Bhekani Ndwandwe will not be a cultural, financial geographer or coverage maker of that style of growth, however that lives in his blood and mind. His entire being is about cultural financial geography, the final word emancipator of humanity from financialised and monetarised dwelling and livelihoods.
Ndwandwe, who resides in one of many African suburbs inside Umhlathuze municipal space (twin cities of Empangeni and Richards Bay), is a younger man with vibrant eyes and has saved the religion in beliefs of Madiba. With a model futuristic, a model that may rise from the ashes when every has to account on why intergenerational worth eluded Black Africans and Coloureds. When the nationwide dialogue begins, Zwide has lengthy been on this dialog and positioned it in plain sight for all to see. He lengthy made the decision for all of us to dig our buckets the place we’re. For in tradition, heritage, historical past and the artwork of politics relaxation our financial emancipation.
Zwide noticed in Madiba Jive delicate energy to steer our feelings in the direction of a greater and completely different course. One which we will mission into the world. I recall my phone dialog with Ambassador Jerry Matjila after I intimated to him the imaginative and prescient of a younger man by the identify of Zwide and the potential for constructing international peace utilizing Madiba Jive. The event of United Nations (UN) Secretary Normal Gutierrez delivering Nelson Mandela Annual lecture might have been probably the most apt. We agreed with Matjila that it might have been. Arduous and good concepts don’t die. Absolutely Zwide’s farsighted ideas don’t die.
Now for 12 years he has been on this dream and for greater than eight years the Madiba Jive for Peace has turn out to be a characteristic on the calendar of Richards Bay. Come sunshine or rain Zwide has succeeded to host the Annual Madiba Jive for Peace. It is likely to be held removed from the glitzy and full-sized stadia. This has not deterred Zwide from mission. Certainly, we’d like Madiba Jive for Peace at present greater than we ever did.
Zwide has innate and the pure presents of a panegyrist or conventional praise-singer, he has emerged as a self-made cultural entrepreneur. As he builds on the peace mission, he has gone years again into heritage of Africans. While it’s mentioned charity begins at house for Zwide the phrases are charity begins in all places but it surely can also start at house. To this finish for fairly a while he envisioned a contribution he might make to translate his notion of eulogy for a notable determine to one among celebrating the life and fame of King Cetshwayo, the final Zulu potentate, earlier than dismemberment of the dominion in 1879.
King Cetshwayo is understood for his well-documented prowess in going through the would possibly of the British imperial forces on just a few battle websites, notably the Battle of Isandlwana, the place his mixed military of 25,000 males, underneath Chief Commander, Ntshingwayo kaMahole Khoza, gave an excellent account of themselves. However different setbacks which marked the autumn of the Zulu kingdom, Cetshwayo’s identify has remained topical in colonial historical past of South Africa. He was the one African king who was ferried to the British Isles, as an ironical prisoner of battle, for an appointment with Queen Victoria. Leaving the positioning of his royal family at Ondini, which had been burnt to ashes by British troopers, he traversed the hills and vales of the jap aspect of the current KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) to board the ship at Port Dunford. Notable in his journey is the aerial signpost, which was given the identify of Esikhaleni, which accurately means ‘the final space he touched base with’, earlier than crusing to the Cape Colony and Nice Britain.
Bhekani has taken the epic and legacy of King Cetshwayo as objects of cultural heritage value celebrating on an ongoing foundation. That is a part of proud Zulu historical past. Cetshwayo Day is commemorated on January 22 annually, when Zulu individuals and visitors from outer areas converge at Isandlwana, the memorable website of the Anglo-Zulu Conflict.
For Bhekani his initiative is exclusive, authentic and unparalleled for an individual of his age and background. He has formed his commemoration and celebration of King Cetshwayo as a continuous pageant of African expertise and cultural richness of assorted dimensions. His mission has begun to yield dividends. There’s monumental help it appears to attract, starting from the Zulu Royal Highness, to native governance entities, potential donor businesses and members of the African group.
But it surely stays an expressly cultural and non-profit mission, not a enterprise enterprise. The Annual King Cetshwayo Heritage Competition 2025 was on the February 15, KwaZulu-Natal King Cetshwayo District Port Dunford Sportsfield. The official launch of King Cetshwayo Heritage Competition was staged on November 30, 2024 at Esikhaleni senkosi kwaNozalela Port Dunford at King Cetshwayo’s Monument. This occasion promotes Arts, Tradition and Tourism; in brief it’s in understanding cultural financial geography that’s the place the liberation of Blacks rests and claiming cultural financial geography as an financial coverage, one and all could be free and intergenerational worth could be created.
Within the not distant future Madiba Jive for Peace will fly globally as Madiba Jive for World Peace. South Africa wants it. The world wants it.
Dr Pali Lehohla is a Professor of Apply on the College of Johannesburg, a Analysis Affiliate at Oxford College, a board member of Institute for Financial Justice at Wits and a distinguished Alumni of the College of Ghana. He’s the previous Statistician-Normal of South Africa.
BUSINESS REPORT
