Maskandi artist Shwi Mantobazane has teamed up with the South African Heart Association® (SA Heart®) to launch a new song encouraging South Africans to take greater care of their hearts, as part of the organisation’s World Heart Month awareness campaign.
The song was launched at Bara Taxi Rank in Johannesburg on 15 September, where SA Heart® brought its Check My Beat campaign directly into the community through cardiovascular health screenings, health education and conversations around prevention.
The collaboration uses the universal language of music to make an important health message more accessible, memorable and relevant, encouraging people to think about their heart health and the everyday choices that can influence it.
The Bara Taxi Rank activation reached 234 taxi drivers and commuters/community members, who participated in cardiovascular health screenings and received information about the importance of understanding their heart-health risks.
The event formed part of SA Heart®’s broader Check My Beat campaign, which focuses on raising awareness of cardiovascular disease, encouraging early screening and promoting healthier lifestyle choices.
For Shwi Mantobazane, the collaboration presented an opportunity to use music to take the heart-health message beyond traditional health communication. “Music has a way of reaching people differently. It can make a message feel personal, familiar and easy to remember. I was excited to collaborate with SA Heart® because this is a message that affects all of us. We all have a heart, and we all have a responsibility to look after it. I hope this song encourages people to pay attention to their health, get screened and make choices that will keep their hearts healthy,” says Shwi Mantobazane.
The song launch formed part of an interactive Check My Beat experience at Bara Taxi Rank, with taxi drivers and commuters given access to cardiovascular health screening and the opportunity to engage with healthcare professionals about prevention and early detection.
“The collaboration with Shwi Mantobazane allows us to take the message of heart health into a space that is familiar and meaningful to many South Africans. We know that awareness alone is not enough. People need accessible opportunities to understand their health, know their numbers and take action. By combining screening, education, technology and music, Check My Beat is creating different entry points into an important conversation about prevention,” says Dr David Jankelow, cardiologist and previous president of SA Heart®.
The Check My Beat experience also incorporated technology and personalisation. Participants underwent quick screenings assessing key cardiovascular health indicators, including blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose, while engaging with an AI-powered experience designed to make the health journey interactive.
The initiative also features personalised “Heart Health Tracks”, AI-generated songs created following participants’ screening experiences. The tracks incorporate Maskandi-inspired music, heartbeat rhythms and personalised messages encouraging healthier choices and greater awareness of cardiovascular health.
The collaboration with Shwi Mantobazane builds on this connection between music and health, using a familiar cultural expression to keep the conversation going beyond the screening event.
Check My Beat is a multi-stakeholder initiative bringing together SA Heart® and partners Anglo American, Betway Cares Foundation, Cipla, Jozi My Jozi, Nahana Foundation, Syntro-P and the University of the Witwatersrand, supporting a shared focus on cardiovascular health awareness, prevention and community engagement.
Encouragingly, up to 80% of heart disease and strokes occurring before the age of 65 can be prevented through lifestyle changes, reinforcing the importance of knowing your risk factors and taking action early.
As World Heart Month continues, SA Heart® is encouraging South Africans to take a proactive approach to their cardiovascular health by understanding their risk factors, getting screened and making healthier choices.
