Later this month, the world will celebrate World Rhino Day, but two South African musicians are already shedding light on this cause.
Popular radio dj's, music producers and businessmen, Sphectacula and Dj Naves have teamed up with Tourism KwaZulu-Natal to highlight rhino poaching.
Sphectacula, whose real name is Siphesihle Ngwenya and Dj Naves, whose real name is Lebogang Naves, are both excited about educating communities.
"We have joined TKZN as their tourism ambassadors. This month being tourism month, our role overall is to shed light on how amazing tourism actually is and show people the gems in KZN. So far we have been a part of the Lilizela Tourism Awards and the rhino poaching problem we have", Sphectacular said.
The dj duo took part in a rhino capture exercise, in which an adult rhino is moved from one area of the province to another for safe keeping and to populate its new home.
"Can I firstly just say that the number of rhinos poached in KZN this year has double since last year. There is a real need to fix this problem. I witnessed rhinos being herded, which might sound strange to some people, but because of poaching, it is necessary.
"A helicopter flies above a crash of rhinos, a vet shoots a dart and the rhino is sedated, and then it is transported to its new home," he said.
The experience was eye opening and educational and the dj's plan on sharing their new knowledge with their fans.
"The world is filled with problems and we all have our own challenges. The unemployed youth sitting on the street corner isn't necessarily worried about rhinos and their problem, until he is asked to be a rhino hunter and the prospect of earning more than half-a-million-rand becomes a reality because an average set of rhino horn weighs 7kg's and each kg cost R80 000, so you can just imagine the dept of this problem we are facing," Sphectacula said.
Getting in on the Battle re-enactment @vulintabacountryhotel are @SPHEctacula and @DJNaves @gagasifm #GottaLuvKZN #WeDoTourism pic.twitter.com/E5IaNyzcs0
— Tourism KZN (@TourismKZN) September 15, 2017
"Rhinos are absolutely defenseless against poachers, so it's up to us to educate each other and save this animal that is extremely important to the South African environment and culture".
While on their ambassador duties, the duo will also be putting the finishing touches to their upcoming album, The Kings way: Volume 2.
"I don't know where we are finding time to do this, but we are. The album is going to be a summer album and there are going to be a number of really big features with some people we have wanted to work with for the longest time. What's going to be really dope about this album are the different sounds. We have an afro soul remix for I Do I Do, there will be a Hip Hop track and a few other genres," he said.
He hopes to release a single off the album by the end of the month. However, the producer in him might delay that. "I am very pedantic just before we release new music. I will listen to it over and over again and want to add more base or redo something, but with this album I am learning to let go and let the music be the music".
Sphectacula and Naves became popular when they hosted a weekend slot on Metro FM. Earlier this year they left the station and joined Gagasi FM.
"We are really happy in KZN. What we love is that KZN listeners are very involved in their radio and are always giving us feedback which is great. We are enjoying ourselves. Naves' isiZulu is also getting a lot better", he said.
They also recently became the owners of Icon Soweto, a high-end night club in Pimville.
"Owning a club has been one of the biggest challenges we have taken on but we wouldn't have it any other way. It's strange because although it is a high-end club, we realised that people don't want everything to be over the top, they actually like the basics, so we have been working on that and the crowds keep coming", he said.