It was 17 years ago when director and actor Vusi Mhlongo conceptualised and wrote a stage show about xenophobia.
Ten years later xenophobic attacks took place across South Africa, leaving some 62 people dead. Now that it has hit the country twice, it looks like Mhlongo was prophesying.
He says since the country was still finding itself after apartheid intolerance was bound to happen.
Mhlongo penned The Voice from Kilimanjaro in 1998 and the show premiered in 2003 at the Victory Theatre in Orange Groove, Johannesburg. It reopened last year at the Joburg Theatre for two days but the run ended abruptly due to poor audiences.
With xenophobia still uppermost on our minds, the show will open at the Joburg Theatre in Braamfontein on December 16 for a brief season.
The Voice from Kilimanjaro takes a poignant look at how South Africans relate to foreigners. The musical promotes tolerance, social cohesion and peace.
The love story revolves around Jabulile, a girl from Soweto, who is in love with a man from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Her mother and brother are against their relationship. Her unemployed brother blames foreigners for all his woes, accusing them of taking their wives and jobs.
When the Time Out team visited the cast this week at Yeoville Recreation Centre, they were putting the final touches to the production that features songs such as Salif Keita's hit, Africa, and other fresh compositions tackling xenophobia.
Mhlongo believes that the show will be staged at the right time on Reconciliation Day and says it's time for all Africans to reflect and reconcile.
"We need to reflect on the mile we have travelled and look at how Africa can be taken forward without all the conflicts. We would like to take the show all over Africa if we have funds."
Xenophobia show set on healing
It was 17 years ago when director and actor Vusi Mhlongo conceptualised and wrote a stage show about xenophobia.
Ten years later xenophobic attacks took place across South Africa, leaving some 62 people dead. Now that it has hit the country twice, it looks like Mhlongo was prophesying.
He says since the country was still finding itself after apartheid intolerance was bound to happen.
Mhlongo penned The Voice from Kilimanjaro in 1998 and the show premiered in 2003 at the Victory Theatre in Orange Groove, Johannesburg. It reopened last year at the Joburg Theatre for two days but the run ended abruptly due to poor audiences.
With xenophobia still uppermost on our minds, the show will open at the Joburg Theatre in Braamfontein on December 16 for a brief season.
The Voice from Kilimanjaro takes a poignant look at how South Africans relate to foreigners. The musical promotes tolerance, social cohesion and peace.
The love story revolves around Jabulile, a girl from Soweto, who is in love with a man from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Her mother and brother are against their relationship. Her unemployed brother blames foreigners for all his woes, accusing them of taking their wives and jobs.
When the Time Out team visited the cast this week at Yeoville Recreation Centre, they were putting the final touches to the production that features songs such as Salif Keita's hit, Africa, and other fresh compositions tackling xenophobia.
Mhlongo believes that the show will be staged at the right time on Reconciliation Day and says it's time for all Africans to reflect and reconcile.
"We need to reflect on the mile we have travelled and look at how Africa can be taken forward without all the conflicts. We would like to take the show all over Africa if we have funds."
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