‘Rebirth of Ubuntu’: Concert rebranded to avoid political confusion, says Billy Monama

Guitarist and event organiser Billy Monama says he is satisfied after rebranding his music concert over the weekend at the State Theatre.

“I’m satisfied because everyone has accepted and they love this name. Those who have known the brand are like, ‘congratulations on the new name’,” Monama tells The Citizen.

In the days leading up to the concert, Monama expressed his irritation at the number of people who asked whether his concert was linked to Floyd Shivambu’s political party, the Afrika Mayibuye Movement.

On Saturday, Monama changed his concert name from the Mayibuye iAfrika Concert to the Rebirth of Ubuntu Concert.

Monama’s music concert was established in 2023, while Shivambu’s party was established in September this year.

The event organiser said he decided to rebrand because “I don’t want people to be confused with the new political party.”

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A successful Rebirth of Ubuntu concert

The event on Saturday was a celebration of South Africa’s rich music heritage. The concert started off with Monama thanking his partners and those who attended.

The 20-piece orchestra, arranged and conducted by Grammy Award-winning producer Joe Arthur, mesmerised the audience throughout the show’s duration.

The band first performed the national anthem, then followed with the original version.

Simphiwe Dana was the first solo act to take the stage, and the sold-out audience thoroughly enjoyed it.

“I went to sit there in the VIP audience; I looked at how people were touched. It was very nice…everyone had their favourite. No one complained about the performance; they’re looking forward to the next one.”

Elvis Blue’s performance was also liked by many, particularly when he did covers of Johnny Clegg’s songs.

The audience’s age diversity reflected the lineup.

“Remember, sometimes those who are in their 30s are there to see Langa [Mavuso], and they realise that there’s [Sipho] “Hotstix” Mabuse, and think ‘my father will love this’, and they bring their parents,” shares Monama.

Mabuse was one of the standout performers, keeping the audience on their feet throughout his set with songs like Shikisha.

Lesotho-born singer-songwriter Maleh was also one of the best acts of the night, showcasing strong vocals without dancing or getting the audience on their feet.

Stationed around the centre of the stage, the singer captivated the crowd.

The audience moved more when she finished her performance by performing the more upbeat classic, Chimsoro.

Singer-songwriter Langa Mavuso could’ve started his set by performing his songs and then ended his set by paying tribute to Lucky Dube.

Going from the spirited songs by the late Dube to his more laid-back ones made his set feel a tad disconnected and anticlimactic, although the audience enjoyed both Dube’s and his own songs.

After the interval, the band performed amazing covers of hits like Diphororo by Jonas Gwangwa and South African songs from years gone by as people walked back to their seats.

Seasoned broadcaster Nothemba Madumo was the MC on the night.

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Looking ahead

Monama says the next Rebirth of Ubuntu concert will be in May next year at the Joburg Theatre on the 29th and 30th.

“We really wish to take this thing nationally, but we can’t because we need more partners to come on board. This show is a quality show, so it’s quite expensive to put together,” shares the artist.

He adds that the Joburg crowd is different from what you’d find in other parts of the country.

“Our shows, when we’re in Joburg, they sell out quite quickly, we never stress about them not being sold. Once we leave Joburg, eish man, the tickets go slow. It’s like the culture of other cities is not like Johannesburg; I’m reluctant [to take] it anywhere else because I’m afraid of not selling the tickets,” Monama said.

Due to production costs, Monama explained, the show cannot be taken from city to city at this stage.

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