Zola, the hard-hitting kwaito star and television personality, is set to receive the Special Recognition Award at the 2006 Channel O African Music Video Awards ceremony in October.
The award will be given in recognition of his "contribution to the upliftment of young people on the continent".
Although best known for his contribution to kwaito music, which has seen him release four multi-platinum albums and win four South African Music Awards (including Artist of the Year in 2002), Zola has also made his mark as a poet, actor and humanitarian.
He is a UNICEF Goodwill ambassador for East Africa in recognition for work done on a TV documentary titled Africa Youth Speak, which was screened on Channel O on Africa Day, May 2006 and co-produced by
Kabelo 'KB' Ngakane.
Zola (real name Bonginkosi Dlamini) grew up in the rough Soweto neighbourhood of Zola (hence his nickname).
He came from a broken family - his father abandoned them when he was young, leaving his mother to care for him and his two older siblings.
He made it into the mainstream South African consciousness during his time on the hard-hitting drama Yizo Yizo II, playing a gangster called Papa Action.
He then launched his own "helping hand" show,
Zola 7, which was a massive success, branching out into numerous African countries and earning him the title of the "Ghetto Dream Maker".
He landed a role on Oscar-winning movie Tsotsi which built his international career further.
He has addressed the UN World conference on the Arms Control Bill, was part of a discussion on CNN's Connects show on South Africa's progress 12 years into democracy and now he will record a post-humous collaboration with hip hop legend Tupac Shakur.
Zola has also been instrumental in bringing and facilitating the scattering of Tupac Shakur's ashes in Soweto, an event that will take place on 13 September 2006.
The 2006 Channel O African Music Video Awards will he held at Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg on Sunday 15 October.
The event will be recorded 'live' and broadcast on Channel O on Sunday, 22 October at 20h00.
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