Tyla arrived, but where were Mzansi’s biggest stars at SAMA32?

The 32nd South African Music Awards (SAMA32) Homecoming Edition witnessed a noticeable absence of Mzansi's biggest stars at the red carpet event. As the carpet opened at 5.00pm, guests and celebrities began filtering in around 6.00pm, leading to delays and a lack of organization. The arrival of Grammy-winning artist Tyla, however, caused significant disruption, prompting backstage production crew members to halt interviews and usher guests off the carpet.

Despite the expected star-studded turnout, the awards show lacked the presence of chart-topping musicians, industry icons, and top performers. Only a handful of familiar faces attended, including Babalwa M, Anele Zondo, PH, Flvme, Nia Pearl, Bontle Smith and Lordkez. While the stars who did attend embraced the theme of Afro Dandyism with their outfits, the subdued atmosphere and lack of major names raised questions about the current state of South African music awards and the event's ability to deliver the excitement and spectacle it once did.