One of South Africa’s best known groups, Mafikizolo, launched its Mafikizolo Reunited SA Tour 2015 at a function at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg this morning, February 16. Here the award winning group’s Nhlanhla Nciza and Theo Kgosinkwe arrive at the launch where they announced some proceeds from the tour, that would make stops in Tshwane (March 14), Bloemfontein (March 21), Polokwane (March 28), Cape Town (April 4), Port Elizabeth (April 18), Johannesburg (April 25) and Orlando Stadium (April 27), would be donated to the Foundation. (Photograph by Yolanda van der Stoep)
On 16 February 2015, Afro-pop group Mafikizolo, together with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, launched the six-city Mafikizolo Reunited South Africa Tour at the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory in Johannesburg.
The award-winning duo, Nhlanhla Nciza and Theo Kgosinkwe, will be partnering with the Foundation and various cities in the name active citizenship through social cohesionas part of their campaign to make every day a Mandela Day – something that is the collective responsibility of every South African as our democracy comes of age.
The late Nelson Mandela was one of the biggest ambassadors for building social cohesion through social justice, and one of the lessons he taught was the importance of dialogue and listening, a process through which people are able to collaboratively find solutions to problems they are facing.
Mafikizolo will tour six cities – Tshwane, Polokwane, Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Nelson Mandela Bay and Johannesburg – not only to entertain fans with their music, but to also engage with the youth in correctional services institutions in these cities. Their aim is to create a platform to discuss critical social issues facing the youth today, in terms of alienation, identity, leadership, community and crime, to name a few.
Radio personality Kgomotso KG Moeketsi, programme director at the launch of the tour, said: “It is very telling of Mafikizolo as a band that when they’re done touring, part of the proceeds of the tour will come back here and be donated to the Nelson Mandela Foundation to ensure its work with youth continues.
“I think you can never progress if you don’t reflect on the place where you came from and make sure that all those that surround you progress as well.”
She also quoted Mandela, saying: “After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Mandela’s release from prison, as well as South Africa’s 21st anniversary as a democratic nation.
Speaking at the launch, Sello Hatang, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, said, “In many ways we can say that the 21st anniversary marks the coming of age. But we have to ask ourselves difficult questions about this coming of age when we still have so many hills to climb.
“These hills include how we deal with the vulnerable in society; how we look after our young people; how we ensure that we deal with certain issues, such as education and social cohesion, for example; how we build a country and unite a country that is fast showing signs of cracking.
Theo Kgosinkwe and Nhlanhla Nciza are pictured next to a bronze statue of Madiba with the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s CEO, Sello Hatang. (Photograph by Yolanda van der Stoep)
(Image: CREDIT: ©Yolanda van der Stoep)“We hope that through the dialogues that you’ll be convening and facilitating, you’ll hopefully be able to reach those young people,” he said to Mafikizolo
Part of the work Mafikizolo will be doing on their tour will include visiting correctional services centres and engaging with the youth at these centres.
Mafikizolo will also be partnering with the Road Traffic Management Corporation.
The group, along with a 16-piece band and 20 dancers, will be on the road a lot, criss-crossing between cities. The Road Traffic Management Corporation, together with the group, will educate people on the importance of road safety, especially to and from social get-togethers, events, concerts and festivals.
Advocate Makhosini Msibi, CEO of the Road Traffic Management Corporation, stressed the importance of educating South Africans on road safety.
“This tour is an opportunity to educate South Africans on road safety,” he said. “We always plan trips but we never plan safe trips. We will have a dialogue with South Africans on how to behave on the roads. There is a quote by OR Tambo that says, ‘A nation that does not take care of its youth has no future and does not deserve one’.”
Mafikizolo are moving away from the perception that artists are only entertainers, opening people up to the idea that artists can also be the voice of the people and, in some way, advocates of change in society.
“We are very excited about this tour. When we sat with our management last year, we said we felt since we’ve been so busy travelling and so forth, we haven’t had enough time to give back to the community,” said vocalist Nciza.
The duo have wanted to do a South African tour for months, and while on their travels performing internationally, the idea of a Reunited South African Tour was born.
Among the guests at the launch was Princess Radasi, Keletso Rakumakoe and Brenda Zondo. (Photograph by Yolanda van der Stoep)
(Image: CREDIT: ©Yolanda van der Stoep CAPTION:)Nciza added: “The important thing for us was who to partner with in terms of bringing social responsibility into the tour. Because of the support we’ve received over the years from people supporting us as Mafikizolo, we truly feel that we are who we are because of our community.”
To do this, Mafikizolo chose to partner with one of the most influential foundations in the country: the Nelson Mandela Foundation – which, when approached by the group’s management, was keen to work with the musicians on the tour.
“Besides being on stage and performing, we will also be learning a lot about our cities. Every city has a rich heritage and culture that we will learn about, and in turn go out and educate other people about each city and its heritage,” said Nciza.
Kgosinkwe, the other half of Mafikizolo, said, “Even when we travel outside the continent, we always speak about the Foundation, teaching people wherever we go how important it is to preserve the legacy of Mandela. It will not end with the concerts; I think this is the beginning and we will carry on and continue to try preserve the legacy of uTata.”
The Mafikizolo Reunited South Africa Tour will kick off on 14 March in Pretoria and proceed to Polokwane (28 March), Cape Town (4 April), Bloemfontein (11 April) and Nelson Mandela Bay (18 April) before ending in Johannesburg (27 April).
