Question 1

What is Vunanga?

Accepted Answer

Vunanga is South African music's home, dedicated to mapping and celebrating the musical heartbeat of the nation. Every week, we compile and publish independent rankings for the most popular songs and albums across the country. Beyond the charts, Vunanga serves as a cultural hub where music fans can discover rising artists, explore new releases, find local events, and dive into the stories that shape South African music.

Question 2

Do I need an account to use Vunanga?

Accepted Answer

No. You can browse all weekly charts, view artist profiles, search the release catalogue, and read editorial articles without signing in. However, creating a free account unlocks a range of interactive features. With an account, you can vote on the community-driven People's charts, save your favourite songs and artists, participate in community discussion forums, vote in polls, and customise your notification preferences.

Question 3

Is the platform free to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Accessing the charts, exploring the music catalogue, reading articles, and participating in the community are completely free of charge. There are no hidden fees, paid subscriptions, or paywalled content.

Question 4

Which regions and languages are covered on Vunanga?

Accepted Answer

We focus entirely on the South African music scene. To celebrate the country's rich linguistic diversity, we publish dedicated weekly charts for various language categories alongside our main national Top 100 rankings. This ensures that music in every official language has a dedicated space to chart and be recognised.

Question 5

How do I register for an account?

Accepted Answer

To sign up, select the Sign up button in the navigation menu. Enter your email address and choose a secure password, or continue instantly using a linked Google account. If you register via email, we will send you a verification link to confirm your address. Once confirmed, you can customise your display name and profile picture to begin participating.

Question 6

What options do I have for signing in?

Accepted Answer

You can sign in using the email address and password you used during registration, or by clicking the Google option if your account is linked. If you experience issues or forget your password, you can request a password reset link from the sign-in page.

Question 7

How can I update my profile details?

Accepted Answer

You can update your profile information at any time. Click on your profile menu and select the Edit Profile option. From there, you can change your display name, write a short bio, add links to your social media, and upload a new profile picture.

Question 8

Can I change my username or profile picture later?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Both your display name and profile picture can be changed whenever you want. Any updates you save on your profile page will be reflected immediately across the platform, including on your community posts, reviews, and forum threads.

Question 9

How do I permanently delete my account?

Accepted Answer

If you wish to close your account, you can do so by going to your profile settings and selecting Delete Account. Please note that this action is permanent and cannot be undone. All of your saved favourites, custom lists, forum preferences, and profile data will be permanently erased. Our Privacy Policy contains additional details regarding data retention.

Question 10

What are Vunanga Points (VP) and how do I earn them?

Accepted Answer

Vunanga Points (VP) measure your participation and contribution within our community. You can earn VP through active engagement: leaving star ratings (1-10) on songs or albums, posting comments in the community hub, starting or replying to topics in discussion forums, voting in showdown matchups, and setting up radio alerts. You also earn VP by verifying your email, completing your profile, or contributing artist updates and event listings once they are approved by our team.

Question 11

How does the reputation rank system work and what are the perks?

Accepted Answer

As you accumulate VP, you progress through structured reputation levels: Listener, Contributor, Analyst, Critic, and Luminary. Levels like Contributor and Analyst are unlocked automatically as you cross specific VP thresholds. Ranks like Critic and Luminary require manual review. Higher ranks grant valuable perks: Contributors can create new forum topics; Analysts can configure showdowns and submit official articles; Critics are invited to review music officially and vote on platform awards; Luminaries receive brand ambassador invitations, platform discounts, and exclusive rewards. Additionally, your rank increases your vote weighting on community charts and showdowns.

Question 12

How are the weekly charts calculated?

Accepted Answer

Our weekly charts are compiled using a multi-signal approach that reflects actual listening popularity across South Africa. We combine streaming activity, radio airplay, and community engagement signals into a unified ranking score each week. This independent method ensures a balanced representation of what the country is listening to. You can read more details on the How the charts work page.

Question 13

When are the charts updated?

Accepted Answer

All official Vunanga charts refresh on a weekly cadence. This regular update ensures that the rankings constantly reflect the latest popularity trends, radio broadcasts, and listener votes from across the country.

Question 14

What types of charts does Vunanga publish?

Accepted Answer

We publish three main types of weekly charts: the national Top 100 rankings representing the biggest songs overall, per-language charts highlighting regional and language-specific hits, and the community-driven People's charts which are shaped entirely by listener votes.

Question 15

Why does a song rise, fall, or leave a chart?

Accepted Answer

Chart positions are dynamic and reflect the weekly changes in listener popularity. As streaming counts, radio airplay broadcasts, and community voting patterns fluctuate from week to week, songs will naturally climb higher, drop in rank, or eventually make way for new releases.

Question 16

What are the People's charts and how do they work?

Accepted Answer

The People's charts are special rankings driven completely by the Vunanga community. Unlike our main charts, these lists are decided by the active votes of registered members. By signing in, you can vote for your favourite tracks throughout the week to help lift them to the top spot.

Question 17

How do I find a specific artist, song, or album?

Accepted Answer

You can use the global search bar located at the top of the page. Simply type in the name of the artist, the title of the song, or the name of the album. You can also explore the dedicated Charts, Music, and Artists pages in the main navigation menu.

Question 18

What does it mean to follow an artist or save a song?

Accepted Answer

Following an artist adds them to your list of followed creators, making it easy to track their new releases and news. Saving a song or album adds it to your personal library bookmarks, which you can quickly access from your profile dashboard.

Question 19

Where does the artist and release information come from?

Accepted Answer

Our comprehensive catalogue is compiled using public metadata sources and music registries, which is further verified and curated by the Vunanga editorial team. We strive for accuracy, so if you spot any missing credits or incorrect details, please reach out to us.

Question 20

How do I report incorrect metadata or profile details?

Accepted Answer

If you find a typo, incorrect release date, or missing artist credit, please head to our Contact page and choose Report a problem. Provide the correct details along with a link to the page in question, and our editorial team will review and update it.

Question 21

How do I participate in community activities?

Accepted Answer

Once you sign in, you can write reviews, start or reply to discussion threads in the forums, vote in active polls and song showdowns, and track various awards. Explore the Community hub page to find active discussions and challenges.

Question 22

What rules govern community behaviour?

Accepted Answer

To keep our community welcoming and safe for everyone, all members must adhere to our Community Guidelines. We require respectful communication, constructiveness, and a focus on sharing our mutual love for music. Harassment, hate speech, spam, and trolling are strictly prohibited.

Question 23

How do I write and submit articles on Vunanga?

Accepted Answer

Writing articles is a privilege unlocked at the Analyst rank (1,000 VP) and above. Once you reach this rank, you can access the article editor under your profile and select write new article. Draft your content and submit it for moderation. Our editorial team reviews all submissions for quality, accuracy, and tone. Once approved, your article will be published on the platform, you will earn substantial VP, and you may be eligible for compensation at Vunanga's discretion.

Question 24

How do I submit events, view listings, and buy tickets?

Accepted Answer

Any user can suggest local events, gigs, or concert listings. Go to the event creation form, enter the venue, date, time, lineup, and official ticket booking link. Once reviewed and approved by our moderation team, your event goes live on the Events calendar. To view events and buy tickets, browse the Events section to locate upcoming listings. Each event page features details about the lineup, date, and a direct link to purchase tickets from the official ticket provider.

Question 25

What are showdowns and how do I create or participate in them?

Accepted Answer

Showdowns are head-to-head matchup challenges where songs or artists compete, and the community votes to determine the winner. All registered users can participate by voting on active duels in the showdown section. Note that higher reputation ranks carry more vote weighting, giving your votes more influence over the final score. Users at the Analyst rank (and above) can also create and configure custom showdown matchups, picking the competing items and setting the challenge duration for the community to vote on.

Question 26

How do I report inappropriate posts or comments?

Accepted Answer

If you encounter any content that violates our Community Guidelines, please use the flag or report button located next to the post or comment. Alternatively, you can contact our moderation team directly through the Contact page with details of the violation.

Question 27

What kind of content will be removed by moderators?

Accepted Answer

Our moderation team will remove any posts, comments, or profile content that violates our guidelines. This includes harassment, hate speech, explicit language, spam, commercial advertising, copyright infringement, and off-topic trolling.

Question 28

What personal data does Vunanga collect and keep?

Accepted Answer

We only collect and store the information necessary to provide and secure our services. This includes basic account credentials, your chosen profile details, and your active preferences (such as saved items and votes). We never sell your personal information. Read our full Privacy Policy for details.

Question 29

How do I manage web push and email notifications?

Accepted Answer

You can customise your alert preferences in your account settings. From there, you can toggle notifications for new releases, forum replies, and community awards. You must also grant permission in your browser or device settings to receive push notifications.

How can we help?

FAQ

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About Vunanga

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Vunanga

How can we help?

FAQ

How-to guides

About Vunanga

Contact us

Still need a human?