Celebrate a milestone and birth of a legacy with Caiphus Semenya

Celebrating a milestone and the birth of a legacy, the Market Theatre will on 14 August stage the Caiphus Semenya’s 80th birthday celebration.

Musicians Tsepo Tshola, Sipho Hotstix Mabuse, Condry Ziqubu will be among the artists who will pay tribute to Semenya.

The event will also include music from Buwa, the theatrical production penned by Semenya in 1986 about the injustices of apartheid through the eyes of a photojournalist.

This evening will be preceded by an intimate dinner before heading out to the John Kani Theatre of the Market Theatre. His actual birthday is on Monday, 19 August.

Veteran actor Sello Maake Ka Ncube and musician Tshepo Mngoma have been roped in as the show director and music director, respectively, and a carefully selected line-up of performers will present their interpretations of music by Semenya and some songs that he wrote.

Proceeds from the concert will go to Semenya’s National Academy of Africa’s Performing Arts (Naapa) in Jabulani, Soweto.

The first phase of the school construction has been completed and the second phase of furnishing is set to get underway.

This school is aimed at training and nurturing the next generations of musicians, actors and dancers.

Born in Alexandra Township, Semenya found his voice as a teenager in the vocal quartet, the Katzenjammer Kids.

The quartet was named after the 10 cents comic book of the 1950s. In 1958, he and his group were recruited by the Union of Southern African Artists which had its headquarters based in Dorkay House. The purpose of the group’s recruitment was to be a cast member of the musical, King Kong which ran in South Africa from February to December 1959 and in the UK from February to December 1961.

In 1964, he was again recruited by the Union to travel to New York as a cast member of the musical drama, Sponono. He subsequently ended up residing and working in Los Angeles.

He has worked with American heavyweights, notably Quincy Jones, Harry Belafonte, The Jazz Crusaders, Herb Alpert and others. He and his wife Letta arranged the Swahili chant on Michael Jackson’s Liberian Girl.

He has contributed to the South African national songbook with classics such as Matswale, Angelina, Ziphi’Nkomo, as well as the powerful collaborations like Ndiphendule with his wife Letta.

When he is not busy with bricks and mortar at Naapa, Semenya graces many stages as one of the most sought-after performers at music festivals the world over.

“Turning 80 is a blessing not to be taken for granted. There are so many colleagues that I started this journey with and, unfortunately, most of them have since passed away, so it’s with a grateful heart that I look back and appreciate the blessings I received from Ramasedi, the creator of the universe,” said Semenya.

“As much as there is some fun we will have, I never want us to lose focus of this project that is close to my heart, Naapa. I ask that we be generous in giving towards the academy to ensure that the next Caiphus Semenya is given a chance through one of the many programmes that will run at the academy.”

The tickets for Semenya’s 80th Birthday Benefit Concert are available at Webtickets

Details: 011 832 1641.

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