfriend at some
important locations, she will arrange her love dates at the
traditional Guitarists playing spot, wait there till her
boyfriend to knock off from the work to collect her from
the music spot. The musician just continued to live like
ordinary life style, but there was something akward or
shocking about her, she will have time hang with other
youth like her, few hours with girls, take most time with
boys, and ultimately taking longer time with Guitarists.
Thuntsha Dithole will appoint with her boy friend to a
place where the traditional guitarists will be playing their
musical Guitars.She will drop her job applications in the
morning to look for school and employment, thereafter she
will hang at the Guitarists music spot in the bus rank for her
appointment till the boyfriend collects her. Her boyfriend
did not mind to collect her in the guitarists spot, but he was
not really worried about her unique kind of life style.
The music kept hiding in the girl’s life till a time she was
suspended for the fabricated story at the work place in
February 2004. The incident hurt and depressed the
musician, who during her suspension released a very
beautiful culture/folk called Vision 2016, in the year
2005.The musician produced a hit album Vision 2016,
which was a Borankana rythym. The new creation healed
the soul of the musician through giving her very unfamiliar
and unique talent, such that she was as well surprised
knowing that she did not have any Sekwena background
music.Through this God sent talent the musician went
through the healing process together with endless support
from her husband. The era was so emotionally painful but
she had to live and accept this change in her life as it is.
The album had nothing to do with depressing moments but
as a positive person, she resorted to educating her
community about the vision of the country. Vision 2016
was the best song ever, and was adopted by the state Radio
Station (Radio Botswana) where it was used as an
advertising song for Botswana vision. Thuntsha Dithole
was invited to launch the vision of the country and took it
as her bible, since she believed that it was a great vision
which was key in addressing the issues that were pertinent
in their country Botswana by that time.
Another piece called Tautona won a medal at one of the
UNICEF HIV/Aids competitions, since the panelists
believed that the message was rich and on point of fighting
HIV/Aids scurge they went for the song and the musician
was awarded some monies. Thuntsha Dithole dedicated her
time towards educating people about HIV/Aids and other
social ailments through her songs. She also ensured that she
sings and make follow up on what she believes on, by
being part of the change process, where she will volunteer
to do Peer Education on her Peers,relatives and DAMSAC
(HIV/Aids community groups). The musician will
volunteer to transport patients within the family and her
community or not to sleep at all scarifying to ensure that
she put a thorn on the wound, take care of painful process
together with Aids/HIV patients. The musician played a
role in giving colleagues positive messages and living
about HIV/Aids, which was dangerious and painful disease
with no cure by that time. The musician saved her peer
lives, whom wanted to commit suicides because of either
direct or indirect effects of HIV/AIDS scurge.
Although she was in pain, she converted that pain into
caring about people’s lives and needs. The album
comprised of 8 beautiful songs such as Tittle track Vision
2016,
Segametsi,Tautona,Mmangwane,Bokaragana,Borukutlhi,Z
ebras and Mokwena. Thatwas the beginning of Thuntsha
Dithole’s musical career and the album exposed the real
Thuntsha’s talent. She continuously injected more time and
capital in her music career at the same time evaluating and
monitoring the performance of her music business. The
musician did perform with varies local artists where they
exchanged their skills, for example groups such as Mad
Dogs, Street Gang,Dikakapa, Culture Spears,Ditiro,Jeff
Matheatau and some of the South African such as Bojo
Mojo and Jonny Mokhali. The musician could not
consistently produce her music because according to her
observation, the Creative Industries is treated as a hobby
and therefore could realised any return on investments on
her craft.
The musician later produced the second album called GaKobokwe where a massive launch was done in 2008,
through collaboration of about 80% of the local
musicians. Ga-Kobokwe album was launched at Zebras
club in Mogoditshane.The album comprise of the songs
such as the title track Ga-Kobokwe, Morabaraba,
Ramaotwana, Makgala, Kokotsha,Serameng,Tona Mogae
and Mmabanyana. Ga-Kobokwe launch was a very
professional and successful launch which saw the
Mogoditshane community at large, transport operators,
graphic designers, kiosks, and restaurants benefiting from
the launch.
Thuntsha Dithole later quit music, happily left and burned
some of her attire in around 2010, because she believed the
Botswana environment makes live very difficult for
Creative people and that music takes his lucrative time such
as luxuries moments with family, however not getting any
financial reward. The music talent continued to haunt her
till she surrendered and came back with the objective of
bringing change, which she is still committed to till now.
Thuntsha Dithole has been trading cautiously with her
music and she started single songs. She released first
single song tittle;Ennelane in 2014, Rolihlahla Mandela in
2015, Dinyatsi released in 2016, Chankaneng a single
released in 2017. Thuntsha Dithole Le Moruti which
released in 2018 and lastly Maemo Moloi in 2019.
The musician had to hit the ground running for almost 17
years now, fighting for direction of music operations as
well as to protect the Creative Industry of Botswana from
invasion by the neighboring countries. Initially the
musician had pinned his hope on ngwaopublishers.com
which was their only web site only to get dissapointed from
the Host \web Developer who failed to pay his dues and
thus leading to auctioning of the website though it was still
under guarantee. Currently the website has been moved to a
new host and trading as ngwaopublishers.net. The website
takes care of Management, Publishing, marketing and
distribution works.
According to Thunstsha Dithole, Strategic Planning and
Management of any enterprise is important because it
brings forth the processes’ that are always laid down to
guide and direct how the business shall be operated. The
musician further lamented that since music is a long term
investments therefore she had all the reasons why she could
not put her talents to waist by recording many albums
without channels of sales. According to the musician she
describe the unstructured Creative Industries of Botswana
as a setback, however she feels happy to have brought at
least an estimated achievement of 60% towards Music
Industry and she is comfortable now of the changes she
introduced in her music career and logistics, which has
shall open doors for her music globally without limitations.
Thuntsha Dithole has introduced an EP(Exclusive Play) for
her two songs Teemane and Maeba Phoi,which shall later
be converted in an 8 track third album tittle
“Teemane.”The album shall comprise of the songs such as
Teemane,Ntwa ya Masheleng,Maeba Phoi,Mavuka,Ba
ithwele,Mmalabadi,Disanyana and Thuntsha Ke Mo Africa.
The synopsis of Exclusive play “Teemane and Maeba Phoi
is summarized as follows;Teemane caution the status of
undiversified economy which solely relies on Diamond
industries of her country of origin Botswana ,which the
musician believes is not good for the country since there
are no success industries built to take over from the
diamond Industrywide whilst it is still performing well.
“Maeba Phoi” focus on the sky rocketing prices of
commodities such fuel prices, transport services, food
prices and continuing taxation though the people disposable
income is depleted.
According to Thuntsha Dithole, she will continue making a
positive contribution in music Industry particularly in her
African continent. The musician is a full member of Music
In Africa where she positively contribute towards any
development needed in the African Music Industries. The
musician is expecting to Launch the Album her third album
in Chobe District, on the 30 September 2022. which is the
Botswana Independence Day.The launch shall take place in
Chobe River Front, in the Chobe District. About two
Rhumba Groups shall be invited to become part of the
“Teemane” launch. More women will be invited to the
launch in order to motivate them and loo support from
them, inspire them to venture onto Music Industry and
that they should not be fearful ,but take life as it comes.
The musician is currently building her fan base through
sponsorship of Ngwao Publishers in partnership of
Thuntsha Dithole Creative Industries where her platforms
are being branded and digitalized together with its fan base.
The musician further has to say this “I am diverse
musician who believes in change, though i produce original
culture music. I always approach each song differently and
always have message, education, inspiration, both social
and economic empowerment to my audience. My current
motive is to bring my fans nearer to me and have their
proper digital management of my fan base.Thuntsha FM
local on line platforms and Networks Investments
Musicians AFRICA.
My objective is to launch our Trust which has been there,
where I am the founder member with the purpose of
assisting children of musicians we lost in our industry as
well as assisting Disabled community and Women to start
their own projects under mentorship of Thuntsha Dithole
Promotions in partnership with Networks Musicians
Investments AFRICA and Ngwao Publishers.
In conclusion the musician thank her late parents and
Bakwena Tribe to have groomed her to be a leader and
quality musician she is today,which her impact will benefit
Africa and the rest of the world.
