By Lindokuhle Fuba
Siphosethu Zono, a media practitioner born and raised in Joza, is back in his hometown after spending time in East London. Zono, who did his schooling at Graeme College, is a photographer, media practitioner and audiovisual specialist. He views photography as only one aspect of his work. Initially, he was not inspired to pursue this path; instead, he felt compelled to find work after losing his job during Covid-19. It was out of necessity — his inspiration comes from hunger, as he needed to find a way to support himself.
He started Sizo Media in 2020. Sizo Media offers various services: photography, advertising, event videos, filmmaking, live streaming, public lectures, voice-over work for advertisements, commercials, and funeral readings of obituaries.
Very passionate about his work, Zono’s next goal is to pass knowledge on to others. “I think I have done what I wanted to do. The next step is to pass it to someone else as I pursue other interests, especially teaching.” He plans to train adults and children in Makhanda to help grow the media landscape in the area, encouraging people to see media not just as a hobby but as a viable means of making a living and expressing their creativity.
Zono envisions running an art or media centre in Makhanda within the next 5 to 10 years. He hopes to open a centre that features various art, dance, acting, filmmaking, photography, and music activities. “That is what I will be pursuing next, whether it’s my initiative or as part of an existing project.”
