Makeba remembered at UNISA

Images by Izabelle Jacobs


At an event to remember and honour the life and times of Miriam Zenzile Makeba on 9 November (the date of her death on stage in Italy two years ago) family and friends and well as colleagues gathered at the Dr Miriam Makeba concert Hall at the University of South Africa to listen to revolutionary and love songs coming from the hearts and voices of internationally acclaimed artists and friends of Makeba, Zenzile Lee (granddaughter of Mama Afrika), Mara Louw, Abigail Khubeka and Dorothy Masuka. This intense evening was laced with poetry from yours truly as well as poet and producer Duma Ka Ndlovu. With Style and grace, stage man and actor Sello Maake ka Ncube carried the audience into song, some jokes and anecdotes from the life of legendary Mama Afrika, as the simple Azanian child and singer came to be known. The outgoing principal of Unisa Prof N Barney Pitayna gave a message of welcome before the evening got down to song - accompanied by the talented Afrika Mkhize on piano - and reflections from the ladies of song themselves were shared to much memory and laughs. Khubeka, Masuka, Louw and Lee brought three generations of voices together in song and celebration with household and nostalgic tunes such as Masakhane, Pata Pata, Bandi Jongile, Into yam and Uya memeza umgoma. A video showing the life of Makeba as well as the legacy she has poured into the music of young South African artists was shown. Among organisers for this commemoration are Makeba's grandson Lumumba Nelson Lee, as well as friend Aubrey Sekhabi of the State Theatre Tshwane.