Education is the key to empowerment – Zakes Bantwini

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world – Nelson Mandela.

These words resonate so well with musician Zakes Bantwini who is disappointed in celebrities who tell kids they could make it without education. Not commonly known by his real name, Zakhele Madida studied music at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban,and later business at University of Pretoria.

“Every time when I go to these music workshops‚ where people are talking to artists‚ I feel like people are lying. Telling people that ‘you don’t need school‚ this thing you can do it’ and I’m like you are lying! Maybe you don’t need school but don’t tell them that they don’t need school because you are robbing them of their careers‚” he said.

He maintained that bashing education was not empowering kids in any way, even though he knew that some of the celebrities think they are.

“I’ve been in this for very long time and it’s not because I’m smart or because I’m very talented‚ but it’s because I went to school. I tell people that school helps you to think differently and school also gives you a database of artists and people.”