Mohlakeng’s Ramosa Hall recently reverberated to song, dance and drums in celebration of the life of Oliver Reginald Kaizana Tambo through a theatrical production.
Oliver was a South African anti-apartheid politician and revolutionary who served as president of the ANC from 1967 to 1991. He died in April 1993 due to a massive stroke. According to South African History Online, “His death came a mere two weeks after the murder of one of his most talented apprentices, Chris Hani.”
The play was directed by local playwright, Vuyisile Mpela.
The singing and dancing, along with Xhosa traditional stick-fighting and poetry characterised the musical play and is said to have reminded many township theatre fundis of the days of Gibson Kente, who used to transform township halls into fully fledged professional theatrical houses back in the 70s and 80s, when very few township dwellers had access to television.
The enthusiastic young members of the cast displayed a lot of energy and verve while celebrating the life of Tambo, who would have been 100 on Friday, 27 October 2017.
“The play also served to expose the cast members to the Tambo legacy, as some of them knew nothing about the late activist”, said Vuyisile.
He added, “Most of the actors come from the Greater West Rand and their age group ranges from 15 to 21 years. The play came about as the result of a three-day workshop during the October school holidays at the Recreation Centre, which is where we tapped into previously undiscovered talent, some of whom had never been on any stage or in a theatre”.
The evening also served as the launch of Mpela Mpela Productions, which will be a school or academy for the arts on the West Rand.
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