Bongani Mtyawentombi, better known as Maritela, hails from Welkom Thabong in the Free State. His journey in music is as vibrant as his cultural roots, having been immersed in the Pantsula culture and Kwaito style from a young age.
Maritela began his education at Bofihla Primary School before transferring to Mojaho Primary School, completing his studies there until Grade 8. In 2009, he moved on to Lephola Secondary High School, where his passion for the arts began to flourish.
His love for drama, drawing, and songwriting set the stage for his musical career, which took off in 2009 when he joined a group called “Dynamites and Datz Finest.” By 2013, Maritela decided to pursue a solo career, releasing his first mixtape titled “Re Phusher Swagger,” which featured 11 tracks.
His journey has been supported by producer Itumeleng Mathule, also known as ZagieBeats, who has become like a brother to him. Over the years, Maritela has collaborated with various artists, including Phlyvocals, Coolkiid Da Vocalist, Sebata, Epic DJ, AndreaDaBeatboxer, Ntate Ngaka, and Tieho Khakhau.
Inspired by icons such as Zola, Trompies, and Alaska, Maritela has shared the stage with notable artists like Butana, DJ Lovers, K.O, Londie London, DJ Thuli P, Finzo, 2point1, Vitoto, Ntate Tshepiso, and DJ Buckz. His music career saw a significant boost with the release of the single “Tjovitjo” in 2018, followed by its music video in 2020, and the single “Jaiva” featuring Berita_M.
Maritela gained further recognition when he participated in the Ts’epe Friday competition, which provides up-and-coming artists a platform to showcase their work. Winning the competition led him to work with rapper and producer Kommanda Obbs, founder of Ts’epe Sethuamajoe.
In 2022, he released the “Casablanca/Jaiva” music video, which gained airtime on television. In 2023, Maritela teamed up with DJ Original, a member of Delasound, and in 2024 he began collaborating with a young producer named John Dee Messiah from Virginia. Their partnership has flourished, leading to several successful projects.
In 2025, Maritela was honored with a Certificate of Appreciation for his participation in the Men4Change 1st Annual HIV/AIDS Commemoration Day event at Black Move in Thabong Welkom.
He also collaborated with Serame and Welkom Side that same year, releasing the amapiano hit “Kwenzakalani” featuring Dah Eddie, which earned significant airplay across local radio stations from Welkom to Johannesburg.
Later in 2025, Maritela and John Dee collaborated again to produce “Dickies,” which features Ruth Da Vocalist and Ta-Bongz. The music video for “Dickies” was released in 2026 and has been performing well on YouTube.
Beyond music, Maritela is actively involved in his community as a proud member of the Welkom Dickies Lovers Club, dedicated to making a positive impact in their region.
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