ZIBUSISO MAKHATHINI IN VIRTUAL CONCERT

(Zibusiso Makhathini)

iSupport Creative Business, in collaboration with The Luthuli Museum and supported by Concerts SA present Zibusiso Makhathini in a virtual concert titled AfriCanva that is available to watch from February 2.

Zibusiso Makhathini (ZIBUMAC) is a Durban-based jazz pianist, producer and electronic musician. AfriCanva is a collective effort between visual arts and music, where the visual artist is commenting and responding directly to the music and what the music is about. Makhathini worked with Sphephelo Mnguni, a well-known visual artist from Durban.

“AfriCanva aims to diversify and integrate audiences and spark conversations and dialogue between artists and non-artists and artists that practice different art forms. Hopefully, we can feed off each other’s energy, learn from our experience and take our artistry to the next level,” says Makhathini.

Makhathini’s band is accompanied by Dalisu Ndlazi on bass, Riley G on drums, Senzo Ngcobo on trombone and Thabo Sikhakhane on trumpet.

The concert will also include a performance by the poet Percival Mdluli from Uhuru Poetry In Motion Club at The Luthuli Museum with his poem Ezulwini – The Heaven.

From a tender age, Makhathini displayed an undoubtedly strong passion and attraction to music, which manifested and had him fiddling on the piano; the closest instrument he could get his hands on. Having grown up in a musical family, music became an inherent attribute that stood out through his primary and high school, which later influenced him to pursue music as a career by studying and obtaining a degree in music at the University of KwaZulu-Natal Howard College.

Makhathini has worked with various artists in the scene both as a pianist and producer namely, Prof Salim Washington, Joe Kunnuji, Ndabo Zulu, Zoe The Seed, Zethe, Mbuso Khoza, King Sfiso, Benny Maverick, Zakes Bantwini and many more.

This concert is initiated as part of a partnership between The Luthuli Museum and Concerts SA, produced by iSupport Creative Business. The Luthuli Museum is a site of international historical significance. It celebrates the life and legacy of Chief Albert John Mvumbi Luthuli, a human rights champion, an exemplary African leader and the first African to be awarded the 1960 Nobel Peace Prize.

AfriCanva is available to watch from February 2, 2021. Tickets R30 available on https://nationalartsfestival.co.za/show/zibumac-presents-africanva/  where the concert will also be available to view.

THE FUNNY THING ABOUT NORMAN FOREMAN: REVIEW

A charming and inspiring debut novel … The story line is linked together in an engaging, interesting manner. (Review by Christine E Hann)

The Funny Thing about Norman Foreman is both a charming and inspiring debut novel by Julietta Henderson. The story line is linked together in an engaging, interesting manner. One hopes that the writer’s future novels are written in the same manner, as this draws the reader in to the heart of Norman, and his single mother Sadie.

Norman is an awkward, psoriasis ridden 12-year-old. Norman and his friend Jax have a plan to become a comedy duo at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Sadly, life intervenes, and Norman loses his best (and only) friend. At Sadie’s work is Leonard, a pensioner, who is there on a back to work scheme (in true British fashion). As he steps in to help Sadie and her boy, the characters head off on a mission, to work out a) who is Norman’s Father, and b) take on the Fringe Festival.

There are several twists, meanders, and events on route to Edinburgh, that evoke a myriad of emotions in the reader, as you follow the characters on a journey that will change several lives for ever.

Julietta Henderson is a full-time writer who divides her time between her home country Australia and the United Kingdom. She developed her passion for writing when she grew up, producing “magazines” for her school friends and neighbours with her sister. Like many Australians, Henderson went on a working holiday to London, which lasted 10 years. She worked her way through many jobs, and various parts of Europe in this time. She is a fan of comedy, and her first novel reveals this to us.

Did I enjoy this debut novel? Yes, I did. Did I relate to it as a single Mother? Yes indeed. Read on and appreciate a first novel that is a great read.

The Funny Thing about Norman Foreman is published by Penguin Random House UK – 2020. ISBN 9781787633506 - Christine E Hann

 

HOW NOW BROWN COW LAUNCHES THE WRITERS’ COLLECTIVE

A new writing programme, launched by theatre production company How Now Brown Cow, will encourage the creation of 12 new works by South African playwrights.

The company has announced an exciting initiative, The Writers’ Collective, which will present the opportunity for three groups of writers to work with a mentor over a period of four months each and have the platform to each present a first draft of a new stage play which may be considered for production in time to come.

Every block of four writers, over the initial 12-month period, will work with a different, expert mentor and they will receive a monthly stipend to enable their efforts in delivering new ideas and scripts.

The inaugural group of writers will be mentored by BAFTA winner and double Academy Award nominee, William Nicholson, who revised the book and additional lyrics for the iconic South African hit musical King Kong, which was presented at The Fugard Theatre in 2017, winning eight awards.

The participants for the first instalment of The Writers’ Collective, which starts from February 1, 2021, are: Amy Jephta (The Ellen Pakkies Story, Trackers); Karen Jeynes (Everybody Else (Is F*Ucking Perfect), Kiss Kiss); Koleka Putuma (Collective Amnesia, No Easter Sunday For Queers) and Greg Homann (A Voice I Cannot Silence, In Our Skin).

The second group of writers will start from June 1 and will be selected by a process of proposal submissions to the team at How Now Brown Cow. Additional information in this regard will be shared in time.

“We are striving to reinvest in the grassroots of theatre and storytelling by empowering writers during this very difficult time. We are nothing, we have nothing, without stories in the theatre, so we hope that out of this initiative will come some contemporary South African stories that reflect our society and people today,” says Julie-Anne McDowell Hegarty.

“As we enter another potentially challenging and unpredictable year for the arts, we must find ways to continue to inspire creativity, sustain hope and celebrate the talent we have in our country. Writing a play, especially in lockdown, can be a solitary process and so we are delighted to be able to present an opportunity to provide feedback and mentorship with The Writers’ Collective, in preparation for the time when we can take a play from page to stage,” says Daniel Galloway.

How Now Brown Cow was founded last year by actress, writer, and publicist Julie-Anne McDowell Hegarty. Daniel Galloway, former Managing Director and Producer of The Fugard Theatre, acts as General Manager and Associate Producer alongside Hegarty. Based in South Africa, this professional theatre production company is committed to presenting a range of world-class productions which aims to commission, enable and empower South African theatre practitioners.

How Now Brown Cow can be followed on the following social media platforms:

Website: www.hownowbrowncow.co.za

Facebook: How Now Brown Cow Productions

Instagram:  hownowbrowncow_productions

LinkedIn: How Now Brown Cow Productions

DSTV HIGHLIGHTS JANUARY 29 - FEBRUARY 4

There’s something for everyone with this week’s wide variety of entertainment – only on DStv.

Here are some of the highlights:

Charlie’s Angels (Action Comedy)

Sunday, January 31 on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) at 20h05

A reboot of the 1970s series and 2000s films, this updated version follows four women who investigate and take down terrorist threats. When a young engineer blows the whistle on a dangerous technology, the Angels are called to action. Starring Kristen Stewart, Cameron Diaz, Elizabeth Banks and Ella Balinski, this remake features a soundtrack by Sia and action scenes directed by Banks herself.

 

Outlander S5

Starts Saturday, January 30 on M-Net City (DStv Channel 115) at 21h40

The season starts with a wedding and flashback to Jamie and Claire’s (Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe, respectively) wedding. But the peace won’t last, and not just because the American Revolutionary War is around the corner and Jamie and Claire are both battling with divided loyalties. Claire’s medical practice, including her desperate struggle to find a reliable way of manufacturing penicillin, will set her up for a horrific confrontation in the season finale when someone believes that what she is doing is in defiance of God’s will.

 

Walker S1

Tuesday, February 2 on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) at 19h30

This brand-new series is a reboot of the Chuck Norris action series Walker, Texas Ranger, with Supernatural’s Jared Padalecki in the lead role of the grief-stricken widowed Texas Ranger Cordell Walker. Look out for Jared’s real-life wife, Genevieve, as Cordell’s murdered wife Emily, who is a ghostly presence as Walker becomes obsessed with working out how and why she really died. Walker isn’t a “spinning kick to the face first, ask questions later” kind of guy this time round, but he still has his own moral compass.

 

For Life S2B

Tuesday, February 2 on 1Magic (DStv Channel 103) at 20h30

The drama about Aaron Wallace, a man who studied to become a lawyer while he was behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit, is back from production break with episode 6, in which COVID-19 strikes Bellmore Prison. Aaron returns to the prison to see how he can help, while Marie must choose between potentially exposing her family to COVID-19 or leaving her hospital job.

 

Blindspot S5

Wednesday, February 3 on M-Net City (DStv Channel 115) at 19h10

Last season, Madeline framed the team as the suspects in a far-reaching corruption case. As the new season begins, she uses her influence to create a civilian oversight committee – a team that polices the FBI. With her place in the organisation fully cemented, she wiggles her way into the position of Director of Federal Law Enforcement. And as the big, big boss, she turns up the heat on the team and goes to extreme measures, including banding together with terrorists, to get them out of her hair for good.

 

The Victim S1

Starts Thursday, February 4 on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) at 21h30

A tasty British crime thriller! In this four-episode series set in Scotland, grieving mom Anna (Kelly Macdonald) is on trial for inciting violence when she posts online that a local bus driver is really the man who murdered her child and now living under an assumed identity. The bus driver’s lawyer has his own axe to grind, having been falsely accused of a crime himself. The series digs into what happens when people have had their trial, but feel that justice has not been served.

DEATH OF SIBONGILE KHUMALO

(Sibongile Khumalo)

South Africa has lost a true musical legend with the death of world-celebrated and awarded singer, Sibongile Khumalo, who has died at the age of 63 after what has been described as a “lengthy period of illness”.

Khumalo was completely at ease with a wide range from music from opera and jazz to traditional South African music. She was acknowledged with the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Music in 1993. Other awards include four South African Music Awards and three FNB Vita Awards.

BONGANI TEMBE TRIBUTE:

Bongani Tembe, CEO and Artistic Director of the Johannesburg and KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestras, pays tribute:

“The South African music world has lost a rare talent. Sibongile Khumalo excelled in both jazz, traditional and western classical music. She performed a number of times with distinction with both the Johannesburg and KZN Philharmonic Orchestras.

As a singer myself, I had the privilege of performing side by side on stage with her a number of times and indeed she was so gifted and inimitable. Our deepest sympathies to her family and may her soul rest in peace.

Bongani Tembe, on behalf of the Johannesburg and KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestras

 

RAMOLL BUGWANDEEN TRIBUTE:

Durban jazz impresario Ramoll Bugwandeen sends this message to Khumbalo’s daughter, Ayanda.

Hi, Ayanda, my sincere condolences to the family. It is with great pain in the heart we hear of the passing away of your mum. May the Lord grant the family strength to cope during these difficult times.

It certainly was a pleasure knowing and working with your mum for well over 25 years. She is undoubtedly one of South Africa’s great jazz divas and history stands as testimony with regard to what can be termed as relevant South African music and culture with tunes like Untold Story, Ngibizwe.Little Girl, U Fa Kae Thula Mama and many more.

Go well, Sibongile Khumalo, you are our most revered lady of song. We will miss you, rest in peace,Mama. May the lord shower you with his ceaseless mercy.

Jazz impresario Ramoll Bugwandeen, Moon Hotel, Durban.

 

To see a You Tube video of Sibongile Khumalo performing at the Market Theatre visit https://youtu.be/-6DFirWD7iU

 

PETITION FOR MINISTER TO RESIGN OR BE REPLACED

Join more than 1,200 colleagues in the arts who have already signed the petition for the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture to resign or be replaced.

Petition’s initial sponsors:

Gregory Maqoma, Sylvaine Strike, Faniswa Yisa, Ismail Mahomed, Warren Nebe, Lesego van Niekerk, Yvette Hardie, Daniel Galloway, Ipeleng Merafe, Sbonakaliso Ndaba, Alex Sutherland, Liam Anthony, Mike van Graan, Jackie Rens, Lee Sophia Piedt, Malika Ndlovu

#NathiMustGo

Mike van Graan’s statement reads:

We, the undersigned artists, arts organisations and individuals who seek to make our living within the theatre sector, and more broadly, within the South African arts ecosystem, hereby call upon Mr Nathi Mthethwa to resign as Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture by 31 January 2021. Failing this, we call upon President Ramaphosa to replace Mr Mthethwa in February 2021.

On Friday 15 January 2021, Minister Mthethwa tweeted “South African theatre is alive and well with performing arts institutions of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture such as @ArtscapeTheatre, @MarketTheatre, @PACOFS3, @DurbanPlayhouse, @statetheatre and @WindybrowTheatr (sic) offering an array of indigenous drama and dance etc”

Not only is this tweet patently untrue – these theatres have generally had dark stages for months due to lockdown regulations, with some offering filmed recordings of productions – the tweet (now removed) reflects how ignorant the minister is of the theatre landscape in the country and underscores his lack of understanding of, and empathy with the enormous losses within the arts sector over the last ten months.

We wake up almost daily to reports of artists – including many theatre and dance practitioners – having succumbed to COVID-19. Many more have lost family, friends and colleagues which has impacted adversely on their emotional well-being. Some of the country’s most active theatres in providing work and income for artists such as the Fugard Theatre, the Baxter Theatre Centre and Theatre on the Square have been shut for extended periods. Festivals – important producers of new work and key platforms for theatre-makers to generate income – have been cancelled. Those that have gone online have not been able to secure anywhere near the remuneration for artists that live festivals have done in the past. The loss of income for many theatre-makers has had, and is having a devastating impact on their mental, emotional and physical health. Most are independent contractors dependent on freelance work, unlike those employed in subsidized theatres who receive income and social benefits whether they stage productions or not.

The relief funding made available by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture – while welcomed – came with bureaucratic hoops that excluded many and was simply a drop in the ocean in terms of the needs within the sector.

To say that “theatre is alive and well” is to reflect an ivory tower position of privilege that is completely out of touch with reality.

Theatre will live – not because of the Minister or because of the few theatres subsidized by the state – but it is not well.

Theatre and the arts generally could be in a far better space both during the pandemic and beyond, if we had a minister who showed an interest in and who understands the sector, and who engages with it in order to ensure the best interests of its practitioners and all those who seek to make their livelihoods within it.

We do not call on Nathi Mthethwa to resign or to be replaced simply because of his insensitive tweet, but because the tweet reflects our long experience of the Minister as incompetent, aloof and out of touch.

His tweet mentions five theatres, four of which were inherited from the apartheid era, and twenty-six years later, the Department has continued to privilege these theatres and their locations and has not made subsidized theatre spaces available in Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West and Northern Cape.

It took the Minister the whole of his first five-year tenure to revise the White Paper on Arts, Culture and Heritage, and the revised White Paper is still not being implemented.

The Minister and Department created and continues to foist an illegitimate body – Cultural and Creative Industries Federation of South Africa (CCIFSA) – as the representative structure for the creative sector when it has no membership, no credibility and no support from the major formations created by artists themselves.

PACOFS and the Market Theatre – two theatres subsidized by the Department – have experienced debilitating governance challenges, at least some of it due to the Minister’s appointment of council members despite being informed that they had abused the public resources of these institutions.

These are just some of numerous charges laid against the Minister and the Department in a dossier compiled by the Theatre Collective which was submitted to parliament last year.

There is little in our post-1994 history to make us believe that those in positions of political power who do not deliver on or who fail dismally in executing their responsibilities, resign or are replaced. That Nathi Mthethwa was the minister of police responsible for the Marikana massacre, a massive blot on our post-apartheid democracy, still occupies a ministerial position, confirms this lack of belief in democratic accountability in our country.

But this will not deter us from asserting our democratic rights, to raising our voice and to acting in our collective interests as a sector.

Accordingly, we call on the Minister to resign forthwith, failing which, we call on President Ramaphosa to launch ‘a new dawn’ for arts and culture by exercising his right to replace the Minister, as well as the leadership of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture that has been complicit in the failures of the Department and the minister for the last number of years.

We are keen and willing to work with a new minister and a new leadership of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture in building a vibrant, sustainable arts and culture sector that serves all our people and that forges mutually beneficial relationships globally.

To support this petition, click on the link below and fill in your details (name, practice within the sector, email address and province). Share this petition and the hashtag #NathiMustGo widely.

https://forms.gle/KroXWRVpgc6GEZTU7

Mike Van Graan

art27m@iafrica.com or 082 900 3349

MVG Productions - http://www.mikevangraan.co.za

FINDING BEAUTY, INSPIRING HOPE

(Lauriana Glenny)

Finding Beauty, Inspiring Hope is the title of a solo exhibition by Lauriana Glenny to be held at the Stepping Stone Studios.

Finding Beauty, Inspiring Hope is a collection of oils on canvas and luxurious charcoal drawings by Glenny which celebrates the idea of finding beauty in the unexpected, the overlooked, the everyday, the mundane and the forgotten

Lauriana Glenny (Laurie) has worn many different creative hats since graduating as a Fine Art student from the Technikon Natal in Durban in 1994.

“Whilst the artworks may seem totally diverse in their subject matter- a scorched hill in the Midlands; a snippet of a view seen through a moving train window; an abandoned station in the middle of Italy; a wet, rainy road in downtown Durban- the idea that links them all is this concept of paying attention to our surroundings, to the immediate environment we find ourselves in at any particular given moment in time.

“And to pause long enough to consider finding beauty where you perhaps thought there was none,” Glenny explains.

Her style is loose and expressive, but always grounded in reality, with strong observation skills and good, sound drawing at its base. She enjoys capturing an intuitive and emotional response to her subject matter and tries to express this through her mark-making and the layering of paint and other media.

Glenny has been exploring a series of portraits in more detail, and the concept of the landscape as the metaphor for man’s unification of his soul with nature has motivated her to look more closely at both urban and nature-inspired landscapes.

She sees her role as an artist as being a contemporary architect of hope to a broken and troubled world, with her creativity being inspired by the Spirit of God to breathe life into seemingly hopeless situations.

That is how the theme of her upcoming #exhibition, Finding Beauty, Inspiring Hope came about.

The exhibition is the first formal show to be hosted at the intimate new gallery at the beautiful Stepping Stone Studios in Assagay (in the Shongweni area) – working studio of Greg Hayes, master framer, purveyor of bespoke mirrors and dealer in fine art. The studio specialises in archival museum standard framing using only the best quality materials and employing internationally accepted framing practices modified to suit Durban’s humid and hot conditions. The studio is open to private customers and to the hospitality and décor industries.

The exhibition runs until the end of February. Visitors are welcome to visit the Stepping Stone Studios and Gallery in Assagay: view by appointment.

There will be a walkabout with the artist at noon on January 30, 2021. Numbers will be limited, Covid protocols will be in place and refreshments will be served.

Stepping Stone Studios is situated in 2 Castle Road (entrance corner of Assagay and Castle Road - enter through what feels like a building site. It is the property behind the one being built.)

To book to view the exhibition or join the walkabout, contact Laurie on 084 206 1345 or Greg 083 946 9094 during office hours.

CHRISTOPHER DUIGAN AT HOME

(Christopher Duigan)

Christopher Duigan and his Music Revival organisation offer live-streams on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 18h00.

“There has been fantastic feedback on several of our recent programmes: watch World Cafe, In Concert with period paintings of the great composers along with digital renderings, and Pages from Grandmother's Piano Album. Of course you can view all these at YouTube. If you have a good internet connection and prefer premium sound and video quality VIMEO is your best choice!” says Duigan.

See below for details of the forthcoming programmes:

January 27 No. 87: PIANO HOUR Play It Again!

A 'by request' session compiled of audience favourites as requested by the viewer.

 

January 30 No. 88: IN CONCERT Songs of Hope

A programme of classical piano music with gentle, comforting and uplifting moods by Mozart, Schubert, Chopin, Brahms and Debussy.

 

February 3 No. 89: PIANO HOUR Tales of Intrigue

Enjoy a choice of light classics linked by a series of intriguing stories and popular anecdotes!

 

February 6 No. 90: IN CONCERT Concert Classics

Another classical selection of concert music by Schumann, Liszt, Ravel and more.

 

February 10 No. 91: PIANO HOUR Around the World

Duigan’s focus turns to world music in varied styles and genres, plus his own compositions and improvisations.

 

February 13 No. 92: IN CONCERT Music and Images

A unique selection of concert music accompanied by images of the personal scores of selected composers. Duigan peruses the original manuscripts to see what they actually wrote down!

 

Music Revival would welcome financial support - please make all contributions to:

Music Revival: Nedbank Acc: 1340436582 Hayfields Branch: 134025

DYR BACK A BUDDY CAMPAIGN 2021

(The DYR team with Kevin in the front row on the extreme right)

Durban Youth Radio needs your help!

Durban Youth Radio, known as DYR, broadcasts in the greater Durban metro on 105.1FM, and online.

As a NPO and a community radio station their mandate is to train the local youth in broadcasting and to date over 22 of their volunteer trainees have moved into paid jobs and careers in commercial radio and media.

DYR is entirely self-funded and over the last four years they've grown and moved to new studios in Florida Road and changed the station sound to create a new landscape for radio fans and music connoisseurs, challenging the prescribed radio formats that people are tired of. They are major fans and supporters of rising Durban musicians, artists, performers, young entrepreneurs, charities and other notable causes.

"While we are not in danger of closing, we are indeed in a dire situation and in need of support from the community that we have served, loved and entertained in the new DYR format over the last five years,” says head of marketing and training, Kevin Minter-Brown.

“DYR has become one of Durban’s most loved radio stations. Few people know that nobody at DYR receives a salary. Everybody who works or trains at DYR is a volunteer.

“Almost everyone on air is actually in constant training, readying themselves for a possible, hopeful career in the wonderful world of broadcasting,” says Minter-Brown who is also breakfast show host, where most staff get trained.

“We’ve helped at least 22 youngsters over the last few years to get employment, mostly in radio, but many within the entertainment or news industry, and helped with the careers of countless young musicians, artists, actors, entrepreneurs and more with our endless and fantastic interviews with the people who are the future of this city that we love.

“We rely mostly on private funding, with some revenue from advertising, but with very little going on right now, we could use all the help we can get to continue doing our important work, playing incredible music – much of it not heard on any other radio stations, and being the voice of an important new audience, “Minter-Brown adds.

“Right now, due to the pandemic, we are behind in our rent and bills, most of our advertising revenue came from Durban based businesses, many of whom are struggling themselves right now.

“We have been through countless challenges over the last five years while I have been at the station, and we have overcome all of them. But right now we need the help of the community we serve.

“To this end, DYR has started a crowd-funding campaign to raise the much-needed money to keep the station afloat. Any and all contributions will go towards administrative costs, to help us to keep our studios open and continue our journey in providing a powerful platform for the youth of Durban to find employment and find their voice,” said Minter-Brown.

To contribute to DYR’s campaign, visit:

www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/keep-dyr-on-ai

CALL FOR AUDITIONS PMB & SURROUNDING AREAS BASED ACTORS

Deadline: Applications for audition close on January 30, 2021.

The Actor Collaborative Training Programme is holding auditions for actors based in Pietermaritzburg and surrounding areas

The Actor Collaborative Training Programme (ACT-PRO) is an eight-week intensive Actor Training programme and Job Creation Programme that aims at catering for youth. This programme aims at making Performing Arts training accessible to the community and the disadvantaged communities around rural areas of uMgungundlovu District Municipality.

The participants will have classes in the following:

 -Acting Technique

-Theatre Making

-Dance

-Voice Training

-Physical Theatre

Participants must be between the ages of 18 and 35 years.

The Actor Collaborative Training Programme is supported by The National Arts Council of South Africa through the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme. Apply only if you live in Pietermaritzburg and uMgungundlovu District.

Applications for audition close on January 30, 2021.

Click on the link for an online application: https://forms.gle/kZdRQjvWvwXY26XL8

All COVID19 precautionary measures will be observed. No mask no entry

 

HLENGIWE DUBE & VUYOLWETHU NDAKISA ONLINE EXHIBITION

Featured on the KZN Gallery’s online gallery this week are artists Hlengiwe Dube and Vuyolwethu Ndakisa.

(Left: Beaded peacock collar necklace / titanium by Hlengiwe Dube)

Hlengiwe Dube is a KwaZulu-Natal based artist who specialises in beadwork and woven telephone wire platters. Her intricate designs and use of contemporary colour palettes elevates her traditional craft to world renown design. She has exhibited all over South Africa and abroad in Australia, Germany, USA, France and Brazil.

The Preciosa glass bead necklace handcrafted by Hlengiwe Dube is 35 x 30cm and costs R855.00, tax included.

(Right: “The Faces I Put On, On Different Occasions” #6 by Vuyolwethu Ndakisa)

Vuyolwethu Ndakisa is concerned with the everyday life of South African women and the home. She is interested in everyday objects and their underlying meaning, and uses fabric and stitching as well as sculpture and photography as mediums. Much of the work is text-based and presents itself as an installation referencing significant rituals. Ndakisa mounted her first solo exhibition, Siyaqhuba, at the KZNSA as part of the Young Artist Project.

The Faces I Put On, On Different Occasions” #6 featured above is made of terracotta clay and glaze and measures 19 x 18 cm. The price is R7,667.00, tax included.

For more information, visit kznsa.co.za

 

 

 

COMPLACENCY-20 DUT GRADUATE EXHIBITION

The KZNSA Gallery kickstarts its 2021 exhibition calendar with fresh talent from the Durban University of Technology. Complacency-20, a graduate exhibition of work by DUT’s Fine Art and Jewellery Design students.

The ‘hard lockdown’ phenomenon that came into effect as an attempt by governments to drastically curb the spread of the virus across all the affected nations has often been based on one simple criterion i.e. ‘only essential services will open’. 

As harsh as this was, this criterion meant that the visual arts sector, particularly Fine Arts, had to confront the painful realization of being regarded as ‘non-essential’. For art students and educators at the Durban University of Technology Fine Arts programme – and for other institutions, too - this painful realisation prompted soul-searching as to the role and value of what they do in a new world brought about by COVID-19.

This exhibition can be viewed by appointment only.

Complacency-20 is open for viewing by appointment until Sunday, January 31 at 12h00. The gallery is closed on Mondays. Contact gallery@kznsagallery.co.za for queries or bookings.

KZNSA observes Level 3 protocols for Covid-19, including social distancing and screening. Patrons are obliged to wear a face mask.

The KZNSA Gallery is situated at 166 Bulwer Road, Glenwood, in Durban. More information on 031 277 1705 or cell 082 220 0368 or visit www.kznsa.co.za

 

@DURBAN.031 COMMUNITY CONTENT COLLABORATIONS

The @Durban.031 Community is reaching out to local artists, photographers and small businesses to assist them with Content Collaborations. They will be featuring selected works on their Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn Channels.

@Durban.031 is an OnlineCommunity News and Information provider that distributes relevant and reliable publications to the City of eThekwini.

They have a strong community following of around 55K+ Durban residents and have a monthly reach of between 1 to 2 Million views across their networks.

During 2021, they will be partnering with various content creators to help contribute to their entertainment, art and lifestyle publications on their platform.

For more information contact community@marketing031.durban

 

DSTV ACCESS CUSTOMERS ACCESS TO NOVELA MAGIC

(Above: The cast of “Riona”)

As part of M-Net and MultiChoice’s ongoing commitment to broaden the accessibility and entertainment value of its content offerings, Novela Magic on DStv channel 165 will be made available to DStv Access customers from January 22, 2021 at 18h00. That means, together with DStv Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, and Family customers, DStv Access viewers can now experience the best of Africa.

Launched last year in November, Novel Magic celebrates Africa’s love for storytelling as well as the local creative talent by showcasing a variety of unique local stories with themes that resonate and engage with the viewers. The channel is MultiChoice and M-Net’s first-ever African only telenovela channel.

Along with the expansion to DStv Access customers, the exciting telenovela channel continues its mission of delivering the best African stories with the launch of Enakhe and Riona on January 22, 2021.

In Enakhe, the rebellious princess of a criminal empire, Enakhe, is forced to grow up and take the lead upon her father's sudden death.

Meanwhile, Riona tells a story of a village under siege and an uprising. Two children born under the dark moon cross a complicated path on their way to fulfil a prophesy set to bring down a wicked king.

Novela Magic is currently only available in the Southern African region. However, plans are underway to roll out the channel to other regions of the African continent. Dates will be communicated.

HISTORY® With The Stars

(Left: Laurence Fishburne)

The HISTORY® Channel Africa kicks off the year with a  jam-packed schedule featuring some of the biggest Hollywood stars including Morgan Freeman, Laurence Fishburne, Tim Allen, and fan favourite William Shatner. Music lovers can also look forward to brand new and exclusive documentaries on rock icons like Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks and Ozzy Osbourne, as well as the late King of Reggae, Bob Marley.

Laurence Fishburne kickstarts the year with History’s Greatest Mysteries on Sundays from January 24 at 19h25. Fishburne, an Academy Award® nominee and Emmy Award® winner, hosts and narrates the series with his inimitable deep authoritative voice and effortless ‘cool’ factor. The self-proclaimed history buff, known for his love of a good mystery gets to probe incredible discoveries and examine the greatest mysteries of the past in an attempt to change history as we know it. Each episode delves deeper into mysteries that have confounded many for years, from the most famous ship disaster in history - the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 - to the biggest enigma in UFO history in the US,  some 70 years later…

The month of May sees the return of history’s successful “Icons of Music” stunt. Titles that focus on legendary artists include Paul McCartney: Wings of a Beatle, Bob Marley: Roots of a Man and Mick Jagger: A Knight to Remember. Each once-off special explores the rise in their music career and road to stardom, and goes on to reveal how they changed the face of music forever. Their legacy continues to date as some still produce music, and in the case of energetic 77 year-old Mick Jagger and his band the Rolling Stones, continue to fill the world’s biggest stadiums, until Covid halted their plans. Icons also featuring include Ozzy Osbourne: Throne of Darkness  who shows why at 72, he is the ultimate physical embodiment of rock and roll and the great Stevie Nicks: Wild at Heart, prolific frontwoman of Fleetwood Mac, who has also endeared herself with her solo efforts.

Next up in July, it’s for the return of Tim the Toolman! Aficionados of the 90s sitcom Home Improvement, will get the chance to see the affable co-stars Tim Allen and Richard Karn return to the small screen for Assembly Required in July. The duo will oversee a competition series that feature builders from across the US as they work to fix and upgrade a myriad of household items. The show will not only focus on the competition but will explore the history of the items being built by the competitors.

Mysteries of a very different kind are also explored with the return of the seasoned William Shatner with a second season of The UnXplained in October. The first season attracted audiences worldwide who were drawn in by Shatner’s signature style and the non-sensational way he explored the world’s most fascinating, strange and inexplicable secrecies. The iconic Star Trek captain and “most inquisitive man in Hollywood” explores how the seemingly impossible can actually happen. The new season continues with contributions from scientists, historians, and first-hand witnesses.

Shatner will also feature in a special episode of the popular Ancient Aliens series in Ancient Aliens Meets William Shatner set to premiere in November. The special sees Shatner doing what he does best:  exploring the controversial theory that extra-terrestrials have been visiting earth for millions of years as he closely examines all the evidence, sacred texts, and the decades of cover-up around some of the most iconic alien encounters in history.

Morgan Freeman rounds off a star-studded year with Great Escapes With Morgan Freeman. The six-part series premiering in November will look at famous jailbreaks with dramatic recreations and dynamic storytelling. The show will reveal in detail history’s greatest convict escapes from some of the most notorious prisons in the world. Each episode will examine famous jailbreaks and historic escapes, unearthing every step of an inmate’s meticulous plan, the escape route and the intense manhunt that immediately followed. “I’ve been inside the minds of prisoners in my acting career, and I’m looking forward to stepping inside the most notorious prisons in the world, like Alcatraz, Sing Sing, Rikers Island and Leavenworth. Audiences will feel like they’re making the escapes themselves as I walk them into a virtual world and through the greatest escapes in history,” said Freeman.

Tune in all year to The HISTORY® Channel Africa on DStv 186 to delve into the epic lives of your favourite musical icons and catch the crème de la crème of Hollywood as they navigate unsolved mysteries, great escapes and the history of household items that have changed the world.

RHUMBELOW THEATRE DESPERATELY NEEDS FUNDS

Roland Stansell of the Rhumbelow Theatre which runs various venues in Durban and the surrounding area announces that The Rhumbelow is getting creative with new ideas.

“If you are a regular supporter and enjoy watching some of our LIVE & ONLINE SHOWS, then this option is for you, as it will save you huge money during the year, whilst helping the Theatre stay afloat. Ideally we need 12 VIP members on a rolling monthly basis to cover our monthly fixed overheads. BIG SAVINGS OVER THE YEAR - see above value, depending how often you attend.

“We need to raise R5,000.00 per month to survive to pay monthly overheads ie Insurance and our social media networking including our mailing system, otherwise we sadly will become another COVID BUSINESS STATISTIC.

“Before the December season we invested in COVID FOGGING FLUID, HAZER FLUID for our lighting, batteries for microphones in line with the number of shows that we had planned over the December-February period. Approx R 15,000-00. We still have in reserve the funds raised for the chairs at Tina's. Aside from that we have R100-00 in the bank.

“As we all know, nearly half of our Dec shows where cancelled, there are no shows running during this period - January & February - and all things being equal we hope to open at the end of February. Until then we need to generate revenue through a couple of means:

1) Support our Rhumbelow Theatre LOSS SERIES (Lockdown Online Streaming Shows)

2) Encourage our supporters who can afford to make us a donation to cover these costs

3) We have launched a VIP MEMBERSHIP - which will bring cash in now with the VIP Member receiving benefits over a 12 month period. This will give us immediate monthly cash flow to survive.

If you would like to watch some of our LOSS SERIES, DONATE MONEY or become a VIP member then email us for a list of shows available (roland@stansell.co.za) Over 100 shows available. Please email us how many are watching with a min donation of R100-00 per head and we will send you the shows link.

“Please support this initiative to keep the Rhumbelow afloat and it will help the relevant performers keep bread and butter on the table. EMAIL roland@stansell.co.za”

All donations welcome Banking Details for Rhumbelow Theatre Branch Code : NEDBANK MUSGRAVE 130126 Generic Branch Code : 198 765 Acc No : 2301348474 (SAVINGS) Name Of Account : Rhumbelow Theatre Fax for Deposit Slip : 086 685 0300 (if not electronic transfer)

"HEALTH WARNING: The quality of video recordings and the age and size of performers may vary depending on when the video was recorded.”

Follow Rhumbelow on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RHUMBELOW-THEATRE-24998631016/ or Instagram - @therhumbelow or Twitter - @rhumbelow2001

CAN YOU MAKE THIS THING GO FASTER?: REVIEW

“Can You Make This Thing Go Faster?” is Jeremy Clarkson at his very best and will not only appeal to his committed fans but will be enjoyed by all who appreciate unconventional humour. (Review by Keith Millar)

Jeremy Clarkson, writer, journalist, and broadcaster is probably best known as that crazy petrol head from the BBC motoring show, Top Gear, of which he was the undoubted star until his departure a few years ago after one too many altercations.

Opinionated, caustic, mischievous and irreverent, he is the absolute epitome of a grumpy old man. The only difference is that he is very funny and fabulously entertaining along with it. His version of the Top Gear show was so popular that it is still repeated ad infinitum on the BBC Brit TV channel.

Of course, he is not only a broadcaster he is also a prolific writer and has published a whole host of books.

Amongst them are several compilations of the articles he writes for his regular column in the British Sunday Times newspaper. Can you Make This Thing Go Faster? is his eighth book in this series.

At the outset it must be said that his utterings in this book are typically Clarkson. So it goes without saying that they are absolutely off the wall, wickedly funny and in many cases rather insightful.

There are no less than 77 articles in this compilation, all from 2018 and 2019.

Other than still making wacky motoring shows for Amazon TV along with his friends, Richard Hammond and James May, Clarkson has acquired a farm in Chipping Norton in the Cotswolds which he has named Diddly Squat farm - and these days he regards himself as a gentleman farmer.

The cover of this book shows him appropriately dressed as said gentleman farmer and sitting in front of a Masse Ferguson tractor. The title is self-explanatory as Clarkson is always trying to make any vehicle go faster.

However, despite the cover and the title, the book does not have much to do with his farming activities. Only a few of the articles discuss his farming experiences. Although there is apparently a TV series in the making about Clarkson’s farm.  That is something to look forward to.

The book rather discusses any subject that may be topical in a particular week. So issues like Brexit are recurring while the leader of the labour party, Jeremy Corbyn gets absolutely hammered and even Boris Johnson gets roasted.

Other subjects include The Downside of relaxing in a bath of crude oil; Why fishing is for people who hate their kids; Why saving the planet means soggy straws and no more children; Whether there are noise-cancelling headphones with the power to silence James May, and Scottish independence.

I found that sometimes the subject matter was a little too homegrown to fully understandable but the usual Clarkson exasperation and frustration - and his vintage left field wit - still makes it most enjoyable.

Can You Make This Thing Go Faster? is Jeremy Clarkson at his very best and will not only appeal to his committed fans but will be enjoyed by all who appreciate unconventional humour.

Can You Make This Thing Go Faster? is published by Michael Joseph (Penguin Random House) The ISBN is 978-0-241-46448-9 (Paperback). The recommended retail price is R350. – Keith Millar

 

DStv HIGHLIGHTS JANUARY 22 - 28

(Leonardo DiCaprio & Brad Pitt appear in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”)

Could the sinking of the Titanic come down to the mythical lack of binoculars on the boat? It’s 109 years later and we’re still trying to uncover the secrets behind one of History’s Greatest Mysteries - which is why it’s the perfect topic for the Laurence Fishburne-narrated series. In the first episode, the Emmy Award winner looks at the cover-ups behind the cruiser and reveals the contents of a box that’s been sealed since the sinking.

Here are some of the DStv highlights for January 22 to 28, 2021:

Lioness S1

January 28 on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) at 20h20

A life-altering exploration into relationships, lost love, betrayal, heartache, evil and revenge – this is a story about people who lie to each other and to themselves. Be prepared for a thrilling South African drama set in the world of corporate crime, greed and financial scams. A woman is wrongly convicted of fraud and, in the process, loses her children. She emerges from prison eight years later, intent on reuniting with her family and clearing her name.

Harvie and the Magic Museum (Animated Adventure)

January 23 on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) at 16h00

Harvie, a smart but lively boy, is looking for some adventure. He misses a school trip and has to spend the day at his father’s work - at the local puppet museum. Harvie discovers that a way to make the puppets in an old museum come to life. Just as he begins to enjoy his new friends, he realises that a dangerous old puppet master is on the loose. Harvie and his father must stop the evil Bastor before it’s too late.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Comedy Drama)

January 24 on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) at 20h30

Set in 1969, Quentin Tarantino's epic tale of the rise and fall of the first Golden Age of Hollywood sees Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt shine in a collage of life-meets-art. The film marries lore and history to tell the tale of an actor struggling to find his place in established Hollywood and his stunt double who is looking for attention from his own name. Other big names include Margaret Qualley, Luke Perry, Dakota Fanning and Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate, complete with flashbacks to her acting days.

Belgravia S1

January 25 on BBC Brit (DStv Channel 120) at 20h00

For those who enjoyed the award-winning Downton Abbey, this limited series will be a real treat. Creator Julian Fellowes’ latest project is sure to be peppered with drama and dry wit. Set in late 19th-century London, it tells a sweeping story of an ambitious young heroine who defies convention to establish herself as the leading society photographer of her day.

History’s Greatest Mysteries

January 24 on History (DStv Channel 186) at 20h15

Master narrator Laurence Fishburne hosts a new series about some of the unanswered questions to some of the world’s greatest events. When the RMS Titanic sank, over 1,600 people died. Possibly the most famous maritime disaster of all time, it is still commemorated in films and books today. The sinking of the Titanic prompted an investigation by Lord Mersey, a respected British jurist who was chosen to lead an official British inquiry into what had happened. For more than a century, Lord Mersey's notes have remained hidden away – unseen by anyone outside his family. Breaking history, they are about to be revealed for the first time.

Two Sentence Horror Stories S1

Starts on January 22 on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) at 22h30

This nine-episode horror anthology series tells a different twisted tale in each episode, which can be summed up in chilling phrases like, “She was stiff and cold in my arms. And then the doll blinked,” or "I didn't lock my door that night. It made it so much easier to catch my prey." The show covers many genres of horror and common fears, from straight-forward home-invasion thrillers and serial killers, to ghost stories, doppelgangers and body horror. Perfect for fans of The Twilight Zone.

Titanic’s Lost Evidence S1

Watch on January 24 on History (DStv Channel 186) at 20h15

Lord Mersey, the British jurist and politician who was appointed to investigate the sinking of Titanic in 1912 (he was also responsible for investigating the sinking of the Lusitania), kept his personal notes on the incident. They’ve stayed neglected in his manor house in a dust-covered box for the past 107 years. Now, for the first time, the History channel has secured the rights to open the box and track the course of his investigation, including interviews with shipping officials and architects, survivors and the rescuers.

The Stand S1

January, 25 on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) at 22h30

Based on Stephen King’s 1978 apocalyptic horror-fantasy novel of the same name, The Stand is set in a plague-stricken world where the forces of good and evil are engaged in battle over the scraps of humanity who’ve survived. On the side of good is 108-year-old Mother Abigail (Whoopi Goldberg), who guides a handful of survivors, including ordinary factory worker Stu Redman (James Marsden). On the side of evil: Randal Flagg (Alexander Skarsgård), the Dark Man with a sinister smile, who has supernatural powers.

The Oval S2

Starts on January 27 on BET (DStv Channel 129) at 22h30

Tyler Perry’s deliciously spicy White House drama promises scandal galore for philandering President Hunter Franklin and the First Lady with an axe, Victoria Franklin. All the action in the upcoming 22 episodes will take place over three to four days, so expect a major political and personal uproar. There’s plenty in the season 1 finale that could get there, from ex-Press Secretary Diana’s explosive tell-all press conference to the Franklins’ son, Jason, murdering White House staffer Jean and stuffing her corpse under his bed.

Blindspot S5

Starts on January 27 on M-Net City (DStv Channel 115) at 19h10

As season 4 ended, Madeline framed the team as the suspects in a far-reaching corruption case. And as the new season begins, she uses her influence to create a civilian oversight committee – a team that polices the FBI. With her place in the organisation fully cemented, she wiggles her way into the position of Director of Federal Law Enforcement. And as the big, big boss, she turns up the heat on the team and goes to extreme measures, including banding together with terrorists, to get them out of her hair for good.

Wild Bill S1

Starts on January 28 on 1Magic (DStv Channel 103) at 21h30

Former US Police chief Bill Hixon (Rob Lowe) relocates from Miami to rural Lincolnshire in the UK after he's fired for beating up a boy who posted sexual images of his 14-year-old daughter, Kelsey (Aloreia Spencer), online. This dramedy follows Bill as he tries whipping the local cops into shape, with the help of eager-beaver trainee detective Muriel Yeardsley (Bronwyn James). Through it all, Bill investigates every crime the British countryside can offer – from corpses in Dead Man’s Wood to heads in freezers and bodies in suitcases.

 

DStv Disclaimer: Please note these broadcast details are subject to change. Keep checking your TV Guide on dstv.co.za for the most up-to-date details or press “OK” on your remote while watching any channel. You can also visit the press portal at https://multchoice.bynder.com/ to download images and more comprehensive highlights for the month.

BASA’S SUPPORTING GRANTS PROGRAMME 2021

(Charmaine Soobramoney: BASA Chairman & Ashraf Johaardien: BASA CEO. Photos by Theana Breugem)

Deadline: January 22, 2021

In 2021, BASA’s Supporting Grants Programme continues to synergise business and art relationships and is currently open for applications.

Since inception, Business and Arts South Africa NPC (BASA) has been a significant catalyst and connector, both cementing and amplifying powerful partnerships between more than 1,600 business and arts partners, to effect meaningful social change.

“Over the years, volatile economic conditions have incrementally increased the pressure on business to justify the value and benefit of partnering with the creative sector, as arts-related benefits are often deemed to be intangible; difficult to quantify in terms of return on investment,” says BASA Chairman, Charmaine Soobramoney. “The BASA model has continued to deliver value to our stakeholders, partners and sponsors, with every R1 million of Supporting Grant funding allocated to projects leveraging R10 million in support from the private sector during the last financial year,” she adds.

BASA CEO, Ashraf Johaardien explains that BASA’s Supporting Grant Programme assists in activating sponsorship for a cross-section of arts projects in different regions of the country, by providing vital financial support to a project that is in an existing business and art relationship: “To date, BASA has disbursed over R40 million to more than 1,600 projects, which in turn has leveraged in excess of R515 million in sponsorship from the business sector.

“BASA Grants have a slightly different lens to conventional funding and development agencies, in that our focus is on amplifying and extending existing partnerships between arts and businesses that aim to meaningfully impact society through shared value and social cohesion. So, it is important for prospective applicants to note that the purpose of Supporting Grants has never been to fund projects per se, but rather to support partnerships between the business sector and the creative sector.”

The application process for Supporting Grants has been simplified, with interested parties simply submitting a formal letter of interest as a first step, and BASA then inviting eligible applicants to complete an online application. The first deadline for letters of interest is January 22, 2021.

Visit https://basa.co.za/, click on the ‘Grants’ tab and navigate to ‘Supporting Grants’ for detailed criteria and further guidelines. Note that the decision of the BASA Board of Directors with regard to the outcomes of Supporting Grant Programme applications is final and no further correspondence will be entered into. Enquiries may be directed to Sipho Mthiyane at sipho@basa.co.za

(To link direct to the BASA website, click on the advert to the right of this article or visit www.basa.co.za) 

TANSEN NEPAUL TRIBUTE TO AFZAL KHAN

(Afzal Khan)

Afzal Khan, a popular face and voice on stage plays, television, radio and comedy shows died in Durban on January 16, 2021, from Covid-19 complications.

Music producer and cultural activist, Tansen Nepaul, pays tribute:

“Really saddened to hear of the passing on of acting stalwart Afzal Khan.

I remember seeing him in Rajesh Gopie’s Coolie Odyssey and was enthralled at his brilliant acting and stage presence. His role as Narayan Rana in the SABC 1 drama Fallen and SABC 1 Bay of Plenty, introduced him to the masses.

“I have fond memories of working with him with the Nateshwar Dance Academy’s Chalo Cinema shows at the Playhouse as well as Mershan Ramaloo's productions. He was amazing as an actor and had the ability to draw you into the character he played which was just magical. At times he could achieve this even before uttering a single word on stage.

He was a great companion on road shows and the long trips. He will be missed by many that followed his productions and by the colleagues that he worked with. Afzal Khan’s demise is a great loss to the arts industry and a talent that will be hard to replace.

My heartfelt condolences to his wife Summaya and his family. I wish them strength during this trying time.” Tansen Nepaul

DEATH OF AFZAL KHAN

(Afzal Khan)

Afzal Khan, a life celebrated. Tribute by director and playwright Rajesh Gopie.

On Saturday night at 8.30 pm, my friend and fellow actor, Afzal Khan passed away at St Augustine’s hospital in Durban from Covid-19 complications. He was a month short of his 65^th birthday.

I met Afzal in 2001, and immediately liked him. He was affectionate, effusive and he possessed a natural disposition towards humour. He was not someone you would forget easily and very rarely did I ever meet him without his wife Sumayya and his children by his side. Afzal was deeply family orientated, something engrained in his upbringing. Raised in a large joint family in Reservoir Hills, he was the last born and he lovingly shared stories of his childhood. He openly regaled me with family anecdotes, both hilarious and compelling. He cried at the drop of a hat when it came to matters of the heart. His kids teased, “Papa cries for everything”. There was never a dull moment around Afzal.

In 2002, I cast him in my play, The Coolie Odyssey, a story about indentured labour and the coming of Indians to South Africa, commissioned by the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown as part of the main festival. It was a big deal at the time, and it turned out to be an experience we would never forget. The play was critically acclaimed, and the cast brimmed with pride knowing that we had added an important chapter to our country’s burgeoning democracy, one in which Indian stories previously occupied a minimal space at best. Afzal held his own amongst a cast that boasted the likes of the late greats Franz Dobrovsky and Allister Dube. He had made his mark on the national theatre scene and there was no holding him back.

In the years since, whenever we met, Afzal would recount so much of that tour; random moments, a collage of memories that only someone like him would appreciate. He was a rare breed of a yesteryear person, the type that held human experience and relationships precious above money and cheap fame. His word was his bond, and he was never late for a rehearsal, nor did he avoid hard work and long hours in our creative endeavor.

We worked again four more times; The Coolie Odyssey (restaged) at the Market Theatre in 2003 and The Playhouse Company in 2005, Kismet Court a popular radio drama for SABC radio in 2006, and Tamasha on Hope Street at the Market Theatre in 2017, for which his performance earned him a Naledi Theatre nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He also worked steadily with a host of other names in the Durban theatre scene and found his way into films and television as well. He achieved so much for a man who hardly had any formal training in the performing arts.

Afzal and Sumayya often came over to my home for family birthdays and dinners. How could we ever forget his Michael Jackson impersonation with a South Indian twist? The provocateur, Afzal, would gyrate to MJ’s BAD, while singing the lyrics in Tamil mumbo jumbo. And, he had a gift for pulling faces. The “Hanuman” face cracked me up every time! A comedic feast, to say the least.

Afzal’s death was sudden and shocking, and the sadness is felt by all who knew him as indicated in the deluge of social media posts. For me it is certainly a case of gone too soon. I would have loved to work with him again and had proposed that to him a few months ago. Sadly, this was not to be.

However, Afzal Khan’s legacy should be celebrated, and he rightfully takes his place in the celestial theatre of treasured South African performers. Let us honour Afzal, a man of warm heart and comedic generosity that lived and died in the time of Corona.

Go in peace my dear friend. - Rajesh Gopie, 18/01/21