17TH EDITION OF DURBAN FILMMART (DFM) WRAPS UP

 The 17th edition of the Durban FilmMart (DFM) has wrapped up, concluding with the presentation of the 2026 DFM Awards

The premier film industry event in Africa, the Durban FilmMart (DFM) 2026, took place from October 9 to 12 in Durban, under the theme Shifting Worlds: Turning Towards Ourselves successfully bringing together 1131 film professionals and filmmakers from 56 countries across the world.

Magdalene Reddy, Director of the Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI), says: “We are delighted to have hosted such a dynamic array of filmmakers and industry leaders in Durban. Delegates entrusted us with their projects and ideas, and had honest, uncompromising conversations about alternative funding pathways, equitable co-production and authentic partnerships. The talent showcased in this year’s programme and film projects exemplifies the strength of African cinema; networks expanded, and partnerships forged will extend DFM’s legacy and impact. We extend our gratitude to our partners for their support in celebrating and elevating African storytellers, producers and content creators.”

“The quality of the projects presented in this year was exceptional, with filmmakers bringing bold, original and well-developed work to the table,” adds Reddy. “That calibre was matched by the generosity of the organisations, funders and festivals who came to Durban to recognise it. Every prize - whether it is a cash grant, a place in a lab or market, or a mentorship - opens a door for these filmmakers, and we are deeply grateful to our partners for their continued belief in African storytelling.”

The event ended on a high with the presentation of 39 awards from 30 partners, valued at over R2 million (over $120 938,00).

 

Category – Cash Awards:

The JustFilms Documentary Award (Ford Foundation) – Award of 10,000 USD

The Thread And The Wall - Le Fil Et Le Mur (Algeria)

Producer/Director: Mouni Bouallam

Al Jazeera Co-production Award of 10,000 USD

 

On The Sea Road (Palestine)

Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid

 

Climate Story Labs Award of 10,000 USD

The award is on behalf of Climate Story Labs Africa and Doc Society, in collaboration with UMI Fund.

The Birth Of Derna (Libya)

Director: Hussein Eddeb

National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF)

 

Best Fiction – Grant of R100,000

The Boy Who Spoke Static (Nigeria)

Agbajowo Collective: Temitope Ogungbamila, Samuel Okechukwu, Mat Cerf (Lead Producer) and Bisola Akinmuyiwa

National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF)

 

Best Non-fiction – Grant of R100,000

The Ones With The Tempered Flowers (Kenya)

Producer: Ivy Kiru

Director: Neema Ngelime

National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF)

 

Best Animation – Grant of R100,000

Sunday Morning (Ethiopia)

Producer: Nahom Abiy

Director: Minasie Terefe

 

Inkaba Award (Stained Glass TV) – Award of R30,000

Daddies (South Africa)

Producer: Catharina Weinek

Director: Sean Mongie

 

NEWF Natural World Storytelling Grant of 5,000 USD

A Touch Of Paradise (Tunisia)

Producer: Sarra Ben Hassen

Director: Houcem Slouli

 

Red Sea Film Fund Award – Non-Fiction of 5,000 USD

Heirs Of No Regret (Kenya)

Producer: Mumo Liku

Director: Saitabao Kaiyare

 

Red Sea Film Fund Award – Fiction of 5,000 USD

The Boy Who Spoke Static (Nigeria)

Agbajowo Collective: Temitope Ogungbamila, Samuel Okechukwu, Mat Cerf (Lead Producer) and Bisola Akinmuyiwa

 

Docubox Award of 5,000 USD

Where Do I Belong? (Sudan)

Producer: Talal AfifI

Director: Ibrahim "Snoopy" Ahmad

 

TRT Award of 5,000 USD

On The Sea Road (Palestine)

Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid

 

RRImpact Pitch Prize (DocA) of 5,000 USD

My Djomélé Night (Burkina Faso)

Producer: Cinema Salama

Director: Barkima Nafissatou Laguempedo

 

Sundance Institute Documentary Fund New Voices Award of 5,000 USD grant

Where Do I Belong? (Sudan)

Producer: Talal Afifi

Director: Ibrahim "Snoopy" Ahmad

 

The Whickers Bursary Award of 3,000 GB POUNDS

Green Island Girls (Egypt)

Producer: Amrosh Badr

Director: Rogena Tarek

 

Sunshine Cinema UCT Impact Development Award

The award comprises a bursary to the University of Cape Town Sunshine Cinema Film Impact Online Course of 2027 to the value of R18,000 and a R7,500 grant towards a first impact screening of the film.

Includes optional inclusion in the Sunshine Cinema distribution catalogue.

Pülö: Bloodstream Of The Kirike (Nigeria)

Producer/Director: Christina Ifubaraboye

 

Sunshine Cinema UCT Impact Development Award

The award comprises a bursary to the University of Cape Town Sunshine Cinema Film Impact Online Course of 2027 to the value of R18,000 and a R7,500 grant towards a first impact screening of the film.

On The Sea Road (Palestine)

Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid

 

Category – Market/Event Participation Award

 

DFMI Talents Durban Award

Flights, accommodation and accreditation to participate in the DFM Pitch and Finance Forum 2027

The Basement (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Director: Mélanie K. ZAWADI

 

The Wrapped App Award: Wrapped premium subscription of 3 months’ worth R31,500

Second Bloom (Zimbabwe)

Director: Tendaiishe Chitima

 

Sørfond Award

Flights, accommodation and accreditation to participate in the Sørfond Pitching Forum and a pitch course

The Boy Who Spoke Static (Nigeria)

Agbajowo Collective: Temitope Ogungbamila, Samuel Okechukwu, Mat Cerf (Lead Producer) and Bisola Akinmuyiwa

 

Sørfond Award

Flights, accommodation and accreditation to participate in the Sørfond Pitching Forum and a pitch course

Where Do I Belong? (Sudan)

Producer: Talal Afifi

Director: Ibrahim "Snoopy" Ahmad

 

Rotterdam Lab Award

5 nights’ accommodation and accreditation to participate in the Rotterdam Lab

Four Months And Ten Days (Sudan)

Producer: Samo Hussein

Co-producer: Anna Stylińska

Director: Alyaa Musa

 

The DOK Leipzig Award

3 nights’ accommodation and 2 accreditations to participate in DOK Leipzig 2027 as the selected project in the DOK Co-Pro Market

The Ones With The Tempered Flowers (Kenya)

Producer: Ivy Kiru

Director: Neema Ngelime

 

The FIDADOC Award

Flights, accommodation and accreditation to participate in the FIDADOC Pan African Writing Residency 2027

The Birth Of Derna (Libya)

Director: Hussein Eddeb

 

The FIDADOC Award

Flights, accommodation and accreditation to participate in the FIDADOC Pan African Writing Residency 2027

Fitampoha, The Return Of The King Of Menabe (Madagascar)

Director: Ramaroson Anatole

 

Movies that Matter Award

Accommodation and accreditation to attend Movies That Matter 2027

The Ones With The Tempered Flowers (Kenya)

Producer: Ivy Kiru

Director: Neema Ngelime

 

Animation Production Days (APD) Award

3 nights’ Accommodation and Industry badge (producer accreditation) to participate in Animation Production Days 2027

Sunday Morning (Ethiopia)

Producer: Nahom Abiy

Director: Minasie Terefe

 

DOK.fest München Award

4 nights’ accommodation and 2 accreditations for the project team and to attend DOK.fest München 2027 and participate in the DOK.forum marketplace

Where Do I Belong? (Sudan)

Producer: Talal AfifI

Director: Ibrahim "Snoopy" Ahmad

 

Sheffield Doc Fest Award

4 nights’ accommodation to attend the Sheffield DocFest 2027 with an Industry pass and a full waiver to submit to the MeetMarket

The Ones With The Tempered Flowers (Kenya)

Producer: Ivy Kiru

Director: Neema Ngelime

 

NEWF Post-Production Residency Award

A post-production residency at eKhaya, NEWF’s Storytelling, Research and Dive Centre (maximum 3 team members)

The Birth Of Derna (Libya)

Director: Hussein Eddeb

 

NEWF Summit Attendance Award

NEWF Summit attendance, including flights and accommodation (maximum 2 team members)

Second Bloom (Zimbabwe)

Director: Tendaiishe Chitima

 

El Gouna Emerge Award

7 nights’ shared accommodation, ground transport and accreditation for El Gouna Film Festival 2026

The Birth Of Derna (Libya)

Director: Hussein Eddeb

 

El Gouna Emerge Award

7 nights’ shared accommodation, ground transport and accreditation for El Gouna Film Festival 2026

Cause, Effect & Maybe Consequences (Nigeria)

Director: Cheyi Okoaye

 

Talents Press Award presented by CIFF and FIPRESCI

Flights, 5 nights’ accommodation and accreditation for Cairo International Film Festival 2026 for the selected Talents Press participant

NEYA Harouna (Burkina Faso)

 

TFL x IEFTF Next Award (TorinoFilmLab)

A place in the TorinoFilmLab programme, with the stage of development to be determined with the Lab

Four Months And Ten Days (Sudan)

Producer: Samo Hussein

Director: Alyaa Musa

 

Visions du Reel Award

Accommodation and accreditation and to participate in the Visions du Reel Market 2027

The Ones With The Tempered Flowers

Producer: Ivy Kiru

Director: Neema Ngelime

 

Category – Mentorship, Distribution and Membership

 

Women Make Movies Award

Best Pitch by a Women Filmmaker. Acceptance into the Production Assistance Program, which includes fiscal sponsorship allowing filmmakers to raise grants in the U.S.; individualised fundraising, distribution and ongoing project consultations, including feedback on rough cuts; a project page on WMM’s website to facilitate online donations; access to WMM’s catalogue of more than 700 films; social media support for crowdfunding campaigns, screenings and events; promotion of the completed film; one year of free WMM webinars on the business side of the business and case studies; and scheduled use of WMM’s NYC office, including the conference room for meetings or rough-cut screenings.

On The Sea Road (Palestine)

Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid

 

Impronta Films Consultancy Award

Distribution consultancy

Waiting For Evolution (South Africa)

Producer/Director: Karin Slater

 

Impronta Films Consultancy Award

Distribution consultancy

Designing Divide (South Africa)

Producer/ Director: Jessie Ayles

 

[support@durbanfilmmart.com]

The 17th edition of Durban FilmMart, in association with MultiChoice and principal funding from the National Lotteries Commission, is supported by the following funders and partners:

eThekwini Municipality, Durban Film Office, Ford Foundation, National Film and Video Foundation, Hollywood Foundation, MTN Group, KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority, Expertise France and GIZ, The International Emerging Film Talent Fund, NEFTI, Industrial Development Corporation, Netflix, CNC, Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, Arab Culture Fund, Avalon Group, French Institute of South Africa, Animation SA, African Producers Accelerator, Berlinale Talents, Canada High Commission of South Africa, Caribbeantales and the Cross Continental Forum, Chiriseri Studios, Climate Story Labs Africa, Cape Town International Animation Festival, Department of Communication and Digital Technology, Disabled Audio-Visual Worker's Network, Documentary Filmmakers Association, Durban International Film Festival, Doc Society, Documentary Africa, Durban University of Technology, Eastern Cape Development Corporation, Embassy of Cote d'Ivoire, European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs, FIVA, FIPRESCI, Gauteng Film Commission, Independent Black Filmmakers Collective, IMPACT (Canada), Independent Producers Organisation, Habesha Creative, Ladima Foundation, Nature Environment Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF), South African Audio Visual Cluster, South African Guild of Actors, South Africa Guild of Editors, Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Storyboard Collective, Sisters Working in Film and Television (SWIFT), Palestine Film Institute, Tunga Media Afrika, WGSA, WiC. Media Partners include Arena Holdings and Variety.

 

For more information visit www.durbanfilmmart.co.za [http://www.durbanfilmmart.co.za/]

 

 

 

JAGGED LITTLE TRIBUTE

 

Due to perform at Rhumbelow Theatre in Durban and Northlands Bowling Club in Durban, North, Jagged Little Tribute covers the music of Alanis Morissette. The show will feature Marion Loudon on vocals with Paul Cassels on drums, Colin Peddie on guitar and Tory Dup on keys and bass.

Direct from the Hilton Arts Festival, it’s time to rewind to the raw energy, electric emotion, and unforgettable sound of the 90s.

Come ready to sing, reminisce, and rock out to the soundtrack of the decade with a stellar local line-up, as they promise to honour the iconic singer-songwriter whose breakthrough album Jagged Little Pill helped define a generation.

Audiences can expect to hear all the favourites, including Ironic, You Oughta Know, Hand in My Pocket, Uninvited, and many more anthems that dominated the charts and left a lasting mark on music history. Whether you grew up with her music or discovered it later, this show will reignite everything you love about the 90s.

Don’t miss this tribute to one of the most influential artists of our time!

Performances will take place as follows:

Durban:           Saturday, October 24, 2026. Show starts 19h30

                        Sunday, October 25, 2026. Show starts 14h00

Northlands       Saturday, November 14, 2026. Show starts 19h30

(Venue opens 90 minutes before show for snacks/drinks)

 

Tickets: R220 (R200 pensioners and R180 under 13). R180 for Northlands Bowling Club Members

Bring food picnic baskets (Northlands & Durban) or buy at the venue (Northlands & Durban)

Bar available (no alcohol may be brought on to the premises)

Limited secure parking available

Booking is essential – on email: roland@stansell.co.za or Webtickets

For more information visit http://events.durbantheatre.com/ or phone 0824998636.

 

Rhumbelow Theatre is located at 42 Cunningham Road off Bartle Road, Durban

and Northlands Bowling Club is at 50 Margaret Maytom Avenue, Durban North

 

UKZN CELEBRATES 21 YEARS OF THE AFRICAN CULTURAL CALABASH FESTIVAL

 

The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) School of Arts, Music, African Music Project, will present the 21st African Cultural Calabash Festival on October 15, 2026, at 19h30 at the Howard College Theatre under the theme, 21 Years of Togetherness – Emsamu Wabomdabu. The event is part of The AMD@30 Celebrations

The annual festival celebrates African music, culture, heritage, and cuisine while providing a platform for emerging artists and cultural practitioners. Organised by third-year students in the African Music Outreach: Community Development programme under the supervision of Dr Patricia Opondo, the event continues to promote cultural preservation and community engagement through the arts.

This year's programme features a diverse line-up, including:

- uNgena (Mdumiseni Thwala), known for hits such as Emagqumeni, Uvalo and Emabaleni

- Nomakhosi (Sbahle Dladla), a vocalist and UKZN AMD student, celebrated for her storytelling and traditional influences;

- Somnyamakazi, the emerging Afropop artist behind the anti-GBV single Isililo;

- Umlazi Tremendous Boys, a 28-member isicathamiya ensemble;

- Amashiya Kubuswa, a 40-member UKZN group dedicated to preserving ushameni dance traditions.

 

Guests will also enjoy the popular African Cuisine Function following the concert, featuring a variety of traditional African dishes.

 

Event Details

Date: October 15, 2026

Time: 19h30

Venue: Howard College Theatre, UKZN Howard College Campus

Tickets: R100 (R60 students)

 

Ticket Enquiries:

Nosipho Zuma: 073 786 6591

Philangezi Bhengu: 081 001 2498

 

For more information contact Dr Patricia Opondo on email: opondop@ukzn.ac.za

 

AN EVENING WITH VUSI MAHLASELA

 

Saturday October 31: An Evening with Vusi Mahlasela: A Celebration of Music, Heritage, Hope and the Human Spirit.

 

Mamelodi born legend, singer-songwriter and poet-activist Vusi Mahlasela is set to share with us Songs of Truth, Emancipation and Enchanting African Rhythms. With Guitar as his companion, Honorary Dr Mahlasela will evoke all past and present South African grooves and stories all to remind us of who we are as a Nation.

Having had performed at the Late President Nelson Mandela's Inauguration and received a Lifetime achievement at the SAMA Awards, Vusi Mahlasela is certainly a South African gem and he seeks to offer his gift and talent to audiences at the UKZN Centre for Jazz and Popular Music.  

This one night only is proudly sponsored by Cameron Schrier Foundation. In support of the Ronnie Madonsela Scholarship.

 

Details:

Venue: UKZN Jazz Centre and Popular Music

Date: October 31, 2026

Time: 17h30

 

Tickets at Webtickets: https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.aspx?itemid=1601164171

HISTORY IS A HOME ADDRESS: REVIEW

 

(Pic by Shelley Kjonstad)

 

Where Protest Lives: FLATFOOT Makes Memory Move. Review by DUT graduate Akhona Jr Mhlungu.

On a Friday when Durban’s streets were alive with protest and artists gathered for the Film Mart and Poetry Africa, I found myself returning to the Courtyard Theatre. There, resistance was not simply spoken about. It moved.

Presented on October 9 as part of Backstage in Action 2026, FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY’s History is a Home Address arrived after a tour of more than 40 schools. Choreographed by Lliane Loots and the company, and drawing on the protest-poetry legacy of Dr Mongane Wally Serote, this choreopoem asks a question that refuses an easy answer: What do you stand for in your historical home address?

Backstage in Action, convened and curated by Dr Clare Craighead, brings industry into the classroom through DUT’s Higher Certificate in Performing Arts Technology. Its “Learning the Practice” ethos puts students inside the work of live production, not merely in the audience. The King of Broken Things opened the festival on October 8; FLATFOOT followed with a compelling argument for art as an act of witness.

Front-of-house Sinothando Msomi and Lulama Ngcobo’s warm welcome set a communal tone. Beyond the auditorium doors, a bare stage lay under cool blue light. Its apparent emptiness would prove deceptive.

Siseko Duba, Nozipho Chiliza, Sibongakonke Ndlovu, Ndumiso Dube, Mthokozisi Mkhwanazi and Sfiso Khumalo entered like a gathering protest. They turned that open space into a restless map of memory: soaring leaps met grounded, insistent movement; abrupt shifts in direction unsettled any sense of stillness. History here was no sealed archive. It occupied the body.

The sequence Sinamamama carried a particularly forceful charge. Its declaration, “It is us, only freedom can quench our thirst,” did not sit on top of the choreography as a slogan. The words gained force through the dancers’ bodies, and the movement acquired sharper political purpose.

Khumalo stood out for the ease with which he moved between dance, poetry and music. He held the work’s shifts between confrontation, reflection and celebration together without making the labour visible. Duba was equally arresting. His speed never came at the expense of finish: each gesture landed with precision, conviction and feeling.

Perhaps the most eloquent presence was a brown suitcase, travelling through the piece like a seventh performer. With each return, it accumulated meaning: migration, displacement, inheritance, the things carried from one place and generation to another. Loots trusted the image to speak without explaining it away.

As Thusanang Kalerato sounded ahead of the final number, the work’s emotional weight deepened. If there is a challenge in a piece so openly committed to protest, it is to make its politics felt rather than merely declared. At its strongest, History is a Home Address achieves precisely that: an argument formed in movement, disciplined yet alive with urgency.

With technical support from Lisa Goldstone and Higher Certificate students contributing behind the scenes, the performance also embodied the festival’s exchange between professional practice and learning. I left the Courtyard with the production’s central question still pressing: in the history we have inherited, where do we stand?

Backstage in Action continues with a Wellness Activation for the DUT community on October 13. Dubious Gurus, featuring Durban wordsmith Iain “Ewok” Robinson and guests in spoken word and jazz, closes the festival at 15h30 on Friday October 16 at the Courtyard Theatre, DUT Ritson Campus. - Akhona Jr Mhlungu

 

 

THE KING OF BROKEN THINGS: REVIEW

 

(Above: Cara Roberts - pic by Shelley Kjonstad)

 

The Art of Repair: The King of Broken Things at Backstage in Action review by Advanced Diploma Student Zama Sokhela.

Written and directed by Michael Taylor-Broderick and performed by Cara Roberts, the production took place at the Courtyard Theatre, DUT, on October 8, 2026.

At Backstage in Action 2026, broken objects became the building blocks of something extraordinary. Presented at Durban University of Technology’s Courtyard Theatre on October 8, The King of Broken Things turned discarded materials into a playful, moving exploration of loss, imagination and the possibility of healing.

The production formed part of a mini-festival embedded in DUT’s Higher Certificate in Performing Arts Technology. By bringing professional artists and live performance into the learning environment, Backstage in Action offers students an encounter with the industry beyond the classroom. Watching this production, I was reminded that theatrical ideas become powerful through what performers and makers actually do with them.

Written and directed by Michael Taylor-Broderick and performed by Cara Roberts, the story follows a young boy who collects unwanted objects and finds ways to give them new life. Beneath its playfulness lies a question that stayed with me: why are we so quick to dismiss something simply because it is broken?

The production’s inventive handling of materials gave that question a physical presence. Its most memorable moment, for me, was the assembly of a robot from discarded objects. I expected a figure made of scraps; I did not expect it to seem to come alive. As separate pieces became an animated presence, the act of making became part of the storytelling. The scene did not simply explain transformation. It let us witness it.

This is where the performance’s theatrical imagination felt most persuasive. Ordinary objects acquired an unexpected energy, showing how much can be achieved when material choices and performance work together. For students encountering professional practice through the festival, it was also a reminder to look closely at how a stage world is constructed, not only at the message it carries.

The King of Broken Things moved between playful, magical moments and more vulnerable territory. Its references to dreams, mythology and Japanese traditions enriched a world in which the familiar could become strange and beautiful. Yet the emotional journey mattered to me as much as its visual invention.

I found myself thinking about the experiences that leave people feeling hurt, lost or broken. The boy’s care for forgotten objects suggested another way of understanding those experiences: damage need not erase value. We may never become exactly who we were before, but perhaps rebuilding does not require returning to an earlier version of ourselves.

That thought reached me personally. The performance challenged me to look again at what I have sometimes called a broken past, and to consider whether those experiences might also hold the possibility of growth. It is a hopeful message, but one made more convincing by the visible labour of putting fragments together.

The story also made me reconsider how easily we judge people without knowing what they carry. If a discarded object deserves a second look, surely a person deserves patience and empathy rather than being defined by their struggles.

For me, The King of Broken Things succeeded most clearly when its ideas were embodied rather than stated. The robot’s transformation remains the image I will carry away: a reminder that theatre can make possibility visible. I left the Courtyard Theatre less inclined to see brokenness as an ending, and more willing to ask what might still be made from it. - Zama Sokhela

THE FESTIVAL CONTINUES

Backstage in Action 2026 continues with a Wellness Activation open to the DUT community on Tuesday, October 13. The mini-festival closes at 15h30 on Friday, October 16, with Dubious Gurus, featuring Durban-based wordsmith Iain “Ewok” Robinson and guests in a fusion of spoken word and jazz.

 

 

THE GLITTER GIRLS

 

Join up for an evening of fun, dance and laughter to be entertained by the Glitter Girls on October 16 at the Olivier Cultural Centre at Maritzburg College.

 

Lisa Bobbert, Liesl Coppin and Marion Loudon are The Glitter Girls, three of Durban’s most loved and versatile performers. Together they are a formidable force who light up the stage and have the audience eating out of the palms of their hands. 

All three are natural comedians and they keep the audience in stitches throughout this hilarious and irrepressible musical comedy.

The Glitter Girls revolves around a high school reunion where the girls have to go back to neon, big hair and spandex and re-live their matric year… 1989!

The performance is 18h00 for 19h00. Tickets R150 bookings through KARRI APP.

This is a Barnyard Style event – BYO food and beverages.

*Tables for seating of 10 will be available

*General seating is also available

 

To book, simply:

1️⃣ Download the Karri App

2️⃣ Open the booking link below

3️⃣ Follow the steps to complete your purchase.

 

👉 Book here: https://my.karri.global/qr/r94red5/c-yzad5ze

 

 

NJABULOSEH BRINGS BRAND NU OLD SKOOL TO THE CENTRE FOR JAZZ

 

(Left: Njabuloseh)

 

The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music (CJPM) proudly presents accomplished South African singer, songwriter and recording artist Njabuloseh, who will bring his distinctive blend of South African jazz and Soul and to the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 17h30.

 

The performance, titled Brand Nu Old Skool, promises an evening of soulful melodies, jazz-inspired musicianship and contemporary African sounds, as Njabuloseh presents a performance centred around his acclaimed 11-track album of the same name.

Released in 2020, Brand Nu Old Skool showcases Njabuloseh's distinctive musical voice and his ability to draw from the rich traditions of soul, jazz and contemporary African music. The album includes tracks such as Blindfolded Freedom, further reflecting his approach to blending soulful songwriting with sophisticated musical arrangements. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFnPovOZstU

Njabuloseh's contribution to South African music extends beyond his own recordings. As a songwriter, he has contributed to a number of projects by established artists, with writing credits including Maleh's Under My Skin, Swazi Dlamini's Vulinhliziyo, Brian Temba's Angeke and Intethelelo, RJ Benjamin's Dali Wami, and Maxhoba's Asambeni, among others.

His musical foundation was shaped through his studies in Jazz and Popular Music in KwaZulu-Natal (Natal Tech/DIT), where he developed his skills in composition, jazz vocal technique and improvisation. His musical influences span generations and genres, including artists such as D'Angelo, Rahsaan Patterson, Lucky Dube and Stevie Wonder.

For this special performance, Njabuloseh will be joined by a stellar band featuring Sphe Mngwengwe on piano, Thuto Motsemme on bass and Sbu Zondi on drums. Together, they will bring the material from Brand Nu Old Skool to life in an intimate live setting that celebrates musicianship, groove and the enduring spirit of South African jazz and soul.

 

Event Details

Njabuloseh — Brand Nu Old Skool

Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Doors open: 17h00

Music starts: 17h30

Venue: Centre for Jazz and Popular Music, Dennis Shepstone Building, Level 2, Howard College Campus, UKZN Howard College

General admission: R130 (R100 Pensioners, R70 Students)

Tickets: Cash at the door

 

Getting there: Please use Gate 3 or Gate 8 off Rick Turner Road.

ISIDLAMLILO AT THE KZNSA GALLERY

 

(Right: Mpume Mthombeni. Pic by Val Adamson)

 

KZNSA Gallery, in partnership with Empatheatre, invites audiences to a thought-provoking public conversation on Isidlamlilo (The Fire Eater): The (Un)making of Zenzile Maseko.

Isidlamlilo is an electrifying, award-winning one-woman play that has been heralded as a contemporary South African theatre classic. Brought to life by acclaimed actor Mpume Mthombeni and theatre-maker Neil Coppen through Empatheatre, Isidlamlilo (The Fire Eater) is a profound and urgent piece of storytelling.

The production introduces us to Zenzile Maseko, a woman in her sixties living in a Durban women’s hostel. When the Department of Home Affairs mistakenly declares her dead and cannot reverse the error, Zenzile is cast into a Kafkaesque nightmare. To secure her survival, she is forced to reawaken the vengeful spirit of Impundulu (The Lightning Bird) — her former alias as one of the IFP’s most feared assassins during the build-up to the 1994 elections.

Inspired by the real-life oral histories of women living in Durban hostels, the performance weaves together myth, religious symbolism and traditional beliefs. It touches on political violence, the transition to democracy, inequality and the bureaucracy of government departments, while reminding us of what it means to refuse to be overcome.

A gallery representative said: “Having toured South Africa, with international stages in the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany ahead, we are excited to bring the conversation around this significant production to KZNSA Gallery.

“Join us on October 17, 2026, at 10h30 as we unpack Isidlamlilo, it's making, and the histories and experiences that inform the work.”

 

Event Details

Venue: KZNSA Gallery, 166 Bulwer Road, Glenwood, Durban

Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026

Time: 10h30 - 12h00

Entry: Free

DUT THEATRE FESTIVAL: BACKSTAGE IN ACTION, 2026

October 8, 9, 13 and 16: Courtyard Theatre

Drama Backstage in Action Festival transforms the Courtyard Theatre at DUT into an active teaching, production and performance environment in which DUT Higher Certificate students work alongside experienced theatre practitioners in a series of productions from October 8 to 16, 2026.

The 2026 programme brings professional performance and education together through:

- The King of Broken Things, written by Michael Taylor-Broderick and performed by Cara Roberts, which is an adventurous and magical journey into the world of a young boy whose experiments, projects and creations reveal the possibilities hidden within things that have been broken and discarded.

-  Flatfoot Dance Company brings its powerful and moving dance-theatre work, History is a Home Address which is inspired by the writings of renowned South African poet, cultural activist and public intellectual Dr Mongane Wally Serote.

-  Dubious Gurus features wordsmith Iain ‘Ewok’ Robinson with Logan Byrne on upright bass (Landscape Prayers; Beat Route), Daniel Sheldon on horn and percussion (Beat Route), and Anton Cawthorn-Blazeby on violin (Landscape Prayers). Together they find a shared groove in a distinctive fusion of spoken-word, jazz and hip hop. Friday, October 16 at 15h30.

 

All performances are at the Courtyard Theatre / DUT Ritson Campus at DUT.

Tickets at the door prior to each performance.

For more information email: clarec1@dut.ac.za

30TH POETRY AFRICA & 5TH WORLD POETRY SLAM CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS 2026

 

(Poets from Kenya, New Zealand, Canada, Ghana & Switzerland)

 

Each performance was powerful, unique, and carried a weight and sincerity … (Review by Shannon Kenny)

Closing ceremony: 30th Poetry Africa and 5th World Poetry Slam Championship Finals 2026 - The Playhouse Drama Theatre - Friday October 9, 2026

The Centre for Creative Arts (CCA) at UKZN, is once again deserved of every commendation for hosting an international celebration of the word and the wordsmiths who challenge, exhort, hold up mirrors, offer fresh perspectives and give life to ideas that carry memory, speak truth and spark joy!

Fittingly, the speakers who introduced the evening’s proceedings spoke of the Poet’s place in society. Outgoing Director of the CCA, Ismail Mahomed, observed that poets and audiences throughout the festival were in agreement: "we need a better world and Artists play an important role in shaping that better world.”

Katrin Kirsch of the German Embassy - a Poetry Africa partner - shared that the art of poetry is a celebration of Cultural Heritage and Language - and how vital poetry is for the development of Language. Importantly, it is “what we use to understand the space between us.”

National Arts Council (another partner) member and poet, Zolani Mkiva spoke of poets as “Prophets of Possibilities.”

(Left: Lex LaFoy & Torsten Clear)

 

After Hammarsdale band, Khabza de Khabza, set the tone for the evening with a short set of their original music, Durban poets, Lex La Foy and Torsten Clear Rybka took to the stage to compere the culmination of the week’s slam contests: The World Poetry Slam Championship Final.

The top 10 poets representing their countries in the final were Satoshi Nakauchi (Japan); Soyo Vi Zibo (Ghana); Dennis Mwangi Gachie (Kenya); Karelys Gissette Rios Santana (Puerto Rico); Maya Bassude (Canada); Valerio Moser (Switzerland); Ariatne Sarai Ruiz de Chavez de los Santos (Mexico); Zewande Bhengu (South Africa); Some Sankar Louis Rodolphe (Burkina Faso); and Teirangi Klever (New Zealand).

Poems were variously poignant, hilarious and challenging – mining themes such as motherhood and family; gender and climate change; power and belonging; economic exploitation and racism; history and heritage; love and loss; grief and joy. The personal and the political were probed, stretched and rent apart; and reconstituted in words and worlds both real and surreal, with humour and pathos. Each performance was powerful, unique, and carried a weight and sincerity that touched and moved the audience to applaud with finger snaps, vocal cheers, claps and standing ovations. Subtitles to all the poems were projected on the large screen to accommodate the linguistically-diverse audience. 

Judges Xabiso Villi of South Africa, Ubah Cristina Farah of Italy and Nanda of Gabon had the mammoth task of whittling down the line-up of 10 to a penultimate 5 and finally the top 2 runners-up and a World Poetry Slam champion.

An interlude to allow for the judges’ deliberations meant we were treated to poetry from Zimbabwean duo, Sox the Poet and Starlight. Torsten Clear, Page Ngwenya and Khwezi (South Africa); Zipporah (USA).

The Drama Theatre at the Playhouse was alive with an audience of artists and supporters of the Arts, eager to shape a better world, celebrate our individual and shared cultures, bridge divides and speak to possibilities as yet not realised.

The shortlist of five included Dennis Mwangi Gachie of Kenya; Soyo Vi Zibo of Ghana; Maya Bassude of Canada; Valerio Moser of Switzerland and Teirangi Klever of New Zealand. 

(Right: Champion Valerio Moser)

Poems and poets were adjudicated for their delivery and for the quality of their poems. Competition was close (and yes, disclaimer, competition and I share a fractious relationship). Ultimately, the judges’ final decision had Maya Bassude of Canada and Dennis Mwangi Gachie of Kenya in third and second place, respectively. Valerio Moser of Switzerland took the 2026 Championship.

Significantly, Dr Philip Meersman, Belgian poet and scholar, and president of the World Poetry Slam Organization was given a special mention for his consistent championing, support and mentorship through successive editions of the World Poetry Slam Championship across the globe.

Sphindile Hlongwa handed over the curator’s baton – in the form of a handmade woven basket – to poet and curator, Yuri Miki who will be hosting the 2027 World Poetry Slam in Japan. (Solly Ramatswi will represent South Africa at the World Poetry Slam Championship in Japan in 2027.) There was a beautiful moment when Yuri asked to rather speak in Japanese because her English was faltering. There was a resounding YES from the audience – and while we did not understand every word, there was a depth of feeling that went beyond words.

 

(Left: Yuri Miki)

The irony of the evening was not lost on any of us, either. We were ensconced in a theatre with people from around the globe – from six continents – who were in agreement that we were better for the fact that we were together, in community, bringing our diverse experience; exchanging and engaging with the highs and lows of our shared Humanity; listening, including, wrestling with the difficult and awkward with empathy and a desire to know, understand, push boundaries and grow.

While outside on Anton Lembede Street, the protests across the CBD and eThekwini Metro – both peaceful and violent – spoke to an entirely different set of wills and desires.

And still, hope was alive in that theatre. In my conversations with poets from South Africa and abroad, as we broke bread and drank wine (and Stoney and water), there was an even greater sense of urgency to be in the words of one of the speakers on opening night, “soldiers who shoot through words.” We would change society by speaking truth to pain and to power and ultimately transform what was happening outside from the inside – by touching hearts and minds, showing a better way.

Poetry Africa and The Playhouse security staff handled the situation with aplomb and we were able to leave the theatre in safety, with joy and hope in our hearts.

When I asked a poet from West Africa how they felt the day after Poetry Africa, they shared that friends and colleagues in their home country had expressed reservations about their journey here. This poet had been part of the slam championship, is a writer, a teacher, a scholar and had conducted workshops with school children and other young poets here in eThekwini Metro. They then explained how eager they were to go back home and report that while some of their apprehensions were founded, that they could speak to an experience of South Africa that was welcoming, embracing and enriching – and that they were inspired and eager to return.

 

(Left: Sphindile Hlongwa)

Kudos to Festival Curator, Sphindile Hlongwa, and her team who deserve their flowers – big, gorgeous bouquets! 

Thank-you to the participating poets, musicians, facilitators, administrators, cleaning staff, caterers, security personnel, partner organisations, hotels and audiences for growing and enriching our corner of the world. – Shannon Kenny

KWAMASHU SCHOOL OF DANCE THEATRE PRESENTS THEATRE WEEK 2026

 

(Vusi Makanya is the founder and Artistic Director of the KwaMashu School of Dance Theatre (KMSDT) in Durban, KZN)

 

Celebrating 22 Years of KMSDT's Artistic Legacy. • Community • Dance • Young Talent • Conversation

 

This October, KwaMashu School of Dance Theatre (KMSDT) invites schools, families, artists, businesses, community organisations and members of the public to experience THEATRE WEEK 2026 — a celebration of young people, community, creativity and the powerful role of the arts in shaping the future.

Taking place from October 19–24, 2026, Theatre Week brings together young dancers and emerging artists from Inanda, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu, Newlands and Quarry Heights, alongside KMSDT alumni, outreach groups Kasi Style and IJalamba Performing Arts Academy, professional artists, educators and community partners.

Inspired by the legacy of youth uprising in South Africa, this year's programme celebrates the power of young people to use creativity, culture, movement and collective action to express their experiences and imagine a better future.

Under the banner of 50 Years of Youth Uprising, Theatre Week connects the history of youth activism with today's generation of young artists, recognising their creativity, resilience, leadership and potential to contribute to stronger communities.

 

A WEEK WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE TAKE THE STAGE

For more than two decades, KMSDT has provided children and young people with opportunities to discover dance, build confidence, develop discipline and experience the arts as a pathway to personal growth and community development.

Founded in 2004, KMSDT continues to nurture young talent through dance education, performance, artistic exchange, school outreach and community engagement.

Theatre Week 2026 continues this 22-year artistic legacy.

The six-day programme combines creative development, school workshops and performances, professional dance training, inclusive community dialogue and a public closing celebration. Young people will have opportunities not only to perform, but also to learn from experienced practitioners, collaborate with their peers and be recognised for their artistic growth.

 

THEATRE WEEK 2026: OFFICIAL PROGRAMME

 

Monday, October 19

Creative Development and Facilitators’ Planning Day

Venue: KMSDT Studio, KwaMashu Central Station

Time: 10h00 – 12h00

Participants: KMSDT management, facilitators and participating artists

 

Tuesday, October 20

Dance Workshop and Artistic Exchange

Venue: Steel Gym, KwaMashu

Time: 10h00 –12h00

Participants: Dancers and facilitators

 

Wednesday, October 21

School Workshop and Performance — Inanda Seminary

Venue: ISSA Hall, Inanda Seminary

Workshop: 12h00

Performance: 17h00

Audience: Inanda Seminary learners and invited school representatives

 

Thursday, October 22

LET’S TALK INCLUSION: Dance For Every Body

Venue: Ezandawonye Disability Empowerment Organisation / Old Age Home

Format: Community dialogue

Attendance: By invitation

LET’S TALK INCLUSION is a conversation about access, dignity, belonging and the possibilities of dance for all.

 

Friday, October 23

School Performance — Quarry Heights Primary School

Performance: 13h00

Performance venue: Quarry Heights Primary School

Audience: Learners, teachers and the school community

The visit also reinforces KMSDT's ongoing commitment to school-based arts education and youth development.

 

Saturday, October 24

THEATRE WEEK 2026 — PUBLIC GRAND FINALE

Venue: Steel Gym, KwaMashu

Programme starts: 14h00

Grand Finale performance: 14h00

Admission: R50

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Come and experience KwaMashu's young talent on stage — live, up close and in their own community.

 

WHY SCHOOLS SHOULD BE PART OF THE KMSDT JOURNEY

KMSDT believes that arts education is an important part of developing confidence, discipline, creativity, communication and leadership in young people. Theatre Week offers learners an opportunity to:

•           Experience dance and theatre through live performances and workshops.

•           See young people from their own communities represented on stage.

•           Learn from experienced dancers, artists and choreographers.

•           Develop confidence through creative participation and performance.

•           Connect with other schools, young artists and community organisations.

•           Discover pathways into dance, theatre and the wider creative economy.

•           Celebrate South African heritage, youth creativity and community through the arts.

 

Schools interested in future KMSDT programmes, workshops, outreach initiatives or partnerships are encouraged to connect with the organisation.

 

WHY THE PUBLIC SHOULD COME

         Come to support the next generation of Durban artists.

         Come to see what young people can achieve when they are given opportunities, guidance and a stage.

         Come to celebrate the legacy of youth uprising and the continuing power of young voices, creativity and community.

         Come to take part in a conversation about inclusion and the role of dance in making our communities more connected.

         Most importantly, come and support KMSDT's 22-year artistic legacy and the young artists carrying it forward.

 

ADMISSION AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT

School performances: School-based and invitation arrangements apply.

Grand Finale — Saturday, October 24: R50 community admission.

KMSDT welcomes community support to help cover the practical costs of providing meaningful artistic opportunities for young people, particularly transport, meals, costumes and performance resources.

 

SPONSOR A YOUNG ARTIST

Every contribution can help remove a barrier to participation.

•           R50 — Contribute towards transport.

•           R100 — Contribute towards a meal.

•           R200 — Contribute towards costume needs.

•           R500 — Contribute towards the combined support needs of a young artist.

These are suggested contribution levels towards project costs, not guaranteed individual cost allocations. Every donation helps KMSDT work towards ensuring that young artists can participate, perform and be recognised.

 

Businesses, alumni, parents and organisations can also support Theatre Week through in-kind contributions, including transport, food, costumes, technical equipment, venue support, printing, photography, videography and professional services.

KMSDT welcomes partnerships that invest in young people, community arts and the future of South Africa's creative economy.

 

COME MOVE WITH US

Theatre Week 2026 is not simply about watching a performance.

         It is about creating opportunities.

         It is about giving young people a voice.

         It is about building confidence through creativity.

         It is about making dance more inclusive and bringing schools and communities together.

         It is about recognising the power of young people to shape their own futures.

         And it is about ensuring that the next generation of dancers, actors, educators and creative leaders has somewhere to begin.

 

KMSDT THEATRE WEEK 2026

October 19 to 24, 2026

Come. Watch. Learn. Support. Celebrate.

 

MEDIA, SCHOOL AND PUBLIC ENQUIRIES

KwaMashu School of Dance Theatre (KMSDT)

NPO Registration No.: 079-289

PBO No.: 9079657194

Telephone: 067 864 2283

Email: vusi.kmsdt@gmail.com

Facebook: KwaMashu School of Dance Theatre