Ekasi Tour, Event Venue: eGazini Date: 3 July, 12:30 Review By Aphiwe Ngowapi “You have improved from last year’s tour, because you welcomed us before the tour,” said Wanda Makeleni from EMC Midlands College, capturing the sentiment of many participants who experienced this year’s reimagined heritage tour. The Non-Profit Company (NPC), Imbumba Yeemboni, behind the initiative demonstrated clear growth in their approach, establishing a more polished and welcoming atmosphere from the outset. Their enhanced branding was evident throughout the experience, with complimentary drinks, food and proper guest reception setting a professional tone that distinguished this year’s offering from previous iterations.…
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Ingcambhu Mental Health Awareness, Dance & Physical Theatre Venue: Amazwi South African Museum Of Literature Next performance: Friday 4 July 16:30; Saturday 5 July 14:00 Review Aphiwe Ngowapi “I am not okay,” echoes through the performance space as Jabulani Hlophe’s body translates this raw admission into movement, setting the tone for a deeply affecting production that confronts the often-unspoken struggles of men’s mental health. The work opens with careful character introductions, each performer’s backstory woven through recorded narration that provides intimate context for the physical expression that follows. Bulelani Mqolombha and Jabulani Hlophe deliver compelling performances as two friends navigating…
Christelle Futshane Presents TAG!, Game Show Theatre Venue: Oldies, New Street Next performance: Friday 4 July 17:00 Review Aphiwe Ngowapi Sounds of laughter and shouting drift out from Oldies, a bar and restaurant in New street Inside, an audience has gathered for what appears to be a game show, the host combining elements of charades and 30 seconds. Participants act out or explain words, guided by the animated, Christelle Futshane. This is TAG!, an interactive performance piece born from Futshane’s sense of a deep urgency to respond to, reflect on and protest GBV. In a country where gender-based violence claims…
Ingcambu Vol2: Mental Health Awareness, Theatre Dance Production Venue: Amazwi South African Museum Of Literature Dates: 3 July, 10:00; 4 July, 16:30; 5 July, 14:00 Preview Aphiwe Ngowapi “This year’s version of Ingcambu is a complete evolution of the original. Everything has been reimagined—from the script and scenes to the music, costume design, and direction,” said Siphosethu Mvubu and Simamkele Xako, who make up the B-Fabbs. The production, Ingcambu: Mental Health Awareness first premiered at the National Arts Festival’s 50th anniversary in 2024. “It’s not a continuation—it’s a powerful new perspective,” said the B-FABBS duo. Ingcambu Vol2: Mental Health Awareness,…
Wamkelwa – Ithongo Malibuye: Echoes of Embo, Music Venue: The Black Power Station Date: 30 June 2025 Review Aphiwe Ngowapi “I watch four shows every day, but this is the only one that made me cry,” said Sheryl McDonald, an audience member visiting from the USA. Wamkelwa’s Ithongo Malibuye: Echoes of Embo is a musical show that celebrates African culture and inspires black excellence through African music. This Afro-centric musical experience uplifts and explores African culture, spirituality, and identity by looking at how old traditions and modern life connect. By embracing and honouring African culture, she encourages her audience to…
Singobani, who are we? Photography Exhibition Venue: Albany Museum’s History Department Dates: 26 June – 6 July 2025 Exhibition Aphiwe Ngowapi “Singobani, who are we?” is a group exhibition of visual stories by photographers from different backgrounds. These photographers’ skills in photography and mobile journalism were honed as vehicles for raising awareness. Their work tells their own stories and shares their experiences in Eastern Cape communities. The exhibition invites the viewer to think about who we are, what is real, our beliefs, inner selves and outer experiences. It celebrates our uniqueness through objects and people. It shows how our beauty…
Artist Profile: Djembe52 Soul Music (DSM) Venue: The Black Power Station Next performance: Monday 30 June 20:00 Interview Aphiwe Ngowapi Mbulelo Mriba, popularly known as Djembe52 Soul Music (DSM), is a 35-year-old independent percussionist. Born in Fort Beaufort, he later moved to Gqeberha to pursue his musical career and has been a performer since 2008. The creative draws inspiration from nature, the environment, and musicians like Letha Mbuli, Miriam Makeba, Stompie Mavi, Zim Nqawana, and Bongani Tulwana. “I started music at a very young age, taping cassettes. My first instrument was the djembe drum, and I got my first one…
Reshaping Afrikan Narratives: strategies for collective Afrikan heritage and storytelling, Public Talk Venue: Dakawa Dates: 28 June 2025 Review Aphiwe Ngowapi Thrive Afrika, the Dakawa Arts Centre, and the Albany History Museum collaborated with the Eastern Cape Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture (ECDSRAC) to jointly develop spaces for storytelling, discussion, and creative expression. The talk was facilitated by Gcobisa Zomelele, an artist, historian, writer, and Head Curator at the Albany Museum’s History Department, and included four other speakers. These speakers were: Loyiso Soci, a cultural officer at the ECDSRAC; Zanele Lebaka-Tshabalala, an award-winning documentary photographer, internationally exhibiting artist,…
Pushing Barriers Together, Visual Art Venue: Oldies/Old 65 Open until 6 July Interview By Aphiwe Ngowapi Held at Oldies in New Street, a bar, the Punching Barriers Together exhibition, curated by Thrive Afrika (TA), features the work of 20 African storytellers from 12 countries. These storytellers connect with their communities and work with social movements to share their experiences from their viewpoints. “It is important that we tell our stories our own way,” said Wilson Chivhanga, the founder of Thrive Afrika. Thrive Afrika helps African brands grow and share their stories through planning and storytelling. “Punching Barriers Together,” by Thrive…
Ganga Nyoko! Inzima Nyoko!, Theatre Venue: Gymnasium, VGHS Next performance: 29 June 10:00 Review Aphiwe Ngowapi “Ganga Nyoko! Inzima Nyoko!” is a phrase used by childhood friends Zithathele Dywili (played by Sibuyiselo Dywili) and Ivakele Mkumbuzi (played by Siyamthanda Bangani) to greet and converse with each other. The characters are inspired by the writer’s own friends, family, and experiences from the past. This South African play looks at the close relationship between two young men as they struggle to be themselves. Set in the rural Eastern Cape in the early 2000s, the story brings up strong feelings and memories. It…