School choristers were the pride of Ndlambe and Makana this week and their exuberant supporters filled the Port Alfred Civic Centre this week. Singers from 11 schools and their enthusiastic supporters transformed the Port Alfred Civic Centre into a day-long celebration of the joy and discipline of vocal ensemble. The local (Ndlambe and Makana) stage of the annual ABC Motsepe South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod (SASCE) took place on the Freedom Day public holiday of Monday April 28.
Conductors from three high schools and eight primary schools mustered their immaculately turned out charges, getting them efficiently on stage to wait for the nod from adjudicators Zukile Vetezo, Nomanongwane Nonyati and Lindiwe Vetelo, all from Gqeberha.
Keyboard players Jabulile ‘Chordmaster’ Ngwebo and Oyisa Vena provided the starting notes or full accompaniment, depending on the category and type of song.
MC for the event was well known Makhanda based poet Akhona ‘Bhodl’ingqaka’ Mafani, who enforced the ‘silence’ rule during performances, and made sure the visitors to Ndlambe got as much support as the locals.
Parents, aunts and uncles and grandparents came out in full force to support their children and encouraged them as they went on- and off-stage with singing of their own.
Bringing in some deep culture were the Intermediate pupils of Ekuphumleni Full Service School. Led by their conductor Thamsanqa Peme, through song and drama they told a story of traditional values and practices solving societal problems. The category is ‘Social ills and indigenous folklore – social cohesion and inclusion).
The inclusion of a girls’ choir from Kuyasa Special School in Makhanda was a welcome new addition to the competition. Beautiful hand-sewn shweshwe bibs (Kuyasa is famous for its excellent crafts) served as uniforms for the recently started choir.
Primary school choirs are grouped into grades for judging. Grades R to 2 participate only at district level and their repertoire includes Terene Ya Khemele by M Setai and Happy Family Ever by N. Twala. Foundation phase pupils participate up to provincial level and their repertoire is Pelonomi Ya Morena by B. Gcisa, SIyabonga Ngcingci bo! By T. Moshoeshoe and the Last Rose of Summer by T. Moore.
There is a special section for grades 5-7, farm and small schools (Asambeni by M./ Buthelezi and the English folksong, Early One Morning.
For grades 5-7 at the bigger schools, the prescribed works were The Dam Busters by Eric Coates, Nonkululeko by Lunga Dlamini and Khuzani by Siphakuhle SIbisi.
The district and provincial rounds of the competition lead to the national finals later in the year.
The school enrichment programme, according to the Department of Basic Education’s Sport and Enrichment in Education Directorate that hosts and coordinates it, is to “promote unity in diversity, national reconciliation, positive values, a South African national identity, social transformation and social cohesion amongst South African youth… Schools with well-organised co-curricular programmes also tend to excel in academic performance.”
INFANTS
African: Terene Ya Khemele
1 Fikizolo Primary
2 Ekuphumleni Full Service
3 Bhongweni Primary
Western: Happy Family Ever
1 Fikizolo Primary
2 Port Alfred JSS
3 Ekuphumleni Full Service
African Folklore
1 Ekuphumeni Full Service
Special
1 Kuyasa Special School
JUNIOR
African: Pelonomi Ya Morena/ Siyabonga Ngcingci bo
1 Ekuphumleni Full Service School (Siyabonga Ngcingci bo)
2 Port Alfred JSS
3 Bhongweni Primary School
Western: The Last Rose of Summer
1 Port Alfred Primary
2 Archie Mbolekwa Primary
INTERMEDIATE
Western: The Dam Busters
1 CM Vellem Primary
2 Ekuphumleni Full Service
3 Mthyobo Primary
African: Khuzani/ Nonkululeko
1 Mthyobo Primary
2 Ekuphumleni Full Service
3 CM Vellem
SECONDARY
Baritone: Largo al Factotum
1 Nombulelo Secondary
Mezzo soprano: Masibulele Kuyesu/ Wayiva Inimba
1 Andrew Moyakhe Maezo A
2 Nombulelo Secondary Mezzo B
3 Khutliso Daniels Secondary Mezzo B
Tenor: Matinata
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Nombulelo Secondary Tenor A
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Khutliso Daniels Tenor B
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Nombuleo Secondary Tenor B
Mixed voices – western: Gentle Breeze
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Khutliso Daniels Secondary
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Nombulelo Secondary
Female voices: Calm and tranquil
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Nombulelo Secondary
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Khutliso Daniels Secondary Andrew
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Moyakhe School of Excellence
African mixed voices: CHunchani
1. Nombulelo Secondary School
2. Khutliso Danies Secondary School
3. Ntsika Secondary School
- This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 1, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
