MZWAKHE MBULI - the poet and the prison concert

MZWAKHE MBULI - the poet and the prison concert

Some years ago when South African Peoples Poet, Mzwakhe Mbuli, was imprisoned on highly dubious robbery charges, At the time Benjamin Zephaniah commented that you can judge a nation by the way it treats its' poets.

On that front South Africa has not treated it's most famous poet well at all except for Helen Suzman who has constantly campaigned for Mbuli's release.
The People's Poet Mzwakhe Mbuli has one last chance to appeal against his 13-year prison sentence.
Attorney Jean Redpath examined all the evidence and suggested that there has been a miscarriage of justice

CHANGE IS PAIN was the prophetic title of Mzwakhe Mbuli's first album. Dubbed the 'people's poet' his inspirational words resonated over the graves of struggle heroes during the 1980s. Tall and charismatic, the 38-year-old poet was the obvious choice to chant in praise of Nelson Mandela at his presidential inauguration in 1994. With eight albums of oral poetry - six of them gold - to his credit, steady demand for his live performances and active work for charity, Mbuli led a fulfilling life.
Everything changed on October 28, 1997, the day he was arrested and charged with armed robbery. Denied bail because he was seen as a flight risk, Mbuli languished in jail until his trial at Pretoria Magistrate's court began in June 1998. In March the following year he was found guilty and sentenced to 13 years. Mbuli has always protested his innocence, claiming he was framed, but in November last year his appeal to the Pretoria High Court was turned down.
An international campaign has protested his innocence throughout. with active support and considerable weight added by the veteran Campaigner Helen Suzman.

Evidence against Mbuli was contradictory, lacking and the quality of investigation was appalling. It seems that the police were so convinced of the poet's guilt from the outset that they made no effort to conduct a proper investigation or unearth the truthNULL Surely an accused should reap the benefit of the doubt created by slovenly police work, which could so easily have established further evidence of guilt or innocenceNULL
Furthermore why did the police so easily find Mbuli, a respected and outspoken figure, not credibleNULL Helen Suzman clearly finds him credible.

With his final Supreme Court appeal to be heard in mid May 2002 after more than four years in prison it is equally interesting and significant to look at how Mbuli is dealing with wrongful imprisonment by the government for whom he was an important freedom fighter not many years previously.

Mbuli is not bitter and has a determination and commitment to support those in need wherever he finds himself. Known for being outspoken and fearless, he has challenged the prison authorities on a number of occasions to stop harrassment of prisoners, loss of basic rights and to stop dogs biting prisoners with their trainers encouragement.

Now in Leeukop Medium C Prison he is the mastermind behind a unique concert in the prison on Human Rights Day on 21st March 2002.

The Theme : 'Child Rape is a Gross Violation of Human Rights '
The event will include DJs , Prison Choirs, Comedians, speakers from the South African Council of Churches, the Human Rights Commission and the South African Football Association as well as the famous Orlando Pirates Football team. Welcome Msomi of Umabatha Fame and the Woza Africa Musical Group will perform and the highlight of the day will be appearances by Kwaito King, Arthur and the All Stars and South Africa's famous gospel singer Rebecca Malope.

PROGRAMME:
DJ ZULUBOY - Jozi FM
FILIO CHOIR - Coleman Mgogodlo's choral group
AMAQOLA EMVELO - Acapela group singing a child rape song
JAVAS & GOSPEL CHOIR
SOUTH AFRICAN COUNCIL OF CHURCES - Representative
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONER - Mr Jody Kollapen
SOUTH AFRICAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION - Representative
WELCOME MSOMI - Of 'UMABATHA' fame
ORLANDO PIRATES Football Team
SOCIAL WELFARE (Organisers - Ms Smangele Tshabalala; Mr Markus Tlhakanye)
WOZA AFRICA MUSICAL GROUP of Manqoba Ntombela
COMEDIANS - Jerry 'Mofokeng' Phele - Jabulani 'Chirwali' - Tiny Siluma
SOLLY MOHOLO - popular gospel singer
REBECCA MALOPE - South Africa's Gospel Queen
ARTHUR & 999 Studio Artists - Kwaito King
HEAD OF PRISON - MR E. SEKELE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SPONSORSHIP:
GEARHOUSE - PA System, Sound plus Stage Design
EMI MUSIC & CCP RECORDS - Rebecca Malope - Solly - Arthur & All Stars
SELIMATHUNZI 'DUKU DUKU'- T-shirts - Filio Choir - Ubuhle bemvelo - Amaqola emvelo
WOZA AFRICA
SOUTH AFRICAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION - Soccer kits for 8 Teams
WELCOME MSOMI PRODUCTIONS - Catering
SOUTH AFRICAN ROADIES ASSOCIATION - Facilitation of sound & stage.
RECREATION COMMITTEE - Catering & Tents

Programme designed by Mzwakhe Mbuli
Will Mbuli perform - some of the new work that he has been writing while in prison - who knows.

WOMEX NEWSservice; source: Gill Lloyd Tel +44 207 2475102 mailto:gill@artsadmin.co.uk

• article submitted by: WOMEX