South African Roadies’ Association alumni living the American dream

Those working in the US tell CITYLIFE/ARTS in an interview that they are learning a lot as they earn foreign currency for themselves and assist their families back home.

By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor

When I met them at SARA House in Newtown, the home of South African Roadies Association, (SARA) a Non-Profit Organisation that skills the youth in live event and technical production skills, mainly from formerly disadvantaged backgrounds from around the country in December 2024, they were exuberant, looking forward to a deserved holiday back home.

Kgothatso Mmutle from Segwaelane, North West, Avile Landzela from East London, Eastern Cape, and Tumelo Mokgotho from Soshanguve, Tshwane, had just landed at OR Tambo International Airport a few days before. This is after having come back from the US where they spent 10 months traversing the massive country from state to state, city to city as part of the technical crew of the leading circus show Universoul Circus started by the legendary roadie-turned circus producer Cedric Walker.

The three technicians from SARA are actually part of the six that left for the US in 2024, for on the on-the job training on the circus, the result of an agreement between SARA and UniverSoul Circus. That ground breaking agreement was sealed in 2001, when the famous travelling circus toured South Africa for a fully packed series of shows at Gold City. So far over 200 South African graduates of SARA’s training programme, have had the opportunity to work in the US and around the world including the Middle East, among other countries, as well as on cruise ships.

SARA President and the UniverSoul Circus first began working together in 2002 linking SARA’S On-the-Job Training Program with UniverSoul Circus’ technical and production crew requirements. A fruitful relationship seeing more than 200 young South Africans receive ten months of On-the-Job paid for training experience in the USA, as part of the UniverSoul Circus “technical and production” crew. Lighting, Sound, staging, Audio Visual, Video- “Technicians” and production are some of the skills which they gained.
SARA’S On-the-Job Training Program has seen hundreds of young South Africans receiving world-class technical and production up-skilling in arguably one of the most dynamic and leading entertainment markets in the world, the USA.

“South African technical and production skills, as shown by the exportability of the SARA members’ skills, are “skills of the future” and one of the skill sectors offering transferrable skills and sustainable employment, across global markets, notwithstanding the region and the continent, to young people,” SARA says in a media release.
The three technicians told CITYLIFE/ARTS that that among other places, they travelled and worked in include New Orleans, Houston,,Dallas, St. Louis, Chicago and Detroit.

The three technicians who spoke to CITYLIFE/ARTS this week as they were preparing to leave for the US along with five other technicians, enthusiastically shared their experiences in upskilling themselves while travelling with the circus in the US as well as immersing themselves in various cultures among the crew and talent that form the popular circus, which has people from around the world, such as China, South Korea, Ethiopia and Mongolia, among others.
“Working on the circus was a great experience for me as not only did the opportunity expose me to new skills in live events technical production, but I immersed myself in learning diverse cultures from the people I worked with, such as Mexicans, Russian, Chinese and Mongolians. I learned the basics of their languages, while I also taught them our South African languages, It was a really culturally enriching environment as we were also able to sample different cuisines specializing in different dishes from different countries, such as South Korea and Mongolia. I enjoyed these dishes at Braais as well as at restaurants. “ explained Tumelo.

With regards to learning technical skills Tumelo who is an audio technician, said that he had an opportunity to learn how to use the latest software, an opportunity that he would never have had in South Africa.

“Eventually I became the main audio engineer on the circus,” he happily shared.
Out of all the places that he has travelled to, he rates New Orleans and Washington DC as the most interesting to him. In Washington DC, particularly Chicago, I related to the place so well. It is a multi-cultural environment, which in a way resembles South Africa’s metropolitan areas. New Orleans, people there like live music, particularly jazz.

It almost felt like Pretoria, I mean the vibe,” he explained.
“It was my first time to go to the US, and at the beginning it was nerve wracking, but as I landed, I became calm. Working with different people from different cultures was such a great experience for me. I mean we worked with talent from Mexico, Trinidad, China, and South Korea among others. I enjoyed America very much while traveling around the country. I did not socialize very much as I am actually a loner who preferred to explore cities on my own, looking and admiring monuments when off duty. That suited me well as I am not the kind of guy who will hit clubs partying,” said Avile. Workwise, he said that he learned quite a lot on the issue of productionskills that definitely will serve him well in future in a fast technologically advancing world of today.

Born in Mthatha but currently living in East London, Eastern Cape, Avile was looking forward to another go, working in the US when he spoke to us.
Kgothatsowho is from Segwaelane, just outside Brits in the North West Province, also said he learned a lot on the circus and was looking forward to joining the other seven colleagues who will be leaving soon to the US.

“The experience was good even though a bit harsh, especially at the beginning. But because I was there for the fourth time and somehow have come used to working there, the last time my experience of working on the circus having been cut short in 2020 due to the outbreak of Covid-19, I have become somehow used to working there. Actually, my friendsback home say that I am living the American dream. Indeed, it is such a lovely experience working there and being able to look after my family back home.

“My advice to especially young people is that they must stay focused on what they want to do. Discipline is very important. For example, because my duty is technical, one needs to be at all times very disciplined, listen to other people’s opinions and stick to time. There is no concept of African time when you work on a big production like UniverSoul Circus.”
He too said that he enjoyed working alongside crew and talent that is composed of people from diverse cultures.
“When it came to food, I enjoyed particularly Chinese and Mexican food,” he said.
Speaking to these young technicians, it became clear that indeed doors have opened for them and they are using the technical skills they have learned at SARA, not only to earn money for themselves, but to assist their families back home with some of them having built decent houses for their parents as well as for themselves.
It is clear that in a fast technologically advancing world where skills in this area are much sought after around the world, these young South Africans are in good space, and none other than the late former Minister of Education Professor Kader Asmal long noted the contribution of SARA in its training programme.

“This sort of exposure to other countries is invaluable in shaping young students’ perspective and outlook on life, and the experience they gain and bring back with them come to South Africa can only benefit our country,” the highly respected late educationist noted in 2001.
SARA President Freddie Nyathela, a former roadie himself who travelled around Southern Africa, working with Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse and Harari in the 1980s before founding SARA, building it up from the ground till where it is today with solid links with international networks of other similar organisations and role players spanning such countries as the US, German and the Netherlands, is excited about the role the SARA’s training programme alumni are playing internationally.

“As SARA that is why we are happy to send young people out there to learn technical skills and earn foreign currency for their own betterment and that of their families, especially given the fact that during apartheid, young black people from disadvantaged backgrounds would never have gotten that opportunity. I know this having been a roadie myself travelling around the country with Harari meeting different people from diverse cultures that is South Africa. So, I understand well, when these young people who are working in the US speak of how apart from learning new skills, they are also immersing themselves in a rich tapestry of cultures out there” he said, while confirming that the three technicians will be joining five others to the US where they will spend 10 months working and learning new skills in 2025.
Nyathela added, “the African youth should be equipped with technical skills necessary to be creative innovators and technologists within the Live Events and the wider creative industries.”

SARA is currently collaborating with the leading institution in live events technical production skills training, the UK’s Academy of Live Technology to establish Backstage South Africa Academy that once fully established, will see their course offering upgraded to Q-Level 8 from the current Q-level 4. The establishment of the academy is funded by the Department of Sport, Arts and culture.
Meantime the following indeed posed to leave and live the American dream for 10 months: Blondie Henderiek Sello, Tumelo Oswald Mokgotho, Kgothatso Samuel Mmutle, Avile Kogina Landzela, Moeketsi Nelson Tshabalala, Kgomotso Ralephata, Mzwandile Nqgwemla and Goodwill Khoza.