Ezekiel Dlamini 'King Kong' – The Musical

Simvuyele Mageza

Born into poverty in Vryheid, Ezekiel Dlamini moved to Sophiatown in an attempt to escape the bitter conditions a is father’s physical abuse.

The protagonist was instantly attracted to the shining lights and freedom that township life offered. He contemplates returning home a few times but the freedom and excitement that the city offers have a  too strong  hold on him. He soon becomes a national boxing legend and gets the nickname ‘King Kong’ because of his amazing size and strength. 

In Sophiatown, Dlamini faces tough choices and even tougher consequences, including meeting and falling  in love with the beautiful  (and innocent) Maria Miya. 

As King Kong, he’s king of the hill. As  Dlamini, he is a strange and proud man who almost never loses  a fight, but his inability to accept defeat with grace leads him down the path to gang violence and drunkenness. He kills three people,  including Maria— who he believes is unfaithful and wants to have him killed.

It’s obvious what’s coming next: arrest; trial; and conviction to jail and hard labour. Worse, his body is found one morning in the yard dam—with speculation rife that he has taken his life.

This musical is brilliant in every way. It is a story of deception, greed, murder and ultimately hope.  The performance is exciting and is guaranteed to leave viewers with the goose bumps. It is, however, recommended for a more mature audience.

241: Double the fun

By Mailula Refilwe

 
The Assitej family fare is theatre for children (age three and older) at Memory Hall. 

Remarkably, it has journeyed from Fringe in 2003 and 2007 to the Main programme from 2008, to the international scene; and now it’s back again—near the top.

This show is half puppet and half clown, with a bit of magic. It sure is keeping the kids thrilled and begging for more. Adin Paxton tells a tale about Petric’s little adventure in wild bushes (who happen to be the kids).   Few youngsters can resist its joyfully interactive charm. 

241: Double the fun is a highly recommended children’s festival that ignites the stage with ditsy clown in Cherry’s Magic fun show. It is also educational and very interactive, allowing the youngsters to take part.

Paxton ensures that the kids do not fall asleep by colourful and engaging.

This is Paxton, with that unique sense of a humour: “if you liked the show, tell all your friends,” she said.

“And if you didn’t like it, then invite all your enemies!”

Artistic History in Nation-building

By Chanté Petersen

Artistic Director, Ismail Mohamed, feels that much of the work presented at the National Arts Festival has lost its ‘political crutch’ in serving as a creative forum for political and social cohesion.

 In 1993 then-President Nelson Mandela called on the arts community to "look at the ways in which this torn country can be reconstructed in part through the rich threads of culture".  

Although South Africa’s artists seem to be responding loud and clear as 20 years of democracy remains a focal point and comes up strongly on this year’s programme of 4oth annual National Arts Festival (NAF), Mohamed continues his point that much of the work has lost integrity in meeting funder imperative.  

“Racial demographics at the festival have become a lot more representative post-1994. This is evident in the case of artists and audiences. Content, however, has become far less politicised. Immediately after 1994, artists lost a “political crutch” that had literally carried their work. In the first four years after democracy, I got bored with South African theatre”, says Mohamed.

He also points out that the appointment of Lulu Xingwana as Minister of Arts and Culture was a further blow to the growth of the arts, “As a minister she was out of her depth. She created and promoted systems that funded “official art” over and above art for art’s sake”.

Inaugurated in 1974, the festival correlates to the early history of the 1820 Settler’s National Monument when British pioneer Colonel John Graham gave life to Grahamstown as a military headquarters for British troops and settlers.

Attending the festival for the first time in 1988, Mohamed recognised that the festival held immense power to engage the hearts and minds of South Africans. “I went from performance to performance in awe of just how many South African artists at the time were successfully using the arts to advocate for social change”. At the time its Fringe programme, open to all applicants without pre-selection, was highly politicised and reflected the mood of the 1980s state of emergency.

Mohamed points out that festivals are dynamic when they evolve and respond to their political and social times and art provides us with opportunities for reflection, catharsis and healing. “There is still an immense amount of reflection, catharsis and healing required if we are to continue to strengthen our democracy. As a nation, we are still a long way from fully exploiting the value of the arts”.

In addressing challenges to realising the vision for the next 40 years, he foresees the breaking down of the gatekeeping that still ‘replicates itself like cancer in many South African art organisations’.  “For a long while in the arts sector we have been speaking about “accessibility”. If we do not move beyond that and change the dialogue to reflect “inclusion”, we are going to be left behind”.

 

 Over the past number of years, Mohamed moves that we have been and will continue to once again see work that is relevant, challenging and inspiring and artists ‘are reclaiming their political voice’. “The 10 or 11 days of the festival still continue to demonstrate the same kind of powerful possibilities that it had during the apartheid years”.

 

 

A 40-years celebration of Artistic excellence! By: Sisipho Skweyiya

The year, 2014 marks the 40^th anniversary of the annual National Arts Festival, and from the 3^rd July to the 13^th all eyes will be focused on the celebration of South Africa’s artistic excellence (from exhibitions to musical concerts) as well as exposing up and coming talent.

Among the celebrations that will take place in commemorating the 40 years of the National Arts festival and 20 years of democracy in South Africa, this year’s line-up proves to be nothing but a holistic experience of South Africa’s diverse culture, which includes shows that will tell the history of our country and arts through theatre productions, musicals and art exhibitions. For instance the Standard Bank Jazz festival has incorporated different disciplines into their programme that includes multi Grammy Award-winning composer, conductor and performer, Maria Schneider who will be performing in South Africa for the first time on the 5^th & 6^th July at the DSG Hall. In their programme Standard Bank also included South Africa’s world-renowned trumpeter, composer, singer and political activist, Hugh Masekela; multi-platinum award-winning singer, Lira – who will be performing her well-known fusion of soul and jazz, with African elements. The Jazz festival also promises a delightful performance from Jimmy Dludlu as well as a collaboration between Dan Patlansky and Albert Frost. Last but not least to that line up will be a special tribute by the international Festival Big Band, celebrating some of South Africa’s great jazz musicians and their music.

Continuing the commemoration spirit, this year’s line-up also includes a highly anticipated concert, Divalicious that will include SA’s very own musical maestro, Sibongile Khumalo, along with other great vocalists such as Gloria Bosman, Zanne Stapleberg and Melanie Scholts. This concert will be showcasing the artists’ diverse musical styles; Jazz, Opera and Afro Blues, be sure to catch it on the 9^th July at the Guy Butler theatre.

Theatrically, the festival promises some wonderful shows and classical plays such as Macbeth, William Shakespeares darkest and most riveting tragic play. However this adaptation of the play is based on an

Afrikaans translation by Eitemal, which will explore the effects of guilt and insomnia on two individuals, who through ambition and lust for power lose sight of their boundaries within their relationship and with themselves. Macbeth.slapeloos will be shown on the 11^th and 12^th July.

Artistically, Analogue Eye is one of the new developments at the Festival. It is about the introduction of digital media programming in the Public Arts realm that will present works of artists from 13 different African countries through a mobile drive-in theatre and pop-up cinema experience created and curated by Brent Meistre. According to City Press, audiences can partake in another exciting digitally-driven experience – a virtual tour of South African contemporary dance curated by Jeanette Ginslov, using Augmented Reality (AR) on their mobile devices.

Lastly, this year’s festival has a free public art performance on every single day of the Festival – it’s the Festival’s birthday gift to everyone who wants to take part in the festivities, but who cannot afford to buy a ticket. Something to look out for on this programme is Herbert’s Dream - a visual spectacle by a French street theatre company that, since its creation in 1997, has been performed over 400 times at all the major festivals around the globe.

So, if you are all into fun engagement about SA’s arts and entertainment do make your way to the city of Saints and experience the greatest there is when it comes to talent.

NEW AGE PARLIAMENT ADAMANT ON CHANGE...By Simvuyele Mageza

President Jacob Zuma delivered his annual State of the nation earlier this month and the parliamentary debates that followed were a feat on their own. 

The new kids on the block, the EFF, turned the usually dull and predictable sessions into a feast for the minds of the public.Was it personal? Was it all in public interest? It has been argued that Julius Malema, leader of the EFF, was disrespectful and out of line .Was he really not just saying what everyone else was thinking and just too afraid to say? 

The Economic Freedom Fighters, dubbed parliament’s bad boys have been stepping on toes and ruffling feathers in Parliament. According to reports in the media, squabbles over seat allocation, noise complaints and allegations of intimidation have characterized the party’s first few weeks in Parliament.

According to the CityPress newspaper, EFF butted heads with the Afrikaans party, Freedom Front Plus when the FF+ reportedly laid a noise complaint against the EFF for their behavior in the Marks Building, which houses the offices of the opposition parties on the parliamentary precinct. The FF+ Chief Whip, Corne Mulder reported that members of the EFF in turn swore at and intimidated members of his party.

While all this media hype is brewing in their backyard, members of the EFF made it very clear that they don’t really care.“We are here to debate substantial issues on policy and not seating arrangements or noise complaints.” said EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi. And that is exactly what they are doing.

There’s a pattern looming from parliament. With the ANC controlling two thirds of the votes in parliament, many of the other parties seem to be abstaining from raising their voice. One can’t be sure if it’s whether they are worried about their future in parliament if they go up against the ANC or they just feel it’s not worth the time.

The EFF’s presence has certainly brought a breath of fresh air to parliament. The debates have incited interest in the nation’s politics among the youth. Indeed, Julius Malema is fairly young himself. He relates to the youth. Are his methods orthodox? Most interestingly not, but they get the job done; they get the message across.

Before the EFF, controversy and interest from the public in parliamentary debates were low. Was it the jargon?  Were there too many intellectuals talking in huge words and not dumbing it down for the everyday man on the ground? The current election debates have the masses interested. The EFF speaks whatever they feel needs to be said, they seem willing to voice out any opinion and the some of the heads in parliament support them.

We are seeing a coalition in parliament that is similar to the ANC Youth League of 1977 that was present in the United Nations. It’s “rise of the underdogs” scenery. They seem to serve the public, with Julius Malema adamant on his notion that the ANC allegedly massacred the Marikana miners. He refused to withdraw his statement which resulted in them being dispelled during a parliamentary session.

The days are too little to effectively conclude whether this is an attack on the African National Congress or if they are serving the public’s interest and it all just amazingly coincides with the ANC being under duress.

Poor service delivery: A ticking time bomb for the worst...By Mailula Refilwe

As South Africa celebrates 20 years of democracy, many communities countrywide are still without proper sanitation, access to water or a decent place to live. This has resulted in a rise in violent service delivery protest in recent years.

One may ask, if municipalities are battling to cope with growing demand for services? Or are corruption and maladministration and lack of skills in the local government crippling service delivery? Does it have to cost an arm or a leg for service to be delivered to the people?

Hundreds of communities across South Africa are angry and frustrated over the delayed service delivery and thus results in violent protest. With an endless list of grievances about lack of services, nepotism in municipalities and corruption, the governments’ achievements have been forgotten.

To make matters worse, over the past five years, a number of municipal officials have been arrested countrywide, for crimes ranging from financial mismanagement to tender fraud.

However, according to the office of Performance Management and Presidency, set up on 1 January 2010 to monitor the impact of government policies on the population, since 1994, the government has delivered:

·       New homes built- 2.5 million homes housing ten million people

·       Households with electricity- over 80% today from 32% in 1994

·       Households with access to drinking water- almost 100% from 60% in 1994

·       Households with access to sanitation- 63% from 49% in 1994

·       Households with access to regular refuse remove- 64% from 50% in 1994

Although statistics proves that ANC-led government has delivered service to the people. The former Minister of Human Settlement Tokyo Sexwale said that 134,000 of the houses built under government programmes are collapsing and need urgent repair.

In November 2010, he said his department would spend about R2 billion to repair those houses and in May this year told The Sowetan newspaper a further 400 million would be needed. And if “portable water” is supplied to almost 100% of households, some 264 out of 283 water purification schemes in the country have severe maintenance backlogs which will cost R10 billion to fix.

President Jacob Zuma said that the government had out performed every country in the world over the past 20 years in delivery services to its citizens. Indeed the ANC-led government has certainly outperformed some government in delivering public services to its people- but not all governments worldwide.

Should towns like Ermelo in Mpumalanga, were residents are angry and have been protesting against poor service delivery for years, claiming their pleas have fallen on deaf ears, embrace these sentiments?

Is violent protest the only way to push the government to deliver service to its people?

If only our government officials would stop being self-serving, be neglectful of their needs for self-riches and honestly serve their people without greed, maybe the 43 lives lost in service delivery protest  from 2004 and 2014 will not be in vain. 

Unfortunately, we live in a country where the President’s homestead comes first before people’s needs.

Opposition parties describe President Jacob Zuma’s State-of-the-Nation Address as “mediocre” and “muted”. by Jackie Malatji

President Jacob Zuma arrived to ululations and hands clapping at a fully packed National Assembly chamber when he made his first public appearance at Parliament on Tuesday after a two week rest period as a result of illness to deliver his State of the Nation Address( SONA).

In the interim of his speech in February, the President talked about government’s achievements of the past year and looked to the future by presenting a programme for the coming year, called the Programme of Action. The PoA sets out government’s plans to address various key government programmes but there hasn't been any direction of promises or plans and many believe the speech he made on Tuesday is exactly the same as the one he gave back in February which had no concrete promises.

This year president Zuma focused on economic growth, rebuilding local government, the unrest in the mining industry, energy and incentives for the youth. He announced that the theme for this year’s International Mandela Day which is on the 18^th next month was to clean South Africa.

Zuma mentioned the growth of African trade with neighbouring countries and those further norths are becoming important trading partners for South Africa."We are encouraged that South African investments in the continent increased from R5.5 billion in 2002, to R32.3bn in 2013 and our exports into the continent are also increasing each year, having been at 28.5 percent, up from 22.6 percent in 2002 ", said Zuma.

He also said that government will target the agricultural sector to create a million jobs in the next 16 years by providing comprehensive support to smallholder farmers through speeding up land reform and providing technical, infrastructural, and financial support.

He touched on energy by saying we need to respond decisively to the country's energy constraints, in order to create a conducive environment for growth by developing a sustainable energy mix that comprises coal, solar, wind, hydro, gas, and nuclear energy

“South Africa needs drastic intervention to jump-start the economy and overcome poverty, unemployment, and inequality”. He added, “to end this, a national minimum wage to reduce income inequalities that persist in the country’s 20 years into democracy was being considered”.

According to Jacob Zuma, government is expected to continue focusing on various infrastructure projects that will ultimately change the living conditions of South African citizens and boost economic growth. He also stated that, government has invested approximately one trillion rand in new infrastructure to provide water, energy, transport, sanitation, schools and clinics and internet connections to SA citizens.

Some believe the president has adequately detailed the main areas of focus for the next five years but Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema who was dressed in a red overall and red beret for the occasion disagrees and says African National Congress members were clapping for mediocrity during President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation Adress and that there is nothing exciting except a blowing of hot air and a repetition of the things that we have heard before.On the other hand Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane said President Jacob Zuma was responding too late to some of the country's problems that the DA had called for.

Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Mulder said the President seemed "muted" during his speech and some positives which came out of Zuma's address were infrastructure and corruption, nevertheless he didn’t mention how about he’s going to prevent a repeat of the five-month platinum mining sector strike.Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said, “Zuma did not go far enough in his address on industrialisation, from a Cosatu perspective we can never achieve the fundamental change we need in South Africa until we recognise that most of our wounds come from the fact that we inherited a growth path from the apartheid era"

Promises have been repeatedly made in SONAs before but Zuma’s government never kept them, speeches needn't be “CONCRETE OR DECISIVE”, actions are; despite all that, the African National Congress had high praises for President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation address and said it provided decisive actions to speed up economic growth and practically takes forward the commitments made in the ANC manifesto.

Nonetheless the president did highlight some of the important aspects that will move SA forward in his speech such as of improving the economy that will create sustainable jobs but is this a chant of a number of promises the president has made before that lack substance?.  Why didn't he include how South Africa has done in the past 20 years in ANC hands? Where are the 6 million job opportunities they promised? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

DEATH OF MA MBEKI, THE END OF AN ERA?

By Aviwe Mtila

On June 7, South Africa lost another of its great leaders - Epianette Mbeki, the mother of former president Thabo Mbeki - who died at age 98. 

With the loss of legendary struggle hero Nelson Mandela in December last year, one would not be blamed for viewing the passing of MaMbeki as symbolizing the end of an era of selfless leaders.

Leaders who dedicated their lives to serving the people of South Africa; stalwarts such as Oliver Thambo, Steve Biko, Chris Hani, Albertina Sisulu, Robert Sobukwe, Govan Mbeki, Walter Sisulu, to mention a few, are people who led for the sole purpose of bettering the nation and serving the needs of its people.

South Africa is in its twentieth year into democracy, and yet, the country is still unstable. It is marred by with high levels of unemployment, strikes across the nation and shockingly appalling levels of poverty.

Corruption and lavish lifestyles seem to be the order of the day among current politicians in government. With this in mind, the question of what the contribution of this generation of leaders to the South African Society is, needs to be looked at closely.

Are the good morals, values and leadership qualities that speak for themselves in our past leaders still evident in our current leaders? Are our leaders still serving the needs of the nation or have they shifted their focus on enriching themselves and each other, neglecting a poverty stricken nation?

Our current leaders can learn a lot from the likes of MaMbeki, who lived a modest life in Ngcingwane, a rural village in the former Transkei. Till her dying days, MaMbeki dedicated her life to community development.

After marrying Govan Mbeki in 1940, MaMbeki gave up her life as a teacher in Durban and moved back to Transkei with her husband, driven by the calling to uplift and emancipate their home region’s impoverished rural masses.

In Transkei the Mbeki’s opened a shop in Mbewuleni which MaMbeki ran when her husband focused on the nation’s politics. 

When her husband was facing life imprisonment and her three sons were in exile, what kept her going was her unflinching belief in community development and her faith in self-help projects as means towards social and economic advancement. MaMbeki was involved in community projects as she was the patron of a successful community farming project.

Epianette Mbeki is a true reflection of the type of leaders South Africa is losing and has lost; a generation that has contributed positively to the South African society. She is part of a generation of leaders that has shown us the true definition of the term ‘Ubuntu’.

What are our modern day leaders contributing, besides their lavish homes being upgraded with millions of tax-payers hard earned money?

Are we suppose to trust that our leaders will bring us ‘economic freedom’, when they live luxurious lives which we know they can’t afford or account for?

Are we supposed to believe that the leaders of the DA will bring any change, when the gap between the rich and the poor in the Western Cape is too disturbing to note?

In a South Africa, where our leaders are clearly benefiting first before considering the needs of the nation, one needs to use the examples set by our past leaders such as Epianette Mbeki. 

South Africans need to stop depending on the government for survival and start engaging in self-help projects as means towards social and economic advancement. 

Will the legacy of the passing era of leaders ever be visible in the current leaders? That remains to be seen.

What is clear, though, is that the current leaders need to learn true leadership from past leaders in order to shape a brighter South Africa.