Cecil John Rhodes: British Empire Hitman

Zenzile: The Reimagination Of Miriam Makeba, is a celebration of the late Makeba’s invaluable musical contributions and messages of social justice.

Thandiswa Mazwai has been one of the most influential musicians on the South African music scene. She began her career in 1995 with Bongo Maffin, one of the pioneering bands of the Kwaito era. After 6 award-winning albums with Bongo Maffin she ventured onto a solo career.

John Knox Bokwe’s hymn A Plea for Africa still resonates in 2022 as the world finds itself in the midst of war, ever-present racism and the never-ending trauma South Africans face daily due to rising fuel prices, loadshedding and overwhelming mortality rates caused by ailments such as depression and other causes.

It is resistance music, protest, and liberatory; the music calls together the achingly tired peoples of this land to reflect on the horrors they have had to endure, and how much they have had to overcome, notwithstanding how much things have remained the same; with the promise that together we will overcome.

Motuba’s choices as vocal contributor exemplify these ideas even further. The fact that her approach is not saturated in standing out and consuming the light… can give us an idea on the ethos of this particular familial bond. She is part of the music; it happens with her and not alongside her.

It will be the first time that Jiyane performs his globally acclaimed album, Umdali alongside the Uprize Ensemble which will feature talented vocalist, Nonku Phiri. Ever since inception, the Uprize Ensemble have never performed together live on stage.