WeeklySA_AdminSHOWCASE: Music legends reunite in Soweto for a historic Youth Month celebration honouring the 1976 generation and the legacy of Concert in the Park…
By Priscilla Malinga
South Africa is preparing for what organisers describe as one of the most significant cultural events of the decade — the Unity Concert, set to take place at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on June 16.
Launched this week by the Unity Concert Foundation, in partnership with the City of Johannesburg and the Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, the event will commemorate 50 years since the 1976 Soweto Uprising and 40 years since the historic Concert in the Park.
The launch event brought together legendary musicians whose presence felt like a gathering of South African musical royalty. Among them were Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse, Mara Louw, PJ Powers, and Maki Twala of Chimora.
Produced by Mabuse and Louw — both original stars of the 1985 Concert in the Park — the Unity Concert is being positioned as far more than a live music showcase.
“The Unity Concert is more than a live music show,” said Mabuse. “It is a cultural moment: a living bridge between generations, a tribute to the past, and a bold statement of hope for South Africa’s future.”
As the country marks half a century since the 1976 youth uprising, the concert pays tribute to the fearless young people and cultural pioneers who helped shape the nation’s democratic journey. The 1985 and 1986 Concerts in the Park were powerful acts of unity and defiance during apartheid, bringing together artists across racial lines in a bold stand for social change.
The first phase of the line-up reunites trailblazers from the original Concert in the Park, including Mabuse, Louw, Powers, Juluka and Blondie Makhene. These icons of resistance and Afro-fusion music will return to Soweto for what organisers describe as a historic and emotional homecoming.
Timed during Youth Month, just days before official commemorations of the 1976 uprising, the event places young South Africans at the centre of the national story. Organisers say it will create a shared space where today’s youth, artists and communities can reflect on the legacy they inherit and the future they are shaping.
Audiences can expect a full-day musical experience spanning jazz, pop, maskandi, Afro-fusion and amapiano — a celebration of South Africa’s rich and evolving soundscape.
Innocent Mabusela, CEO of Jozi My Jozi, said supporting the event aligns with the city’s broader vision. “For Jozi My Jozi, supporting the Unity Concert is about strengthening social cohesion and affirming Johannesburg as a city where culture drives unity and renewal,” he said.
The Unity Concert will also be documented in a major heritage film by acclaimed South African filmmaker Darrell Roodt. The documentary will draw on preserved archival footage from the 1985 Concert in the Park and explore South Africa’s enduring spirit of unity and resilience through music and memory.
Organisers emphasised that the Unity Soweto Concert is a not-for-profit cultural event.
Artists will retain full rights to their performances and recordings, and any surplus funds generated will be reinvested into the documentary, heritage preservation and future creative sector initiatives.
“This is not just a concert,” organisers said in a statement. “It is a national gathering. A living archive. A celebration of who we have been and who we are becoming.”
Maki Twala of Chimora echoed that sentiment. “I’m looking forward to being on stage again and remembering how it used to be,” he said.
The family-friendly event is expected to draw thousands to Orlando Stadium, with further programme details to be announced in the coming weeks.
UNITY CONCERT SET FOR SOWETO – PHOTOS: SIPHO MALUKA
