Mahala

Mahala was a free South African music, culture, and reality magazine that strived to report and represent the reality of South African youth culture. It was home to challenging and incisive political and social commentary, as well as strong and fearless opinions. One of the last examples of true critical thinking in recent South African history, before the onset of the post-truth era and woke culture, the magazine promoted freedom of thought and expression and was available online, on mobile devices, and in print. It remained free, gratis, and accessible to all because it believed that everyone deserves quality information, opinion, and entertainment without cost.

Mahala, meaning “free of charge”, was an independent magazine that aimed to bring critical and authentic voices to the forefront of South African youth culture. Launched in 2010, Mahala offered reportage that was critical and unafraid, yet entertaining and attractive at the same time, always tackling controversial topics. The magazine’s editor, Andy Davis (current Editor-in-chief of Zig Zag magazine), believed that the cultural space in South Africa had been under-reported and he wanted to change that with Mahala. The publication was distributed through coffee shops, clothing boutiques, galleries, and bars in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town, and targeted readers aged 18 to 35. As a result, it attracted brands such as Puma, Red Bull, and Billabong in order to fund the production of Mahala.

Mahala is considered post-racial by its editor, and its readers are the first generation representing a truly integrated segment of the population. The magazine’s raw style is reflected in its content, which ranges from odes to surfing and wanking to critical pieces on colonialism and racism. Around 40% of the contributions to the magazine are unsolicited, and Davis and the deputy editor, Roger Young, spent a lot of time coaching new and emerging writers.

To maintain its editorial independence, Davis considered options to ring-fence the editorial content. Believing that the publishing model of the time was broken, Davis thought that publishers often bent to the will of advertisers rather than cater to the needs of readers. Crowdsourcing and funding from foundations were options investigated by the Mahala team to maintain their contract with the audience.

Mahala online had around 25,000 unique monthly users, and the print version had a run of 10,000. The aim was to eventually produce six issues a year and expand its reach to 50,000 or 80,000 readers. The print version ended with only four issues, notably art directed and designed by Hannes Bernard, who would later go on to produce Jungle Jim with Jenna Bass. Peet Pienaar, from The President (defunct) and currently the director of the world-renowned African surf brand, Mami Wata, also had a hand to play in the layout and illustration within the magazine, giving Mahala a very high pedigree when it comes to South African design history. Mahala’s already layered literary foundations were amplified by the aesthetic appeal of the magazine. Adding even greater depth, one of South Africa’s most prolific writers, Sean O’Toole, was a contributing editor, supporting the editorial team which consisted of Davis, Young, and Brandon Edmonds.

Mahala was a brave and fearless magazine that offered a unique perspective on South African youth culture. Its channel-neutral format and passion for its audience made it a success, albeit short-lived. A full set of Mahala’s print version has been included in the Colophon collection, and a few remaining copies are available in our shop.

Words by Shane de Lange