By Luvuyo Mjekula
Makhanda’s performers received special recognition at the 50th National Arts Festival at the weekend, with the Makhanda Kwantu Choir winning a Standard Bank Ovation Award.
Music sensation Zoë Modiga shared the stage with the award-winning Makhanda Kwantu Choir in an entertaining collabo before popular hitmaker Mandisi Dyantyis paid tribute to the mother of his Makhanda-born pianist in a packed Guy Butler Theatre on Sunday.
Dyantyis made special mention of Lonwabo Mafani’s mother Buyiswa and thanked her for praying for them and coming to watch him perform at the National Arts Festival.
Lonwabo told Grocott’s Mail: “It feels good to be watched by your parent. It also feels good to come back and perform at home, especially at the Festival. I have not been back home in a long time.”
He said he and Dyantyis go back a long time. “We work together very well with Mandisi, we are always together.”
Dyantyis had earlier told the crowd: “This is a Makhanda product. His mother is here.” She had sacrificed her church commitments to watch her son perform.
Mrs Mafani was grateful to be able to watch her son perform. “I was so happy, my prayers have been heard.” She said her children grew up in the church, playing the piano at church.
“I noticed that they had an interest in playing the piano and I bought them a keyboard and they used to play it at home,” she said. Lonwabo went on to seriously pursue music and studied at the University of Cape Town. He has been a band member for Dyantyis and they have performed on various world stages. “At least he is into something constructive things,” the mother joked.
Meanwhile, Kwantu Choir manager Kutlwano Kepadisa, said the choir has performed for the likes of President Cyril Ramaphosa and JM Coetzee and has collaborated with well-known South African artists such as Dumza Maswana, Zahara, Msaki, Asakhe Cunstulana, Sibongile Mngoma, Sibongile Khumalo, Vusi Mahlasela and Nomfudo Xaluva and most recently Zoë Modiga.
During her performance at the Guy Butler Theatre at the Settlers Monument, Modiga sang the praises of the choir, telling the excited audience she had encountered the group at the recent Masicule event, also at the Monument.
Kepadisa explained that Kwantu is a community choir of diverse singers from Makhanda. “It prides itself on being a choral ambassador for the town,” he said.
The choir has represented the town at national and international festivals such as the Choral Celebration Festival, National Arts Festival, and World Choir Games. Currently, it is under his direction.
Kepadisa said the choir is the training choir of the Annual Creative City event, Masicule – Celebrating the voices of Makhanda.
The choir also serves as a ceremonial choir for many official events and local, provincial, and national events around Makhanda.
Kwantu Choir has performed at the National Arts Festival since its inception in 2018.
They have released a digital album, a documentary and a music docu-series over the past three years.
The choir has won awards at both the National Arts Festival and World Choir Games and regularly performs within and outside the Eastern Cape.
