Brian Simphiwe Manyapetsa

BYSA Summer Camp 2023 mini vlog |

The Calvary Baptist Church in Mmabatho, Mahikeng has a Youth Ministry that attends the BYSA Summer camp in December and oh boy… what an awesome camp it is.

If you call on the Lord from a pure heart and earnestly seek Him, you will be moved and rocked to your core. It. Was. Incredible. The worship sessions are so uplifting, nothing else matters except your fellowship in the Holy Spirit.

I believe it was Jeremiah in the bible who touched on this… our fickle and unstable nature. The scripture passages I’m referring to are as follows:

“The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable - who can understand it? I, the LORD, examine the mind, I test the heart to give to each according to his way, according to what his actions deserve.”

Jeremiah Chapter 17: verses 9 & 10

These versus (or rather this book in particular) resonates with me because I often think about how fickle I am whenever I reflect on my thoughts, motives and actions. I tend to do things because I feel good about it, or I am expecting a reward of sorts. My opinion about something changes 100 times in a day and let me not even get into how my emotions dwindle especially when the going gets tough.

John 3:16

Each year on September 24, South Africa celebrates Heritage Day. A day where South Africa’s multidimensional cultures and traditions are embraced and celebrated through art, food, dance, song, attire, literature and experience.

I believe it goes without saying that we as South Africans need to acknowledge the current point that we’re at nationally. We are currently engaged in a paradigm shift that has us posing a number of questions in relation to our nation identity, who we are as South Africans and what that means. One would argue that we are experiencing a bit of an identity crisis.

This is nothing to frown upon or be disheartened by. In my opinion I believe we are in the best position as South Africans to shape our story. Given our deeply rooted colonial history it is a fine opportunity to engage in a process of inquiry and introspection, to dig deep and find out who we are as a multidimensional, multicultural and multifaceted population. To analyze all the wonderful elements that make us different, celebrate them and draw meaning from them.

I was particularly drawn to the art work at the gallery on 8 Auret Street in Maboneng. As a nation it is an undeniable fact that we have been indoctrinated into a Western ideological way of thinking, behaving and living. There are opinions on this topic as sparse as there are stars in the night sky, however what I find most interesting is regardless of the western beliefs, values and norms etched into our minds and into the very fibres of our being… The power of art shines through.

The incredible minds of the artists whose mental imagery of our indigenous cultures spill over onto blank canvases to recreate visual traces of our core history as Africans within a Western colony, it became an amazing sight to witness and a close reminder of our roots, which so closely defines what we have come to acknowledge…

Literature, amongst many other interests, forms part of the many passions I have found myself lost in. I consider myself blessed and privileged to earn a living surrounded and comforted by the words, texts and stories of authors far and wide. 

My journey with Exclusive Books began in November of 2016 and has been an eye opening love affair. I have witnessed some of the most amazing projects embarked on by authors of South African folklore and non-fiction, right down to the surprisingly rich world history stored away in classical tales and fiction. 

Once you open yourself up to the experience, you begin to appreciate the men and women throughout our continent and the world who make it their mission to educate, entertain, and share insights gained through experience. You get sucked into their world (or at least a taste of it) and are moved by the illustrious composition of text that adds meaning to our worlds far beyond our greatest imagination.

Food is an undying passion for me. More so than enjoying the amazing fusions of taste, I love to experiment with various flavor combinations and sharing those with loved ones. I believe it all began in my hometown of Mafikeng, where time and again I would occasionally be tasked with the responsibility of preparing supper for our family. 

During those days, as one would imagine, cooking was a mundane task and felt more like punishment than a privilege. As time went by however I began to appreciate the art that is cooking. The ability to create with the mind a work of art good enough to sink your teeth into. I began to respect the various elements that make up a wholesome meal, and through that insight, sought to let my creativity spill over into the dishes. 

Sunset In The Bundus 

Muse: Kitso Kgori 

Photographer: Nazir Mfolo 

Stylist: Kitso Kgori 

Creative Director: Brian Simphiwe Manyapetsa 

Earlier this year the trio of creatives that is Kitso, Nazir and Brian began their journey shooting a Sunset Series around Mafikeng in the North West province of South Africa. 

The remarkable natural landscapes that surround the town inspire the creative shots making use of minimalist styling approaches that complete the background. 

OPPIKOPPI 2016

Fine tuning my festival spirit, Oppikoppi 2016 was such an amazing vibe. Similar in nature to 2015′s offering the festival was jam packed with performances by some of my favorite South African acts namely; Riky Rick, Reason, Khuli Chana,and young up and coming 2LEE Stark. 

The festival covered a range of artists from a multitude of different genre’s including Aewon Wolf, Albert Frost, Asanda Mqiki, DJ Speedsta and a legendary performance by Tresor. Sketchy Bongo lit up the Red Bull Stage and a dope band to look out for is TCIYF (The Cum In Your Face). 

I took the opporrtunity to check out some sounds I wouldn’t normally go for and fell in love with Grassy Spark, Femi Koya, Kongos and The Kings Down South. 

Everyone was looking forward to Nasty C’s performance however much to our disappointment that fell through, due to the fact that he supposedly felt under the weather and his voice was unstable. The show went on however, with powerful performances by South Africa’s best talent offering loomed over the dust trapped town of Northam in Limpopo. 

Part Two: Sunset Series 

Starring: Kitso Kgori 

Captured By: Nazir Mfolo

Part Two: #SunsetSeries 

Starring: Kitso Kgori 

Captured By: Nazir Mfolo

Relax... Press play and scroll through the my blog site with this song playing in the background. One of the most amazing songs I’ve ever heard in my life. 

PART ONE: #SunsetInTheCrator

Starring: Kitso Kgori

Captured By: Nazir Mfolo

BEHIND THE SCENES: The #SunsetInTheCrator photoseries captures a trio of creatives doing intricate shoots around Mafikeng in the North West, showcasing the towns hidden gems and untapped natural beauty paired with bold designs and concepts. 

The series features Kitso Kgori as the muse, she embodies the very elements that define these hidden gems, an unmistakable natural beauty and the focal point of the shoots. Nazir Mfolo is an upcoming photographer with an eye for detail. He is a wizard behind the lens and has the potential to not only identify the elements to be captured on camera, but the innovative eye to turn something mundane into a work of photographic art.