Multi Grammy award winning acapella group Ladysmith Mambazo are to officially take on the role of tourism ambassadors for the City of Durban.

The group‚ which has been nominated for the fifth time for a Grammy Award‚ will on Tuesday sign an agreement with the Durban Tourism to join a relentless campaign to market the city internationally.

Ethekwini Municipality has on numerous occasions honoured the world renowned acapella group for putting the city and the country on the world map.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s spokesperson Xolani Majozi says Durban is the second home of Amambazo Amnyama after Ladysmith. At all times they will embrace any concept that is aimed at developing Durban.

“Its a step in the right direction. Tourism is one of the major contributors in our GDP. It has indeed created a lot of jobs and subsequently put food on the tables of many of our people. Ladysmith Black Mambazo will therefore participate in any initiative that would better the lives of our people who have for years supported this group. Had it not been for the support our fans‚ Amambazo would not have been catapulted to international stardom‚ ”said Majozi.

Head of Durban Tourism Phillip Sithole says the 55-year-old group is indispensable for Durban’s campaigns to aggressively draw international tourists.

“Ladysmith Black Mambazo is known worldwide and they have done a lot for the city. Now it is of paramount importance that we formalise our partnership for the development of the city and its residents.

“This partnership‚ we believe‚ will help us to increase the number of international tourists flocking to our city. We are not focusing on domestic tourists only but we want to see more Europeans‚ Asians‚ etc. coming with dollars and euros here‚” said Sithole.