Top South African musicians readying themselves to mark the iconic pre-Apartheid music feast Concert in the Park

By Funeka Bambalele

On a scorching summer day in 1985, more than 125 000 people packed Johannesburg’s Ellis Park Stadium to witness 22 artists perform in what became one of South Africa’s most iconic music events.

Known as Concert in the Park or Unity Concert, the festival took place on 12 January 1985 and boldly defied apartheid restrictions as black, white and Indian audiences shared a space that the law insisted should divide them. The event raised funds for Operation Hunger while championing unity at a time when unity itself was an act of resistance.

Artists such as Marah Louw, Blondie Makhene, the late Brenda Fassie, Harare featuring Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse, PJ Powers, Umoja, Juluka, Supa Africa, Neville Nash, Magaret Singana and many others lit up the stage that day.

Now, four decades later, that spirit is being reignited. The Unity Soweto Concert was officially announced yesterday at the home of Orlando Pirates Football Club — the newly named Orlando Amstel Arena, which will host the event on 14 June 2026. 

Clive Hardwick, one of the original organisers, reflected on the massive turnout at Ellis Park in 1985. Although the stadium accommodated 125 000 people then, he noted that regulations have since changed. For the 2026 edition, he hopes to welcome a bigger number but not more than 100 000 attendees, supported by strong marketing and artist-driven promotion.

“We encouraged all the performers to encourage their fans to come to the event. We never expected to see such a number, but we did,” Hardwick told CITYLIFE/ARTS. He added that reviving the concert to mark 41 years and commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Youth Uprisings.

“We felt this is the right time to do it.  If we are not doing it now, when will be the right time. We also realised most of the people who played in the 1985 one passed on. We felt this was the right time.”

Audiences can expect a vibrant, all-day musical journey blending jazz, pop, maskandi, Afro-fusion and amapiano — a truly inclusive celebration of South Africa’s diverse soundscape.”

Produced by iconic visionaries Sipho Mabuse and Marah Louw, both original stars of the 1985 concert, the Unity Concert is positioned as more than a music festival. It is a cultural statement.

Reading from a script during the launch, Mabuse said: “It is a cultural moment — a living bridge between generations, a tribute to the past, and a bold statement of hope for South Africa’s future.

“As the country marks 50 years since the 1976 Soweto Uprising and 40 years since the legendary Concert in the Park, this event honours the fearless youth and cultural pioneers who helped shape South Africa’s journey to freedom. The 1985 and 1986 Concerts in the Park were acts of courage, unity and imagination. The Unity Concert 2026 carries that spirit forward, reminding us that music has always been one of the nation’s most powerful forces for connection and change.”

Louw said: “Timed for Youth Month, just days before the official 50th anniversary commemorations, the concert places young South Africans at the heart of the story. It aims to create a shared space where today’s youth, artists and communities can reflect on the legacy they inherit — and the future they are shaping.”

Reflecting on the 1985 concert, she said, “I still remember well how I was intimidated by the crowd when I was supposed to come on stage in 1985. I had never seen so many people in one space. I am happy that for the Orlando one I will be reunited with one of the band members who played for me in Ellis Park and his name is Fana Zulu.”

Innocent Mabusela, CEO of Jozi My Jozi, echoed this sentiment: “For Jozi My Jozi, supporting the Unity Concert is about strengthening social cohesion and affirming Jozi as a city where culture drives unity and renewal.”

SABC’s head of content, Lala Tuku, reflected on the significance of the moment:
“The first one happened when I was just four years old. It is a real privilege to be here for the launch of the Unity Music Concert. It reminds us of something we sometimes forget in the rush of daily life — that music is more than entertainment. Music is memory; it is witness. On behalf of the SABC, we express our sincere gratitude to the organisers for inviting us to this moment, and we are excited to broadcast the Unity Concert on SABC2.”

The Unity Concert will also be captured in a major heritage documentary by acclaimed filmmaker Darrell Roodt, ensuring that this moment lives on beyond the stage. 

Presented by the Unity Concert Foundation in partnership with the City of Johannesburg and the Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, the event has also secured national broadcast support.

The full line-up will be released soon.