A sonic experience that opened one up to the divinely realm and showcased how powerful the voice and song can truly be. Through Lili-La MandiFeze took the audience through a journey of exploring vulnerability and honouring the fullness of the black femme experience.
On Sunday afternoon, August 16 2026 I found myself at the Makgabeng shelter in the Wits Origins Centre. There I sat in a dimly lit room with a huge rock painting in front of me. In my eyeline there were two black chairs covered by a red cloth, a white candle, lit and sparkling in a cup, and red cloth draped on the floor. The space itself was intimate and made me feel as if I was underground. The red cloth and candle added a homely feeling to the environment. I sat in anticipation, curiously waiting for what was to come from MandiFeze’s sonic experience Lili-La. Initially, I had no idea what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by how immersive and soulful the overall experience was.
A photo of the setup for the performance. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
MandiFeze is a music and theatre duo founded by former Witsies, Mandisa Yende and Lufezo Bovungana. The audience was met with the sound of a whistle coming from around the corner, and an enchanting voice that signified the start of the show. MandiFeze seamlessly brought the spiritual realm to the physical room, it felt as if the world had stopped and we were all absorbed by the performance at hand. This sonic experience was like no other, it incorporated physical movement, with sounds of emotive expressions, vocals that touched the ceiling and a hollowing silence that sent chills down one’s spine.
A photo of Mandisa Yende and Lufezo Bovungana during the performance. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
The intense eye-contact from MandiFeze, as they searched around the room, made one feel involved in their inner world. MandiFeze pierced through one’s facade of strength and softened the heart space; vulnerability became the meeting point between the audience and performance.
From the beginning up until the very end, Lili-La took us on a journey that unpacked the source of ingoma (song) for MandiFeze. The performance made us witnesses to their internal process of connecting with the divine and honouring the influence of the matriarch. Whilst also unpacking what it means to be an artist. They clearly acknowledge that apart of the purpose of ingoma is to heal people.
In conversation with MandiFeze, Bovungana shed light on how the meaning of Lili-La is ever changing, they said: “we’re beginning to realize that it’s really just a commemoration to the Black femme body that has contributed to ingoma but is also the reason why ingoma exists. It’s an ode to the people that came before us and gave us the song. It (the song) comes from the spirit; it comes from the place in which dead people live.” Yende further added that, “Lili-La then becomes the full spectrum of black femmehood and black femme emotion. We’re trying to really showcase the full spectrum from black joy to black grief to sadness to just visibly showing that you’re carrying weight and allowing ourselves to bear that burden and to showcase what that burden looks like, boldly.”
A photo of Mandisa Yende during the performance. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
According to MandiFeze, Lili-la stems from combining their research during their honour’s studies, where Bovungana explored, “how expressive sounds have contributed to vocal techniques, specifically ululation” and Yende shared, “I was looking into the ways that wailing and ingoma are forms of healing for the black femme body because of how we’ve been expected to always be imbokodo. So, breaking down that narrative of imbokodo by embracing wailing.” Lili-la therefore is a creative play on words, incorporating ukulila (to grieve) and ukulilizela (ululating).
A photo of MandiFeze in prayer during the performance. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
I was captivated by the intimacy and vulnerability in the way they embodied joy through laughter and sadness through intense wailing. I was moved when they both prayed asking for strength to continue on their journey as artists and for guidance along the way. Additionally, the moments of silence that followed brought a sense of stillness in the room, bridging a connection between all those who bore witness and collectively felt the essence of the performance.
When asked what they hoped the audience would take away from the sonic performance, Yende shared, “I think the hope is in a breath for the audience, an exhale from the audience, which for us I think would be mission accomplished as healers. In that people walking out feeling different, reflecting, and seeing either parts of themselves or parts of some form of matriarch belonging.” On the other hand, Bovungana shared, “Allowing your body to feel all the emotions without holding back. Giving the platform to feel what wants to be felt. Be easy on your vessels.”
Overall, the experience was eye-opening, as it awakened me to how healing and expansive the voice can really be when used intentionally. The creative passion of MandiFeze ignited a subtle fire in me that left me feeling inspired, grounded and tender. MandiFeze cultivated a unique sonic experience rooted in African customs, which felt like a homecoming, a return to self.
Vuvu rating 9/10.
FEATURED IMAGE: A photo of Mandisa Yende and Lufezo Bovungana during the performance. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
The 70th Women’s Day Commemoration event celebrated the women of the Women’s March of 1956 and gave an opportunity for exhibitors to create awareness of their business and showcase their work.
The 70th Women’s Day Commemoration took place at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
Sophie Williams-De Bruyn, the last standing leader and organiser of the Women’s March of 1956 gave an address.
Wits Vuvuzela spoke to three different exhibitors to gain insight on how their exhibitions empower women.
National Women’s Day, Sunday August 9 2026, marked a significant milestone within the South African context as it was the commemoration of 70 years since the anti-pass law Women’s March of 1956, which took place at the self-same Union Buildings decades on.
The Women’s March of 1956 was a monumental turning point in South African history, highlighting the power of women uniting against injustice. 70 years later, thousands of people gathered to honour the 22 000 women who marched against Apartheid’s pass laws.
A photo of someone holding two South African flags. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
The commemoration consisted of a women parade, speeches, live performances that celebrated culture and various exhibitions.
The theme of the event was “empowered women, empower the nation.” Sophie-Williams-De Bruyn, the last surviving woman from the leaders and organisers of the Women’s March of 1956, took to the stage during the formal proceedings.
Williams-De Bruyn said: “We were young, we were afraid, but we were unified and determined. When we stood undaunted in silence for 30 minutes, the world trembled, it took note. We confronted the Apartheid regime and boldly said: Strijdom, you have targeted the women, you have struck a rock, and we will crush you…
But today as I look at our beautiful country, my heart is heavy. The freedom we marched for, what we bled is in reality a painful paradox. How can we fully celebrate our past victories when our current realities are so deeply disappointing and distressful?”
Williams-De Bruyn specifically pointed out gender-based violence and femicide, entrenched poverty, lack of clean water, homelessness and systemic corruption.
Women’s Parade in honour of the women who marched in 1956. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
Alongside Williams-De Bruyn’s address was Eugene Plaatjie who spoke on behalf of her late mother, Lilian Dierdericks, a leader and organiser of the 1956 march. She [Lilian Dierdericks] led the Eastern Cape women to this iconic march,” she said.
Plaatjie concluded: “Let us no more say four women led the march, but that they were indeed five. Let the false narrative die today and that we remain true to the struggle.”
Seko’s Crafts beanies on display. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
Wits Vuvuzela engaged with three exhibitors on the lawns. The first, a crocheting collaboration between Seko’s Crafts (founded by Lebogang Klass) and Kgaetsi Hand Made (founded by Mokgaetši Mothwa). When asked about how they interpret the theme, “empowered women, empower the nation” in relation to their businesses, Mothwa shared: “This woman [referring to Lebogang] standing right in front of me, helped me realise my dream today. There was an opportunity to come to class to learn how to crotchet, and now I can happily and proudly say I’m running my own business today. So that for me is women empowerment, we care for one another. She did it for the community. Now I am able to buy bread and teach someone else.”
Klass said empowerment for her is about paying it forward through her teaching and mentorship. “The thing is now unemployment is too much… and mental health, the kids are always on social media, they do other things whereby they can learn to do this thing [crochet] and they don’t need to have a job to learn, they can employ themselves and employ other people,” she said.
The second exhibitors were Sharmila Mistry and Shamalin Singh, founders of Beyond Eternity, offering holistic therapies and products. They said their work is centred around “the evolution of women and women knowing their self-worth” through natural healing.
Lastly, were Ditsong: Museums of South Africa funded by the Department of Arts, Sports and Culture. Curator Tinyeko Ndlovu said, “You see the boards, they represent permanent exhibitions in our Military Museum, we did what we called, Women’s Role in the Liberation Armed Struggle. We are contributing to ensure that women were not excluded and showing that they were there. If you look, there’s people like Charlotte Maxeke, and Sarah Bartman.” He also shared that Ditsong will be hosting a panel on August 26, 2026, in Johannesburg to discuss Nokuthula Simelane, who disappeared in 1983.
A photo of the boards that were being showcased by Ditsong: Museums of South Africa. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
The overall event reflected the importance of empowerment and honouring the work that women do from generation to generation. More notably, how there is still more work to be done for women to truly thrive in South Africa.
FEATURED IMAGE: A photo of people gathering to watch the women’s parade at the Union Buildings. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
Professional and ethical conduct are key to bringing back honour to the legal profession Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga says.
Justice Madlanga made a call for action, stating that honour must be brought back to the legal profession.
The Book Legal Ethics in South Africa is the first of its kind in contemporary times as the last book was published 40 years ago.
A call was made for legal ethics to be made compulsory in the country’s LLB curriculum.
In the plight of unlawfulness, greed and rapid corruption that constantly dominates current affairs, as seen in the ongoing Madlanga Commission, the book Legal Ethics in South Africa is timely and necessary. The book seems to offer a glimpse of hope urging for a transformation that is rooted in prioritising legal ethics.
On 18 June 2026, Wits University hosted a book launch for Legal Ethics in South Africa edited by Law Professor Helen Kruuse from Rhodes University. The introductory remarks were given by Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, who is also currently the chancellor for Rhodes University.
Madlanga emphasised how ethical leadership, integrity and courage are essential for the preservation of the constitution and South African society at large. Additionally, ethics and the constitutional mandate of legal practitioners must extend to people beyond legal practitioners. “Legal ethics in South Africa must be welcomed enthusiastically,” he said.
Madlanga argued that legal ethics needs to be compulsory in the LLB curriculum nationwide as opposed to having it as an optional elective. He said, “legal ethics is not just about compliance, it is about understanding and making moral judgment.”
Madlanga said “ordinary people have a general view of how there is no honour in the legal profession… most people understand it as a profession where people do as they please.” As a result of this connotation, Madlanga pushed for people within the legal field to change this narrative by acting honourably and ethically.
The significance of the book lies in the fact that it is the first book of Legal Ethics in South Africa in contemporary times since the last was published 40 years ago, the book launch celebrated the very first edition of the recently published book. Yet, that is not all, an important aspect of the book is the manner in which it shapes the minds of current and future legal scholars and practitioners which directly impacts how law functions within South Africa.
Facilitator, Professor Helen Kruuse reminded the audience that ethics informs the broader social and psychological context, as she reflected on how the book itself is divided into three parts: Academia, Judiciary and Practice.
At the close of the evening, Klaaren noted that the book is the “start of a conversation, centering in ethical law.” Although the book is centred in the legal context and field, its existence may be a reckoning of sorts for those in the legal profession and society alike.
FEATURED IMAGE:Legal Ethics in South Africa book cover. Photo: LexisNexis Website
A creative powerhouse whose legacy is defined by life experiences, grit, passion and purpose.
Malcolm Purkey is famously known as a multifaceted genius. A playwright, director, actor, lecturer and an experienced Dean of AFDA Johannesburg. From humble beginnings, Purkey carved his own path in theatre and education rooted at Wits University.
Born in 1951, Yeoville, Johannesburg, Purkey spent his life moving around the city. His parents came from Britain; his father Harold Purkey was a jazz pianist and his mother, Kay Purkey was a hardworking singer. It is no surprise, then, that Purkey inherited all the artistic talent from both his parents.
A photo of Malcolm Purkey standing next to Sophiatown board. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
Purkey is a true Witsie, he started at Wits in 1970 and studied English, Sesotho and Ancient Greek. He initially dropped out because he had failed his undergraduate modules and found his way back to Wits, completing English One. Afterwards, he left school and worked in a theatre for six months, which marked the beginning of his theatre career. He left South Africa to go to Britain, and realised Britain was not home, in fact he came to the conclusion that: “I am neither African nor European, I am both.”
His return to Wits to complete his honours in English, built a box theatre in the Matrix alongside an architect and he also built The Nunnery theatre.
As Purkey spoke to Wits Vuvuzela, a vivid recollection of being taught the absurdist play, Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett by former English lecturer, Hilary Semple. A seminal moment for him.
“I’m an absurdist. Oh my God. There is no God. Oh, my God what am I supposed to do? So, what I did is I wrote [sic] an answer. Where the two characters who are looking, waiting for Godot, they finally get to heaven, and they find out that the realisation of a dream is hopelessly inadequate. The journey is all…That was the play I wrote, and it got professors saying nice things about it,” he shared.
The play in question was Sequel to Jeso (1971), which was one of his first plays shown at Wits, in the Great Hall.
Decades on, Purkey’s imprint in theatre continues to be felt the resurgence of the play Sophiatown (1986), which was recently on show at the Wits Theatre. Sophiatown has successfully sold one million copies of the play text published by Wits University Press and Macmillan Publishers which happens to also be a part of the current grade 11 first additional language curriculum.
Purkey believes that drama, as both a subject and medium, is a powerful tool. “Drama teaches you a whole lot of power, language, talking and being in the world.” He first learned just how powerful when he co-founded the Junction Avenue Theatre Company in 1976 and later joined forces with Workshop 71 to form a non-racial theatre group that could shed a light on the injustice of the Apartheid regime.
A guiding principle for the company was “history from below.” It “was the idea that we have to reveal the hidden history that the apartheid state wanted hidden, such as the destruction of Doornfontein, the destruction of Sophiatown, the ANC in exile,” he shared.
His first award followed shortly after in 1978, when Purkey won best director of the year for the play Travesties.
Through his work and life experience Purkey has been able to not only achieve much but also live up to his sense of purpose, which is: “To use theatre to communicate wonderful, contradictory, and telling ideas that reveal part of our worlds to ourselves and part of ourselves to ourselves that otherwise remain hidden”.
FEATURED IMAGE: A photo of Malcolm Purkey. Photo by: Sikelelekile Pahlana
With every ending there is a new beginning, and that’s been the case for a recently shuttered local second-hand bookshop.
The Bookdealers of Melville was given a short notice to move out of their initial space.
Financial constraints have had a negative impact on Bookdealers of Melville, with low turnovers in comparison to 11 years ago.
Bookdealers has moved three blocks up,now located inside a coffee shop, namely The Sourcery in Melville, where customers can enjoy both books and coffee.
The Bookdealers of Melville is a well-known local second-hand bookshop that has been running for 35 years. Unfortunately, this year marked the beginning of the end for Bookdealers after being left with no choice but to move out of their shop by the end of April.
Photo of boxes filled with books inside the original Bookdealers of Melville store. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
Bookdealers’ last day of trading was officially on April 20, 2026, and their final departure and relocation took place on Saturday, May 2, 2026.
Wits Vuvuzela visited the new, smaller set-up inside The Sourcery, a coffee shop three blocks up from the original store, to get some insight into the change.
Doron Locketz, owner of Bookdealers of Melville said: “We knew that there were new owners [for the space] in January, I think the sale went through. It took them a while to get their admin stuff together and they gave me notice in March to leave, to move out first, at the end of March. But you know, legally they’ve got to give you a calendar’s month notice. Then they realised they can’t do it, not legally, so the notice was for the end of April.”
Locketz claims that initially the landlord was going to ask for a moderate rent increase to what Bookdealers was paying previously, “but then he [the landlord] doubled it and at that stage we were not sure whether we would be able to manage the rental, and he instead gave it out to somebody else.”
Locketz recalls the conversation between himself and the landlord and describes the contrast in the interaction as being, “very casual and easy for him, you know, but for us it is a nightmare because we have been here for something like 35 years, which is crazy, you know in the one spot, and it was a hell of a business to get everything out and in the new area. You know, we’ve lost probably about 20-25% of our shelving space, which is going to be an issue. The stuff that we take out will most probably go on to our website.”
Business before the move was already slow. “It’s been very tough. Our turnover has been lower than it was 11 years ago. So, we have to be, you know very careful, we did have two closing down sales, which did help, but we haven’t traded now for over two weeks, we’ve taken quite a knock here.”
Alongside the financial constraints of the business, a declining interest in reading has taken its toll. Locketz says “In those days, 11 years ago, we would have been all right, but in these hard times when, you know books are no longer the flavour of the month, people play on their phones, or read digitally, and there are far less book collectors than there used to be you know, and that all hurts the book business, second-hand book business and the collectibles tremendously.“
These days, people tend to rely on electronic devices, audio books, podcasts or YouTube and even social media for entertainment and information. Locketz describes the impact of fluctuating trends in terms of buying and selling as detrimental to the South African literacy rate.
However, all hope is not lost. He maintains an optimistic outlook on the future, “The books will never disappear. There are more books published regularly all the time with these strong new novelists coming out, nice new South African novelists.”
When asked about the kinds of books people tend to buy more, Locketz shared how literary fiction has always been very popular and alongside literary fiction is any African orientated books especially by black South African authors which are equally popular.
The reality of business and its hardships is even more of a reason to support local bookstores, such as the Bookdealers of Melville.
FEATURED IMAGE: A photo of a sign outside the previous space of Bookdealers of Melville. Photo: Sikelelekile Pahlana
The play Sophiatown balances the tragedy of displacement and forced removals with the joys of human connection, jazz, singing and dancing.
It is Saturday, April 11, 2026, and the theatre kid in me is geeking throughout the entire experience of witnessing the revival of Sophiatown on stage. A legacy, a history so rich, words cannot begin to describe the greatness embodied through the characters, the storytelling and the finer details that reflected the true intentionality in honouring and remembering Sophiatown.
Upon arrival, I was excited and deeply curious about what the play Sophiatown would actually be about. The audience sat in the lounge area of the Wits Theatre, anticipating the journey we were about to embark for the next two hours. Chatter and joy filled the lobby as we patiently waited for the show to start.
Boy, were we in for a true treat! Drum rolls and a groovy jazz tune is how we were introduced to Sophiatown, a fitting opening for a place known for its sonically rich cultural heritage and legacy. One of the main characters, Jack, took us back in time. It is the 1950s: typewriter on the desk, a bookshelf in the background, blue lights and the interior of a warm family home, await the rest of the characters.
Jack, an aspiring journalist, resurrects the legacy of Drum magazine by calling out names of the 1950 Drum legends such as: Can Themba, Lewis Nkosi, Bloke Modisane, and Todd Matshikiza, he highlights how they paved the way for African storytelling in Sophiatown at that point in time. Soon after, the rest of the characters join in on a chorus and soothes our ears with a sweet melody, the peanut gallery begins to cheer, and we have officially taken off.
The play is truly nothing short of amazing, and it importantly showcases how Sophiatown can never be solely understood through a singular lens or a singular story. It is culturally rich, consisting of diverse people, multiple races and different lived experiences. We are taken through a story of history, as the play reflects the severity of living under the apartheid regime which pushed for racial segregation and alienation. As one of the main characters Mingas says, “Sophiatown is not just about clubs and jazz, it is about war.”
The play explores the plight of BantuEducation, and the complexities of interracial relationships as we see through the arrival of a white Jewish girl, Ruth Golden, who is originally from Yeoville. She finds herself in Sophiatown after seeing an advertisement in the Drum magazine for the “diamond lady, number 17.”
Ruth’s presence at 65 Gerty Street in Sophiatown reflects the different living conditions between the white people and black people. Ruth is forced to adapt to life in Sophiatown, in a smaller house where everyone shares rooms, it enhances the complex relational dynamics between characters such as Lulu and Princess, Mingas, Jack and Fafi and the mother who all occupy the home.
Above all else, the play highlights the brutality of forced removals in Sophiatown with reference to the Native Resettlement Act of 1954. The apartheid regime used to remove black people from their homes, through bulldozing houses and destroying the infrastructure. The wound of displacement is so deeply felt by the audience as the characters are forcefully moved to Meadowlands.
Actors of Sophiatown play on stage. Photo by: Sikelelekile Pahlana
The play effectively and harmoniously balances light-heartedness through humour, singing and dancing with the seriousness of how violent the apartheid regime was.
The play asks to be remembered, embraced, and treated as a real point in time because it was and forever will be. We are urged into carrying the memory of Sophiatown with us and be conscious enough to ensure we never forget the pain, the joy and the collective fight it took for us to taste freedom, not idealistically yet in reality – to feel the things, the legends of those times always hoped to one day be a witness to.
I spoke to the writer, Malcolm Purkey, who said the play Sophiatown was created 40 years ago, in 1986 and it still stands today, a true testimony to its importance and relevance. When I asked him what he wanted people to take away from the play, he said, “If we found the right way, we could live together with respect. The gap of poverty and inequality is still there, and the war is not over,” Sophiatown reminds us of our common humanity and truly reflects the times, with dignity.
We are reminded, as Don Mattera once articulated, “Memory is a weapon!” Our history, South African history awaits you on the stage, it is worthwhile to go check it out and experience it for yourself. The play runs from April 11 to May 8, 2026. You will laugh, you may shed a tear, yet you will not regret it.
Vuvu Rating: 10/10.
FEATURED IMAGE: Picture of stage during Sophiatown play. Photo by: Sikelelekile Pahlana
Since her announcement as the Democratic Alliance’s mayoral candidate for Johannesburg, Helen Zille has dominated national headlines. In this bonus episode of We Should Be Writing podcast, hosts Lulah Mapiye and Bonolo Mokonoto dissect a media meet-and-greet with the mayoral hopeful. From her extensive political résumé to her controversial public utterance, we examine why the Democratic Alliance has chosen Hellen Zille as their candidate for the 2027 local mayoral elections. Additionally, […]
