Ladysmith Black Mambazo concert a soul nourishing event despite poor attendance due to poor marketing

By Sandile Memela

When event coordinator and PR agent, Mandla Baloyi asked for my past-show opinion, I told him it was a beautiful and soul nourishing event.

Of course, the idea of the event cannot be faulted. The event itself was a historic milestone. In its own way, it was intergenerational, linking the past, present and future.

The initially empty auditorium may have been part of their fault. I think the event was not properly marketed and advertised.

Perhaps it was less a budgetary constrain than planning and strategic collaboration.

No doubt, it will be different tonight. Those who will have missed the show will be poorer.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo was at another lever. They rehabilate lost African pride. After all, they are global superstars.

The stellar cast in the big band gave them wings.

But as usual, the artists rose to the occasion. It was a star studded cast.

Every individual artist is a legend in their own right.

It is heart-warming to witness South African artists, black a d white, working together to nourish the soul of the nation.

A special thank you to the young and gifted Bokani Dyer who is a living expression of nation building in his music and mutterings.

He is an artist with a very clear vision of the role of the arts. He does not hesitate to raise the ghost of Eric Nomvete or sing praises to his contemporaries on stage. Thank you Oupa and Mandla Baloyi and team.