September 27, 2006
By Ndaba Dlamini
ALEXANDRA celebrated three of its heroes with a memorable night of contemporary ballet and a photo exhibition at the township's Johannesburg College of Education on Monday, 25 September.
Coinciding with Heritage Day celebrations, the ballet and exhibition show focused on the lives of Gauteng MEC of finance and economic development, Paul Mashatile, legendary singer Condry Ziqubu and the person fondly known as the mother of Alexandra, Annie Twala.
Intended to "instil pride back into the people of Alexandra" and at the same time express the rich heritage of the township, the show was the first to be held in the township by Kasi Ballet, said the company's artistic director, Penelope Thloloe.
"The ballet shows centred on certain experiences of the heroes when they were living in Alexandra whilst the gallery chronicled their lives since birth," she explained.
One of the old mud houses in Alex.
Despite being poorly attended, the event featured an interesting dance routine based on Annie Twala's life choreographed by Mduduzi Nyembe. Born in KwaZulu-Natal in 1903, Twala was one of the first and most famous residents of Alex. She lived in a mud house which became a landmark to both residents of the township and visitors alike.
At the age of 52, she was one of the organisers of the Alex bus boycotts. The bus boycott was so successful that the National Party government passed a Bill requiring employers to subsidise bus fare for their workers. Twala died in 2003.
Next on stage was a piece choregraphed by Thloloe based on Condry Ziqubu's life. The dance piece was performed to the accompaniment of one of Ziqubu's hit songs. Best known for the song Skorokoro, Ziqubu was born and raised in Alex and learned how to play his guitar from his brother.
The late 1980s saw Ziqubu launching a solo career which earned him accolades for such hits as Via Orlando, No Woman No Party, Ikati and Gorilla Man. He worked with exiles like Letta Mbulu, Caiphus Semenya and others. His most recent release was an album called Condry Ziqubu and Others which was released in 2003.
An exhibition showing the lives of Gauteng MEC for finance and economic affairs, Paul Mashatile
The last piece on stage was a contemporary dance piece about Paul Mashatile's life story. This routine, choreographed by Margarita Nadenova, was performed to a thumping house music beat defining Mashatile's youth.
A living legend, Mashatile survived Alex's most violent times during the 1980s when he worked for the African National Congress's (ANC) underground unit. Ignorant of his underground activities, the Alex community labelled him a traitor and sell-out because of his relationship with a local councillor.
Mashatile has an extensive political portfolio, having held high-ranking positions within the ANC and present government. He is currently the Gauteng MEC for finance and economic affairs.
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