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You are at:Home»ARTS & LIFE»Car guards by day – a vocal trio by night
ARTS & LIFE

Car guards by day – a vocal trio by night

Rod AmnerBy Rod AmnerJune 29, 2022Updated:June 29, 2022No Comments2 Mins Read
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Joseph Mfundo Scott, Andile 'Johnny', and Erich Siseko serenade outside The Long Table restaurant on High Street. Photo: Joshua Etsimaje

By DANA OSBORN 

You may not know the names Erich Siseko, Andile ‘Johnny’, and Joseph Mfundo Scott, but if you have visited The Long Table, you will know their voices. You can find these three men, come rain or shine, standing in the muted orange tones of the High Street streetlights. Placed at their feet are takeaway containers and loose change. 

For years, the trio has been singing outside the Long Table, a renowned restaurant and bar that opens each year during the National Arts Festival. It is a hotspot for performers and festival-goers because of its tasty food and vibey atmosphere. The trio of Makhandan locals, who spend the day herding and guarding cars on High Street until the sun sets, dream of sharing their voices far and wide. 

“We sing to get support, but also to get people to hear us. We want to share our message with people. Maybe someone, somewhere, can help us,” said Scott, continuing with a hand over his heart. “We love singing! We’re proud of our voices, and we’re proud of our music. We want people to know that we want to go far with our singing. In my vision, I see us singing on the TV.” 

But they do not sing only for the love of music. They take the initiative so that they can help to look after their families, “It’s painful to live in the location with nothing to eat,” Andile explained. “We have responsibilities in our house; there are elders, and I have a child. So, we come here and sing.”

Erich Siseko, one of the vocalists outside The Long Table. Photo: Dana Osborn.
Joseph Mfundo Scott singing ‘In the Middle of the Night’ by Hlengiwe Mhlaba. Photo: Dana Osborn.
Previous ArticleMy life at the Festival
Next Article Free & unbound
Rod Amner

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