By Sitha Maliwa:
On 28 February 2026, the Big Top Arena at Carnival City will transform into a vibrant tapestry of African sound, rhythm, and heritage as Thandiswa Mazwai celebrates her 50th birthday with the inaugural Sankofa Heritage Festival. This is not just a concert – it is a three-decade musical journey, a celebration of culture, and the birth of a new annual platform dedicated to indigenous African music.
Mazwai, a voice that has defined South African music for over thirty years, will share the stage with artists who have shaped her story and the sound of a nation. Thandi Ntuli, the award-winning pianist and composer, will infuse the evening with her seamless blend of jazz and African spiritual traditions. Legendary guitarist and cultural custodian Madala Kunene will lend his Zulu-rooted melodies, carrying the weight of generations on each string. Jahseed, from the pioneering kwaito collective Bongo Maffin, will reconnect the crowd to the heartbeat of South Africa’s musical revolution. The Sivuyile Traditional Dance Group promises to ignite the stage with the power and poetry of Xhosa dance, while DJ Kenzhero will close the night with a pulsating celebration of South African sound. Anchoring the festival’s pan-African vision, Grammy-nominated Somi and acclaimed singer-songwriter Msaki, both long-time collaborators and sisters-in-music to Mazwai, will bring their signature artistry to this landmark event.
Adding another layer of significance, the festival announces the winner of its Opening Act Competition: Vuyo Viwe, a 25-year-old flautist, composer, and vocalist from Johannesburg. Selected from 250 hopefuls nationwide, Vuyo’s music blends South African traditional song forms with orchestral folk, electronic textures, and bold experimental approaches. “I am beyond honoured to share a stage with one of my earliest and most formidable sonic heroes,” says Vuyo. “This is a dream realised and proof that African music is here to stay.” Mazwai echoes this sentiment, saying, “We are thrilled to welcome Vuyo Tshwele to open the show. This festival is about uplifting young musicians and connecting them with new audiences. Next year, it could be you.”
The Sankofa Heritage Festival is more than a celebration of music – it is a bridge between past and present, a platform where ancestral rhythms meet contemporary innovation. With the support of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture’s Mzansi Golden Economy Initiative, the festival promises to become a cultural landmark, one that honours African heritage through the universal language of music. –@NewsSA_Online
Tickets are now available for this unforgettable evening, which begins at 6 PM at the Big Top Arena, Carnival City, Johannesburg. For more information, visit www.thandiswa.comor follow Thandiswa Mazwai on Instagram and Twitter @thandiswamazwai, and on Facebook and TikTok @thandiswamazwaiofficial.
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