SABC bans interviews with new Idol, Khaya

Metro FM presenter and Idols judge Unathi Msengana confirmed yesterday that she was sent an e-mail on Monday by her station manager Martin Vilakazi instructing her not to do any interviews with the Idols winner or any competitor.

Gareth, Khaya and Unathi

"This morning [Wednesday] an instruction was personally given to me by my station manager not to interview Khaya. No explanation was given. I had to obey and ask no questions because he is my boss." Msengana said fellow Idols judge Gareth Cliff, who works for SABC's 5FM, received the same instructions

SA Idols spokeswoman Ingrid Lebinburg said that they do not know what is happening. Nobody from SABC said anything to them. “We are still waiting for them to come to us and explain."

SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago denied that the SABC sent an instruction like that. "This is not true and it is ridiculous. We did not issue instructions like that. To start with, Unathi is not even supposed to comment to the media. I am the SABC spokesperson."Secondly she is even conflicted by working on Idols when she works for SABC.

Khaya, after being announced
winner of Idols Season 8

Kganyago then confirmed that they decided that Unathi and Gareth do not interview Khaya because they were conflicted. Idols belong to another station and not the SABC. Kganyago said that there is no cross-promotional agreement between Idols and the SABC.

M-Net communications manager Lani Lombard confirmed that "scheduled interviews for the breakfast shows on 5FM and Metro FM were cancelled on Tuesday night". However, Khaya was interviewed on Metro FM on Wednesday night.

Kaizer Kganyago stories are all mixed up; he says this today and another thing tomorrow. Is it perhaps that the SABC are jealous that they have not been able to pull off such a popular event themselves?

Vibey SA

South Africa is one place full of vibe and great places to see…it definitely has something for everyone. If you love comedy then the comedy nights are there to provide you with that laughter you need, courtesy of some of the world’s best performers.

If gaming is what you do, then you have a whole lot of variety to choose from our wide range of casinos, for example: the Roman-themed Caesar’s Palace in Johannesburg or the awesome Grand West Casino in Cape Town.

There is a wide range of clubs, cafes and bars all over South Africa. The nightlife here rivals the best in the world and has a party vibe all on its own – with options that fit every person, budget and tastes. Dance, drum ‘n bass, classical or RnB, whichever melodies get you moving, you’ll definitely find them here.

Party vibes in SA:

Dockside Cape Town



The Dockside club in the mother
city, Cape Town.



Dockside Cape Town is the largest multi-purpose entertainment complex of its kind in South Africa and the whole of Africa Dockside Cape Town is situated in on the banks of the Century City water canal development. Aside from the phenomenal sound system, the main dance floor boasts an amazing 500 000 watt lasers and lighting system. The advanced level of technology at the Dockside club enables it to cater for any occasion or function. The club caters for at least five thousand people. State of the art sound, lighting and lasers, with the best of local and international DJs are what this club has in offer.

The amazing 500 000 watt
laser lights

Crafty South Africa

There is no doubt in my mind that South Africans are craft or crafting fanatics. People in South Africa produce remarkable ranges of arts and crafts. These people you’ll find on pavements and markets of big city streets – with every possible form of traditional artwork.

Hand-woven handbags

These forms of art range from pretty tableware, embroidered cloths, to the simplest of items like key rings and candle-holders. In addition to the standard materials such as beads, grass, leather, fabric and clay, pieces are made using telephone wire, cold drink cans, bottle tops, and plastic bags – you will even find tin labels being used to create brightly coloured papier mache bowls.

On sale from many a South African street are objects made of wire – representations of:

·         the globe,

·         cars and;

·          motorcycles.

Woven baskets

Markets, shops and collectives dealing in African craft thrive to provide much-needed employment and income to communities such as the Northern Cape Schmidtsdrift community of displaced San people, who specialise in producing paintings that constitute an imaginative and highly coloured extension of ancient rock art. Another community is the Fugitive’s Drift in KwaZulu-Natal, which offers a major variety in basketry.

There are several important collections of African art in South Africa, such as the Standard Bank collection at the Gertrude Posel Gallery at Wits University in Johannesburg, or the Durban Art Gallery.

At the Rooftop Market at Johannesburg's Rosebank Mall, and at its African Craft Market, work from all over the continent pushes for buyers' attention. Many merchants and organisations sell craft goods online.

South Africa - place full of entertainment opportunities



South Africa does not lack when it comes to entertainment opportunities. You will definitely find that entertainment fills every aspect of South African life that is reflected by its diverse culture, age groups and taste. When it comes to theatres, live music venues, cinemas, drive-in cinemas and nightclubs, then you’ll find that there’s no shortage.

For example:



Ballet lures people to performances at
the Market Theatre in Johannesburg



·         Johannesburg has more than its fair share of live music venues and theatres, the most famous are the Alhambra Theatre, the Civic Theatre and the Market Theatre (Newton Cultural Centre). Other attractions include the ‘living museum’, Gold Reef City and the Johannesburg Library’s Africana collection.

·         Cape Town has a number of excellent theatres and art cinemas, that including the Nico Theatre Centre, which is the performing arts centre in Cape Town. Another prominent theatre is the Maynardville Open Air Theatre which has Shakespeare season in January and ballet season in March, and the Labia Theatre specialises in the screening of art and festival films.

·         Grahamstown is a leading cultural and academic centre and home to Rhodes University, one of South Africa's’ top university institutions. Every year thousands of people travel to Grahamstown for the annual Standard Bank Arts Festival.

·         Durban’s centre of cultural life is the Natal Playhouse, the City Hall serves as a cultural venue for symphonic and choral concerts.

·         Bloemfontein’s main attraction is The Sand du Plessis theatre complex, not only for the shows and concerts but also the décor and art works displayed in the foyers.

Now this just shows how South Africa is serious about art and culture and not losing its roots.





Young people making way for themselves



Minenhle, the co-host presenter
on Mzansi Insider.

Minenhle Dlamini, born in Durban, won the role of the new Live presenter search in June 2010 and she took over from Phila Mazibuko and made her first public appearance for the show on Wednesday, 16 June 2010 at Moretele Park in Gauteng, when the show covered Youth Day and World Cup celebrations. In 2011 she joined the cast of the M-net Soapie, The Wild.

 Three days after learning about the sudden cancellation of the soapie, The Wild, Minenhle, also known as Minnie, confirmed that she is leaving SABC1’s Mzansi Insider, where she co-hosts the show with Phila Mazibuko.

Minnie, who plays Zintle Lebone on The Wild, denied that her career was crashing down – saying thatas a matter of fact, she is working on another programme with SABC1. She said that she can’t reveal too much about the show at the moment but “people must watch out because it is going to be 100% my personality, [the] Minnie that is not dictated to by anyone.”



Minnie at her 21st
birthday party in
2011.

Minnie, now also on Metro FM, recently co-hosted SABC1’s Live alongside Bonang Matheba and Sizwe Dlhomo. She also appeared on SABC1’s popular soapie, Generations. Minnie was then crowned the face of Legit in 2011. She launched her Minnie Series range to wide appeal and an overwhelmingly positive response

Minnie’s publicist, Pumza Nohashe, said: “We have been in talks with SABC1 since February and the public will see her many layers as a person, she will have more input on the show and its content.” Nohashe said the show would most likely hit our television screens by the end of the year.

Now it is very inspiring to see young females who are taking charge of their lives and trying out different career paths and actually succeeding in them (presenting, acting and being a radio dj).

Lack of communication and research equals to a total disaster!



Khanyi Mbau as Lebo
Mathosa



A musical written and directed by Sello Maake Ka-Ncube about the late Lebo Mathosa Drama Queen was expected to blow people away but in actual fact it was rather disappointing for those who attended. Many celebrities dressed to kill to attend the show’s gala opening at Pretoria’s State Theatre this past Tuesday night.

Khanyi Mbau and Sindi Nene were among the five lovely ladies who were on stage, but then tough critics said that while Khanyi was a great dancer, she couldn’t sing and Sindi sang beautifully but couldn’t dance. Boom Shaka member Thembi Seete said “I was so excited about the show, but it lacked a lot of truth and emotion and there seemed to be no research done about what really happened. The five girls are talented and beautiful, if they had come to us, we would have helped.”

Sindi Nene who is a
great singer but can't
dance...





One of Lebo’s closest friends said: “The producers could have researched more. The people who lived with Lebo are still alive, her spirit and soul was not on stage!” 3Sum member and socialite Amstel said: “I’m not happy at all about the show. Not that I wanted to be a part of it, but she was my friend and we could have told the story better. Not just anyone can play Lebo. The costumes were ridiculous, nothing like Lebo. All I saw was blonde weaves, I am not convinced at all!”When called for comment, Sello said: “I know where my shortfalls were and I am open to the Boom Shaka members Theo, Thembi and Junior helping out, but the only person I had contact with was Thembi. “People must just understand that it is just a start.”

It looks like Sello Maake Ka-Ncube did not communicate and research as much as he was supposed to with people who knew Lebo well and as a result a disastrous show.

Art - meant to PROVOKE

They say art is a form of self-expression and others say that art is meant to provoke. If that is the case, then Brett Murray’s controversial portrait, The Spear, certainly provoked many people.

The controversial painting
of  president Jacob Zuma

South African icon, Zakes Mda, spoke from the United States about The Spear, a career sharpened by apartheid censorship and the necessity of the art debate that was currently raging in South Africa. “Today of course you hear black people say naked bodies in art are against African culture. Which of the many African cultures? The shamefulness over the naked body is something that came with our Victorian colonisers. We can never go back to the old censorship in an age of the internet, but do you fear that self-censorship is heightened when work is attacked like this from all sides?”

The now defaced painting

Many people say and believe that the painting crossed the line between freedom of expression and the right to dignity, while some say that it is just art and Brett Murray was just practising his freedom of expression. Whatever the case may be, the painting went as far as causing division in the ANC and many of those saw the painting as offensive.

At the end of the day, the painting was defaced at the Goodman Gallery by those who thought the painting was offensive, but then people were still willing to buy the painting for R136 800, even in its defaced form. Now did Brett Murray go a little too far or was he within his right of self-expression and practising his talent? Now that’s a point where many fail to agree on.

South African film industry

South Africa has a growing, vibrant film industry that is increasingly becoming competitive internationally. Local and foreign filmmakers take advantage of the country’s unique and diverse locations – as well as low production costs and favourable exchange rates.

The leading actor in Tsotsi,
Presley Tshweneyagae

The movie “Tsotsi” is the jewel in this industry’s crown, a drama about a young gangsterin Soweto, won an Academy Award for best foreign language film in 2006. The award came on the heels of an Oscar nomination for “Yesterday”, a story about a struggling HIV-positive mother, and “U Carmen E Khayalitsha”, a Xhosa-language film which won the Golden Bear award at the 2005 Berlin Film Festival, has cemented South Africa’s reputation for creative, quality film making.

Building on this reputation, a string of successful big budget international productions have been filmed in South Africa:

·         Blood Diamond with Leonardo DiCaprio

·         Lord of War with Nicholas Cage. Lord of War showcases South Africa’s breath-taking locations – with Cape Town appearing as 57 different settings in the Middle East.

TELLING AFRICAN STORIES:

Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon
Hounsou in Blood Diamond

South Africa consists of a long history in the film industry. It began with the shooting of the first-ever newsreels during the Anglo-Boer War. “African Mirror”, the weekly cinema newsreel was launched in 1913 and ran until the 1980s. South Africa’s first feature film, “The Kimberly Diamond Robbery”, was also shot in 1910.

The government has stressed the importance of film in building the country’s heritage by telling its own stories, and has set about providing an “enabling regulatory framework” to encourage the production of local content.

NATIONAL FILM AND VIDEO FOUNDATION:

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) helps the industry access funds, promotes the development of South African film and television audiences, develops talent and skills in the country – with a special emphasis on previously disadvantaged group- and helps filmmakers represent and market their work internationally.

Johnny Clegg, a man of many talents.

Johnny at one of
his live shows

He is a singer, a songwriter, a dancer, anthropologist and a musical activist who sings crossover music, a blend of Western pop and African Zulu rhythms, has exploded onto the international scene and broken through all barriers in South Africa. In France, he is called “Le Zulu Blanc – the white Zulu”.

Johnny Clegg has sold over five million albums of his brand of crossover music worldwide in over three decades. He has wowed audiences with his exciting live shows and won a number of national and international awards for his music and for his views on apartheid. Johnny Clegg’s history is as bold and colourful as the rainbow country which he’s been calling home for more than 40 years.

He was born in Bacup, near Rochdale, England, in 1953, to a Zimbabwean mother and English father. He was born and bred in his mother’s native land of Zimbabwe. She then got married to a South African and immigrated to South Africa when Johnny was seven years old. Johnny was exposed to a broader cultural perspective than that available to his peers at the age of nine.

Clegg worked on the concept of blending English lyrics and Western melodies with Zulu musical structures.  Johnny joined forces with SiphoMchunu and they called the band JULUKA which means “sweat in Zulu.” Their music was subjected to censorship and internal restrictions on the state-owned radio and their only way to access an audience was through touring. 

Their first album, Universal Men, was released in the late 1979. Their second album, African Litany, came out two years later. Juluka worked hard to maintain the basic framework of their music on this album, but allowed themselves the freedom to explore broader aspects of the South African experience. Juluka were most fruitful during 1982 and 1983 with tours of the USA, Canada, Germany and Scandinavia. In 1983 they released Work for All and a year later they came out with Musa Ukungilandela. In the six years that they were initially together, the band recorded two platinum and five gold albums and became an international success.

Juluka split up in 1985. Since then, Johnny has recorded several solo projects. In the summer of 2004 Johnny performed a four-month tour of Europe and North America, playing to capacity houses and appeared at several world-famous shows. Johnny Clegg has performed on all four of Nelson Mandela’s 46664 Aids Awareness Concerts in South Africa and in Norway.

Jonny Clegg went against all odds during apartheid when he formed a band of mixed races and stood against apartheid. Not many had the urge to do that. His act of humanity won him many awards, both internationally and nationally.

Why some celebs find the need to flash money

Songbird Lira looking simple
and elegant at the metro
awards

In life you find two types of celebrities: those like Lira and Patrice Motsepe who are down to earth, humble and don’t feel the need to flash their money in front of others and then you have your Khanyi Mbau’s and Kenny Kunene’s who spend money recklessly.

Khanyi Mbau who was married to the former millionaire, Mandla Mthembu, who is now in debt, had the “I don’t care” attitude when she spent money. In an interview with Drum magazine, she proudly told the journalist that her 3year old daughter wears designer clothes all the way from the USA. Mbau, who you’d find in the social pages every week had a young child at home but that did not stop her from partying every weekend.

Queen of bling, Khanyi Mbau
 sizzles at Kenny Kunene's
birthday bash

The “Queen of Bling” as she called herself and was known by fans all over the country because of her expensive diamond jewellery she wore on a regular basis. Khanyi Mbau was not afraid to admit that she spent R50 000 on a weave (and then one would ask themselves, what kind of weave is that that?). Now all this money she spent was that of her 50year old husband (when they started dating and she was only 21 when she got married to him).

Khanyi Mbau at the Metro
awards

Today she and Mandla are divorced and he was in debt when they got divorced and she has since gone a little quiet, she’s no longer on every social page of every week. Is this because her current boyfriend is not a millionaire or has she learnt to respect money and herself more? Well, only she can answer that question.

Now what kind of messages was she sending to young females out there? That it’s alright to date a man who is old enough to be your father and spend money and flash it in the faces of those who are poor???

Mike Tyson tells it all in his one-man theatre production show

He is a father who breeds and raises pigeons; he is a fallen hero; he has a wild side; he served time in jail; his struggle with drug addiction and finally beating his addiction. He was also starred in the movie 'The Hangover' and 'The Hangover Part II', playing the part of the ever controversial Mike Tyson.

Mike knocking off an opponent
during a tournament

Now his debut for his one man show "Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth" in Las Vegas was last week Saturday, 14 April at the Hollywood Theatre, many wanted to see this as a "rise from the ashes" type of episode, while some were interested in seeing him reveal more of his dark side that has been controlling him for such a long time.

The show has been reviewed as a work in progress. The fact that he took a chance and was willing to stand and face an audience on his own just shows the amount of calibre he has. A critic said: "I would have liked to have seen a script in which Tyson knocks out his personal demons with the same voracity as he once punched opponents in the ring, instead of playing the role of a pathetic figure who bad-mouths women and blames the refs and just about anyone for what he has lost.

Mike's love for breeding and raising
 pigeons

Another critic said: "And then there's the elephant in the room. Tyson's voice, a cheap laugh for any comedy impression, it sometimes gets in the way of a strong moment here, when the champ bites into poetic phrases such as "my dark dreams and shadows," or calling his beloved trainer Cus D'Amato "a master of psychological warfare, a grand manipulator. He is more comfortable saying "I wouldn't wash my ass for days." or "I would hunger for glory like a mad dog."

Mike looking very fierce just after
a tournament ended.

Now with hardcore critics like these, does it mean that Mike bit off more than he can chew? These were really tough critics for a first show. Will he be able to stand the critics like a man and continue with the show or will he just give up??? We'll just have to wait and see.

I had it all - Vinolia Mashego



Vinolia back in the days

From top television personality, to begging for food and train fare at a train station…how did this all come about? She rose to high and fell to low. 11 years after she left Jam Alley, she still has industry greats thinking she can rise again.

Vinolia Mashego started out as an actress on the famous local soapie, Generations. She was also a presenter on the SABC 1’s famous variety show, Jam Alley. She was famously known for her bubbly and fun personality. Now today she is known for being broke and being unruly. Last year June it was reported that the former TV presenter was renting a room and only had a mattress with one blanket and things took a turn for the worst. It was also reported that she was begging for food and train fare, and was on a train from Nelspruit to Johannesburg when she was caught without a valid ticket by security guards. The guards kindly helped her raise money for a valid ticket and while they were doing so, another by-stander offered to buy her coffee and something to eat and she kindly accepted it.

 V-Mash, as she was affectionately known by her fans, is now a sad version of her former bubbly self. During her days when she was still living the high life, she stayed in the Pretoria Suburbs. She would take a flight from Johannesburg to Durban just to have a meal at one of the expensive restaurants/hotels. Before she started on Generations, she used to appear on local dramas on SABC 2. Her father (Collins Mashego), was also a presenter on SABC 1, he was known for the LAPOLOGA show in the early 1980’s.

She was fired from the popular television youth programme, Jam Alley for her “unruly” behaviour. Her departure sent shock waves through the industry and the departure was caused by her raunchy and wayward behaviour, which attracted bad publicity. V-Mash, who had a 14-month-old baby and was expecting another, was without an income since. With her reputation and controversial lifestyle, Jam Alley was her last public platform on television.

Down, out and broke!!!

Among other things which brought about Mashego’s downfall was her arrest a few weeks before her dismissal from Jam Alley for walking around naked and cursing everyone in sight at a block of flats in Pretoria’s Sunnyside suburb. V-Mash also raised a storm at a beauty pageant in Durban when she flashed her silver panties at the audience.

This a lesson which we all should learn: today you may have all you want (the life, the money, the friends, etc.), but always keep in mind that it can end at any moment so you must be careful how you live your life and always plan for the future/have a plan B to fall back on in case things don’t go so well with plan A. In this case, V-Mash did not handle her money well and now she’s down in the dumpster, broke!

Now does this phoenix still have what it takes to rise from the ashes? Only time will tell…

Kwaito - Part 2

KWAITO – PART 2







Kwaito is viewed as a cultural product of the societal norms and historical context of townships of South Africa. Kwaito is serving a transmitter of popular fashion, language and attitude.

During the emergence of Kwaito, Boom Shaka emerged as a symbol of empowerment and voice for young women. A CNN article considered Boom Shaka and TKZee the most influential Kwaito groups in South African music. Kwaito music is not only popular in South Africa but all around Africa and one country in particular is Namibia.

Female Kwaito artists



Lebo Mathosa

Kwaito is a largely male-dominated genre, but despite that, there are a number of female artists who were successful in this genre. Brenda Fassie, the longtime pop superstar adopted a Kwaito style as it became more popular in the 1990s. According to Time, she was known for both her diva attitude and sex & drugs scandals but also for her lyrics that dealt with complex issues of African life and culture. Another artist is Lebo Mathosa who was killed in a car crash in 2004. She rose to fame as a group member of the Kwaito group Boom Shaka and she later became a solo artist. She was called South African’s ‘wild child’ because of her X-Rated lyrics and dance moves, but despite this, she gained widespread popularity, and performed at Nelson Mandela’s 85^th birthday celebration. According to FHM magazine, Lebo Mathosa performed alongside American female Hip Hop artist, Missy Elliot.

Kwaito and dancing

Kwaito is more than just a music genre. An article posted on CNN.com describes Kwaito as a whole subculture with a swirl of irresistible dance beats. According to Sonjah Stanley-Niaah in his article “Mapping Black Atlantic Performance Geographies: From Slave Ship to Ghetto”, dancing has given Kwaito increased appeal. In the beginning of the 1950s in South Africa, people went to “Shebeens” to listen to music, dance and socialize on the weekends. As kwaito emerged and became the norm of music in shebeens, its popularity quickly increased. The first kwaito group, Boom Shaka, was the first to create and popularize dance moves to accompany kwaito music. The steps are said to offer a window into the everyday lives of ordinary South Africans by building on traditional dance styles.

Kwaito went through a lot of transformations:

It started out as a music genre which was played in Shebeens in the 1950s;moving on to being a very popular genre among the youth of South Africa; and today it’s known to be the voice of many voiceless people out there who are in it to express their feelings. Dance is known to be a form of self-expression and so Kwaito dancing fits right in. You even find fashion designers who were inspired/fascinated by Kwaito artists to start a trend of fashion in accordance with Kwaito. Today Kwaito is seen as a form of lifestyle and not just music and dance.



KWAITO - APOLITICAL

Kwaito is a music genre that emerged in Johannesburg, South Africa, during the 1990s. South Africa oozes with confidence when it comes to this genre of music. Kwaito is one of the most popular genres of music and dance amongst the youth in South Africa. Kwaito is a combination of catchy melodic, deep base lines, and vocals. A distinctive feature of Kwaito is the manner in which the lyrics are sung, rapped and shouted. There are even people who are claiming to be Kwaito originators:

One is Mdu, who claims he was the first to mix BubbleGum with house from the UK and the US back in the 1980s.

 The other is Arthur Mafokate who is also credited by some as the king of Kwaito, including himself as he wrote in a two-page piece called ”Am I the king of Kwaito?”

§   Mafokate’s claim to fame is due to importance of his 1993 song, “Don’t call me Kaffir”, which put the Kwaito genre on the charts. “Don’t call me Kaffir” was the first official Kwaito song played in South Africa. Kaffir is the Arabic word for ‘non-believer’ or a ‘heathen’, which was the word white colonialists would call black Africans. The song talked about how apartheid will not just go away overnight but change is coming.

As Thokozani Mhlambi states in his article Kwaitofabulous, “In Kwaito music, the emphasis lies not in the poetic essence of the lyrics but rather in the instrumental arrangement and the ‘danceability’ of the composition.” Kwaito has remained the music of its people, which is the music of the youth of South Africa who wish to pursue rest and relaxation as opposed to dwelling on the past. The danceability and poetry inherent to Kwaito shows a cultural diversity the youth follows. Through Kwaito music, artists and youths work together to create, through dance and music, a region where there’s no existence of a struggle.

Kwaito is a form of self-expression and a way of life – it is the way many South Africans dress, speak and dance. It’s a street style lifestyle where the music reflects life in the township. The fashion industry has flourished all over the country, with urban designers such as Sun-Godd’ess, Stoned Cherrie and Loxion Kulca setting trends emphasized by Kwaito artists. While it promoted South Africa internationally through successful overseas tours by artists such as Tkzee, Bommshaka and Bongo Maffin, Kwaito has gained a huge following with older Black people, as demonstrated by former President Thabo Mbeki when he performed the S’guqa dance with Kwaito artist Mzekezeke during his song “S’guqa ngamadolo” at the 2003 Freedom Day celebrations. This marked a huge change in the way people saw Kwaito.

Kwaito has grown from just a mere genre of song and dance that generated in the townships during apartheid and is now famously known all over.

South African theatre,blossoming...

source: http://www.google.com/

Theatre started in the late 1830s and to this day, it still exists and is more popular than before. Most of the people who are now known to be ‘movie stars’ started as stage actors in a theatrical production where they were discovered by producers who were looking for some new and raw talent. So in all, theatre is a good foundation for acting and if you can master theatre then you’ll blossom behind the cameras.

According to source the British troops felt a lack of distraction among a community that mostly spoke Dutch. That is when some of the officers began to stage amateur theatricals in what came to be known as the Garrison Theatre in Cape Town. The first companies to play on its boards were very amateur and mostly recruited from the garrison. Plays of every kind were staged there.

Sophiatown - production

Two or three short plays would be staged on one night in a reconstructed warehouse or store. Regimental bands often provided music for these non-military enterprises. People who attended theatre productions were mostly European, either administrative or military.

Source: http://www.google.com/

Today's theatre is more different. There are new themes, stories, and new directors.  The South African protest theatre which was an amplifier for the struggle for liberation transported the voices of freedom fighters across stages of the townships and the world. Great names like Mbongeni Ngema and Gibson Kente trained a generation of great talent that needed to flourish.

Previously politicized events, cultural treasures, personal stories and contemporary social issues are now being developed and staged by artists. Social issues like unemployment, crime, alcoholism and domestic violence are being explored afresh. Examples of these theatre productions are:

v  Aubrey Sekhabi’s ‘On My Birthday’, set in a black middle-class environment, focuses on domestic violence and adultery.

v  Thulani Mtshali’s ‘Weemen’, highlights domestic abuse but with an ending that shows an empowered victim who supported the abuser throughout his rehabilitation.

v  Sello Maake Ka-Ncube’s  ‘Kose Kuse Bash’, a portrayal of urban township partying and how an innocent search for fun can turn sour and lead to broken dreams and tragedy.

v  Johnny Loate’s ‘Cabbage and Bullets’, which won the Windybrow Arts Festival FNB Vita Award. ‘Cabbages and Bullets’ tells the story of two unemployed ex-Mkhonto weSizwe guerrillas who feel their struggle has gone unrecognized and so they turn to alcohol, drugs and crime out of frustration. source

It is definitely clear that the theatre in South Africa is doing very well for itself and even though it went through some difficult routes, it has reached  a point where it focuses on important and real  issues that affects people all around and not only the funny and fun stuff.

The growing entertainment industry

The entertainment industry is growing rapidly. Successful singer Lira is no ordinary artist. She’s been in the industry for over a decade now and according to Drum (2012; 13), her last four albums all went platinum on CD and triple platinum on DVD – plus she holds the honour of being the first African musician whose DVD was released on Blu-ray. She was the first South African artist to have a song played on VH1 – and a song as the soundtrack for international sitcom Girlfriends.

Source: http://www.google.com/

Fresh from her hugely successful US tour – Lira returns to the South African stage with The Captured Tour, in association with Nokia.  According to source, The Captured Tour is a homecoming of sorts for Lira who spent the last few months touring the planet in support of launching her international career and debut offering for the European and North American territories, Rise Again. The album, a collection of “best of songs”, represents years of personal and musical growth and development that have seen Lira create a unique and memorable sound that instantly stands out from the clutter of most modern music. Her emotive and uplifting songs will be brought to life in an energetic and unforgettable stage show that has been perfected through months of touring, playing to thousands of new adoring international fans. Now on the 29th October at the Sun City Superbowl there’ll be recording Lira’s second DVD. This is all proof that if you want something in life and you work towards it then it is that simple to achieve. Lira is proves that she set high standards for herself and she’s succeeding very well in those standards. You do not have the excuse of “it is hard and impossible.”

Source: http://www.google.com/

Moving on to movies, the movie Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, featuring Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Max von Sydow, Thomas Horn and Viola Davis. The film is about a father and son who understand each other and the devastation the World Trade Centre terrorist attack brings – death and the boy finding that his father is lost. Another interesting thing about this film is that the filmmakers made use of the terrible 9/11 images, especially of the people jumping to their deaths. According to City Press (2012; 08) this caused a bit of a roar but despite all that, the film was nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. This movie is for the people who enjoy mystery and fiction.  

The entertainment industry is really growing quickly, now we are left with the question, 10-20 years down the line, how will the entertainment industry have changed?