Kaza Kamba Festival opens on a highnote at the Market Theatre, leaving an indelible mark on audiences
The smooth sound of the piano arrangement by Mnana, booming voice of Ramapolekeng, and the masterful percussion rhythm, created by Makhene, melted into each other seamlessly, before exploding outwards, spreading out to fill the theatre, creating a depth of performance that piqued the minds and marinated the hearts of many.
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor
Main Pic: Poet Lesego Ramapolokeng
The speeches delivered by human rights lawyer Wendy Isaack, who was featured as a keynote speaker,and Retabiile Mothobi, a producer representing the Market Theatre on Thursday, August 2021, were framed from a human rights perspective. This was clearly to take cognisance of the current atmosphere of fear among immigrant communities, who are often targeted by mobs blaming them for almost every ill in the country.
Those who have been holding marches demanding that undocumented, mainly African immigrants must leave the country have, pointed fingers to immigrant communities that are undocumented, as the reason for the high rate of unemployment, especially in the ranks, and crime among other issues bedevilling South African communities.
However, these are accusations, analysts, thinkers and mainstream civil society actors argue, are a miss-target.The blame lies elsewhere, and not African immigrant communities, most of whom are as poor and struggling, just as their South African counterparts in the same class category of unskilled and semi-skilled labour.
However, after the speeches were made, it was time to shift toward the reason why there is this festival in the first place, seeking to create dialogue among artists in Africa, sharing their art practices, experiences and creativity with their South African counterparts.
The festival then opened on a high note, with a powerful performance by South African artists, comprising a well-known poet, talented percussionist and a piano super talent.
As the performance began, it soon became clear that this is a festival needed the most right now, especially as a counter narrative to that of divisions currently prevalent in towns and cities of South Africa, as communities struggle to fully embrace the vision of a cohesive South Africa, that can thrive in its diversity.
However Kaza Kamba, which is having its third iteration at the Market Theatre running from Friday, 21 August to Sunday, 23 August, 2026, has shown that artists are capable of envisioning a future that is full of possibilities. Creating an environment in which African artistic exchange among artists from different countries on the continent, is possible. A future that promotes artistic vibrancy among creatives from different backgrounds and art practices.
This fact was demonstrated well by the performance that followed the speeches in the Barney Simon Theatre of the Market Theatre, a show featuring music, poetry and instruments, blending these art forms neatly into a cohesive and neatly packaged story telling that touched the hearts and minds of the audience.
Widely travelled and critically acclaimed Soweto born poet, Lesego Ramapolokeng, who chose poetry over law very early in his life, read a selection of touching poems from his rich poetry archive, and managed to touch the audience’s hearts and minds in a profound way.
His voice, that boomed around the room as he read, was complemented well by the soul-stirring piano work of highly talented musician Yonela Mnana, and the superior drumming skills of Gontse Makhene. The three performances were able to bring their diverse artistic skills into the show, and the result was magic to watch and take in by a captive audience that was in the room. The smooth sound of the piano arrangement by Mnana, booming voice of Ramapolekeng, and the masterful percussion rhythm, created by Makhene, melted into each other seamlessly, before exploding outwards, spreadingto fill the theatre, creating a depth of performance that piqued the minds and marinated the hearts of many.
This performance that brought artists from different genres together for a common goal of producing a show with a difference, in many was captures the spirit and intent of this festival –bringing different cultures and artistic practices of African artists to get. To think aloud together, to reimagine a continent in which every cultural aspect is explored, put on public display for the enjoyment and thinking of critical minds.
Kaza Kamba, in as much as it is an artistic festival put together for the enjoyment and audiences, it is also a statement during these uncertain times, that indeed African culture and art practices are rich, and they go beyond entertainment, as they educate, bring people closer to each other by putting on display the various aspects of contemporary African life in in its diversity. Diversity is indeed something to embrace, as one gets to understand the next person through cultural exchange.
Kaza Kamba’s therefore a necessary artistic intervention to show what is possible with regards to African unity during these uncertain times.
The festival continues throughout this weekend, featuring a programme rich in poetry, music, critically engaging dialogue and exchanges of notes among African thinkers and artists.
It is a festival worth attending, especially for those who love everything to do with culture, art and critical thinking through dialogue.
Attending this festival, is sure to leave one confident about their culture, enriched in terms of accessing high level art practices and performances.to engage with, get entertained, educated and culturally enriched, and fully underrating the depth of Africa’s diverse cultures and art practices.
Though this year’s festival has fewer participants from the rest of the continent, with only Kenya represented at the festival alongside South African artists, the South African crop of artists that are participating, have been carefully chosen to represent the best of at South is in terms of talent and artistic vision. This is not a pop culture festival, but a thinking festival whose envisioned impact is beyond mere entertainment, but to bring people together from each other
The curators, Bobby Rodwell and Ramapolokeng have curated a festival that is bound to leave a huge mark on audiences and thinkers attending the festival this year
CITYLIFE/ARTS here has a selected some of the events at Kaza Kamba 2026, that are the highlights of the festival this year.
.The Kaza Kamba festival is organised by mehlo-maya (eye-to-the sun), hosted by the Market Theatre, and is supported by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.