Festival to put Mpumalanga on the map

MACfest International Festival is a project of the Mpumalanga provincial government's Department of Culture, Sports and Recreation, and a consortium consisting of promotions company T.Musicman and JM Associates has been appointed to manage the festival.

Comments the MEC for Culture, Sports and Recreation, N Mtsweni, "This is, without doubt, the most important arts and culture event to be staged in Mpumalanga for a long, long time and we are very proud to be able to offer a platform for a world-class festival in our province.

Strong ties

"There has never been any question about Mpumalanga's strong ties to our country's arts and culture community - you only need look at the calibre of individuals who have roots in the region, including Miriam Makeba, Stimela, Hugh Masekela, Rebecca Malope, Esther Mahlangu, Paul Slabolepszy and Zakkie Eloff.

"Now we have the chance to create a festival that offers top quality arts and culture in a setting that is among the most beautiful in the country - it's a combination that we believe no true South African music, film or theatre fan can miss and it's really the start of an annual event that we are sure is going to soon lay claim to the status of being the best the country has to offer."

Over the seven days, music fans and arts and culture adherents will have the chance to experience music from the likes of Rebecca Malope, Jimmy Dludlu, Gloria Bosman, Stimela, Deborah Fraser, Dozi, Sipho Makhabane, Benjamin Dube, Ntando, Karen Zoid, Lusanda, Mafikizolo, Lundi, Nokukhanya Dlamini and Jonas Gwangwa.

Mini festival

Filmgoers will enjoy a Leon Schuster mini festival within MACfest International, where films like The Gods Must Be Crazy will be showcased along with the likes of Tsotsi and other award-winning films, while theatregoers will be able to choose from several stage productions including the world-acclaimed Umoja and The Suitcase.

Among the star attractions will be internationally recognised jazz musician Ronnie Jordan, widely credited with revolutionizing contemporary jazz, along with African superstar singer and songwriter Senegal's Ismael Lo, and Harvey Mason, leader of Four Play and one of the most recorded and highly recorded jazz drummers of the contemporary era.

Award-winning Japanese jazz pianist, Keiko Matsui, is also gracing MACfest International with her presence and the renowned London Gospel Choir will also be featured during the festival.

Joining these artists are many others drawn from the African continent, including Cameroon's Richard Bona, Zimbabwe's Oliver Mtukudzi, Ghorwane from Mozambique and Bhudaza from Lesotho.

Aids awareness

On 1 December, MACfest International together with The Emalahleni Municipality will be hosting a programme dedicated to raise awareness of the Aids pandemic. To celebrate a hundred years of the existence of Witbank, a town best known for its trade in coal, the Emalahleni Municipality will officially launch the apt name Emalahleni, with a centenary dinner event featuring a performance by SA jazz legend Jonas Gwanwa.

All events take place in both Emalahleni (previously known as Witbank) and Steve Tshwete (Middelberg) - both locations providing a perfect context for a festival that is about starting afresh in the democratic era.

Cultural diversity

Peter Tladi, chairperson of the consortium, says the team conceiving MACfest International Festival took the idea of cultural diversity and something brand new as its benchmarks. "We wanted to introduce South Africans to a great new place to experience arts and culture in the form of Emalahleni and Steve Tshwete, both of which have undergone significant name changes in the recent past.

"Working with the Mpumalanga Culture, Sports and Recreation department has resulted in a programme that I think outdoes any other on offer in the country. We've got a great selection of music from the country's top acts, across several of the most popular genres. There is theatre to enjoy - from the serious to the light-hearted, and our film programme is also going to satisfy just about everyone who comes to MACfest International."

For more info, go to www.macfest.co.za.