Programme Director
Colleagues in the Executive Council
Members of the Legislature
Heads of Department,
All Stakeholders Present
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen
Comrades
Mangaung African Cultural Festival (MACUFE) 2011 has finally kicked-off. We are delighted that this moment has arrived. We are delighted because, firstly, MACUFE serves as an important platform to showcase our Province and, secondly, we are confident that we are going to present yet another scintillating artistic and musical programme.
Indeed, as the honourable Premier indicated in his State of the Province address, MACUFE is the cultural pilgrimage to the Free State taking place annually.
As we indicated before the theme of this year’s MACUFE is “towards greater celebrations.” I have already pointed out at another platform that we are hosting this year’s festival against the backdrop of the greatest celebration that is to take place in our province: the Centenary Celebration of the 100 years of existence of the greatest liberation movement in the world, the African National Congress. I pointed out that Private Bag X20606, Bloemfontein, 9300 this year’s MACUFE, and other major events that we will be staging in our Province, are stepping-stones towards this Centenary Celebration.
As we have already publicly announced the programme for the 2011 MACUFE let me just take this opportunity to highlight the following in this programme, starting from back to front:
1) MACUFE Cup will as usual serve as the culmination of MACUFE programme on the 9th October. Two of the giants of our football, Bloemfontein Celtics and Kaizer Chiefs, will be featured
2) The main festival at MACUFE, the Mangaung African Cultural Festival, promises to be remembered as one of the most spectacular displays of the performing arts in 2011. Presented on Saturday, 8 October at the Loch Logan Rose Garden in Bloemfontein, the Main Festival continues a proud tradition of presenting the biggest annual summer party anywhere in South Africa, and attracting music fans from all four corners of the country.
Featuring US R&B greats Bebe Winans and Johnny Gill; a duo of Zimbabwean superstars - Thomas Mapfumo and Oliver Mtukudzi - and a line-up of some of South Africa’s most popular performers; the main festival will, once again, ‘showcase the best of the best in a programme packed with powerful performances’. The line-up includes:
a) Thandiswa Mazwai
b) Selaelo Selota
c) Zakes Bantwini
d) HHP
e) Kaya
f) Bhudaza
g) Peter Nthwane
h) Fossils
i) Thomas Mapfumo (Zimbabwe)
j) Oliver Mtukudzi (Zimbabwe)
k) Johnny Gill (USA)
l) Bebe Winans (USA)
3) Throughout the week of MACUFE, from the first to the 7th October we will feature the Developmental Performances and Craft Exhibitions as well as the Local Theatre Festival. These programmes are critical in the showcasing and development of our local productions as well as artists.
Through these and other programmes we will want to demystify the usually restated myth that our local artists do not see the light of day when it comes to MACUFE. As part of the developmental thrust of our programme, to develop our own young local artists, we will stage the Music Conference for Young Artists from the fifth to the 7th October. The National Film and Video Foundation Festival will also be featured
throughout the week.
4) MACUFE Wordfest, a festival for writers and wordsmiths, is also featured throughout the week. It is important that we continue to promote the role of writing and language development in our society. This festival provides a platform to writers to share skills and knowledge on language
and writing.
5) Let me also mention in passing the following elements of the 2011 MACUFE programme: MACUFE Boxing Tournament (7 October); MACUFE Divas Concert (7 October); MACUFE Golf Day (6 October); MACUFE Indoor Jazz (6 October); Ons Konsert (5 October); Blacks Only Comedy (4 October); Gospel Festival (2 October).
Programme director, this is just a summary of what we are to expect during this week. We have no doubt that our MACUFE patrons will certainly enjoy this programme to the fullest.
All we can say is let the fun begin.
I thank you.
