01/09/2026
TESTIMONY OF HAMILTON MOTLOUNG
The Impact of Mr. Siphiwe Sithole and The Jobe Foundation on My Musical Journey
To Whom It May Concern
My name is Hamilton Motloung, and I am a Music Director, Composer, Arranger, Conductor, Music Educator and Cultural Practitioner. Today, I am able to stand confidently as a fully fledged musical practitioner, but my journey to this point was not without sacrifice, uncertainty and difficult decisions.
There was a particular moment in my life when I had to make a courageous decision: *to resign from my employment and give myself fully to the musical calling I had carried for many years. I knew that pursuing music professionally would require commitment, time and the willingness to take risks. What I did not know was how I would sustain myself while building that career.
It was during this critical period that *Mr. Siphiwe Sithole, Chairman of The Jobe Foundation became a significant part of my journey.
Mr. Sithole saw something in me that I was determined to develop, and The Jobe Foundation gave me something that was even more valuable than financial assistance — *the opportunity and freedom to pursue my calling without being consumed by the immediate pressures of survival.*
After I handed in my resignation, Mr. Sithole and The Jobe Foundation assisted me by covering my monthly living expenses. This support gave me the breathing space I needed to concentrate on my music, develop my craft, create opportunities and establish myself as a professional musical practitioner.
I often reflect on what that intervention meant to me. At a time when choosing my calling could easily have been accompanied by fear and uncertainty, someone was willing to say, in essence, Go and pursue what you were called to do.
That act of belief became a turning point in my life.
With the stability provided by The Jobe Foundation, I was able to dedicate myself more intentionally to composition, conducting, arranging, music education, workshops, productions and the development of young musicians. I founded and developed *Duduza Serenade Performing Artists*, created and arranged indigenous choral works, developed productions such as *African Mosaic* and *The Vow*, and became increasingly involved in the preservation and advancement of indigenous South African music.
My journey has since taken me into spaces I once could only dream of.
Today, I serve as a *Sessional Lecturer in African Music at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University)*, where I contribute to the teaching and development of African music performance and indigenous choral traditions. I have also had the privilege of working internationally as a *Music Director, Conductor and Workshop Facilitator*, sharing South African indigenous music and choral knowledge beyond our borders.
I have participated in international musical platforms, facilitated indigenous music workshops, adjudicated competitions and festivals, and served on jury panels where my experience and knowledge have been called upon to evaluate and guide other musicians and ensembles.
I have also been able to contribute to broader cultural development initiatives, including the *Ekurhuleni Indigenous Music Initiative*, while continuing to create opportunities for emerging musicians and young people.
When I look at these achievements, I recognise that they are the result of many years of hard work, perseverance, discipline and God's grace. But I also recognise the people who helped create the conditions in which that work could happen.
*Siphiwe Sithole is one of those people.*
His contribution to my journey cannot simply be measured by the financial assistance that was provided. The true value of his support was the **belief, trust and opportunity** behind it.
He invested in the person I was becoming before the results were visible.
For that, I will always be grateful.
Mr. Sithole's intervention taught me an important lesson: sometimes, changing someone's life does not require doing everything for them. Sometimes, it means giving them enough support to pursue what they are capable of becoming.
I believe The Jobe Foundation did exactly that for me.
Today, when I stand in front of a choir, teach at Wits University, conduct an international ensemble, facilitate a workshop, sit on a jury panel, compose a new work or mentor the next generation of musicians, I am reminded of the season when someone believed in my potential enough to help me take that leap.
Mr. Siphiwe Sithole did not create my musical calling — but he helped create the conditions in which I could fully pursue it.
For that, I remain deeply appreciative.
My testimony is therefore not only about where I am today. It is about the importance of believing in people before their success becomes visible.
I am living evidence that an investment in a person's purpose can become an investment in communities, young people, culture and generations that follow.
To Mr. Siphiwe Sithole and The Jobe Foundation, I say:
*Thank you for believing in me when I was still becoming. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to pursue my calling. Thank you for investing in my journey.*
The impact of that investment continues to live through every musician I teach, every choir I conduct, every composition I create, every workshop I facilitate and every young person I inspire.
With profound gratitude,
*Hamilton Motloung*
Music Director | Composer | Arranger | Conductor
Music Educator | Cultural Practitioner
Founder & Executive Director, Duduza Serenade Performing Artists
Sessional Lecturer in African Music, University of the Witwatersrand
International Music Director | Workshop Facilitator | Jury Panelist
