How do you pursue a meaningful, generative, effective and efficient conversation with a city that doesn’t listen?
Mothofatša daai ding. Humanise that city. Mothofatša daai ding. Personify that city. Pretend the city is a person, and offer it a beautiful object that emerged out of a gutter of its own making.
Keleketla! Library is proud to present yet another memory-project that propels forward.
69 Years to the Treason Trial: The Drill Hall Arts Advocacy Project is a letter to the City of Johannesburg. This key recipient, a critical government entity tasked with the accountability for service delivery towards not only the Drill Hall, but the very neighbourhood within which the site lies and serves i.e. Joubert Park, is of course not the only recipient. Far from it, shem. In fact, the first audiences were in Berlin at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt/House of World Cultures on 26 April when we launched this. Complex measures. But we digress, back to recipients.
The first recipients are the over 156 contributors-creators who occupy the pride of place on this 8-sided vinyl and publication release! Like the 156 Treason Trialists housed at the Constitution Hill, commuting in khwela-khwela’s to the Drill Hall daily followed not only security police but by supporters in the thousands, these Trialists so bored they even formed a choir, 69 Years to the Treason Trial is a living proposal that insist that the people of Johannesburg (and beyond), not the City of Johannesburg, have the answers.
The inner side of the tri-fold carrying 4 records and a booklet, designed by Anna Diagne and Chiara Figone of Archive Books (Dakar/Berlin). Image by Suzon Deseine
69 Years to the Treason Trial: The Drill Hall Arts Advocacy Project is not only a result of an archive, but a display of the care of the archive. The material herein was recorded with facilities as humble as Sony Dictaphones soaking up hooting Alex to Sandton taxis at Noord Street to mighty black-box theatre systems in Berlin where you could hear pin drop. They all matter. Much of this archive has survived precarious lives in their preservation. Many have survived attempted thefts at the Drill Hall, while their siblings faced the deterioration of hard-drives due to planned obsolescence when we were too busy writing letters and attending board meetings at the City of Johannesburg and the Joburg Property Company and the Johannesburg Development Agency…
Some of contributors-creators have probably passed on, Ambuya Stella Chiweshe is now our ancestor who blessed us as part of the Thath’i Cover Okestra Vol. 5. Some of the contributors probably don’t even imagine that Keleketla! Library has been the custodians of such precious gifts. We give thanks for the tenacity.
Perhaps at this stage its time to name the contributors-creators, in no particular order (please note, we acknowledge here only those who appear in the recorded sonics, and those who contributed texts, not that broader Keleketla! ecology who made all of this work between the years 2008 and 2018).
SONIC CONTRIBUTORS (in alphabetical and in order of track list):
Side A, Track 1: The Circle of Love (Abulele Mafuyawith Langa Mathuthu; Calvin ‘Skunk’ Mlalazi; Yamkela Ntlangula; Lebohang Andile Venfolo; Maria Kapp; Louisa Tshabalala; Abigail Nkomo; Taffy Sibanda; Tatenda Gobvu; Lungelo Mvimbela; Zanele Ngcobo; and Barbrah Kondile).
Side A, Track 2: Keleketla! After School Programme members (various)
Side A, Track 3: The Black Poets (Emmanuel Sansao Ramos, Jet ‘Jacto’ Khumalo & Elton John Mbinkulu featuring Nozipho Nxumalo)
Side B:Freedom Community College Choir (in particular no order: Pamela Ndou, Mimi Buthelezi, Ashley Ndlovu, Duduzile Boqwana, Nombulelo Malunga, Sinikiwe Mabaso, Bridgett Seebi, Nonhlanhla Ngcobo, Thandi Mkhonza, Nontokozo Mashiyane, Sharon Nyahanana, Nomvula Towa, Ncumisa Msibi, Nhlamulo Baloyi, Relebohile Mosueo, Lerato Belo, Lettie Maseko, Grace Dube, Langelihle Dube, Lesego Motswatswa, Dimpho Kholoane, Thandeka Mnguni, Michelle Nyandoro, Melusi Tshabangu, Michelle Matshaba, Christine Manana, Nokuthula Moyo, Metse Rasilalome, Natasha Mashena, Bonga Kweyama, Zanele Mahlalela, Nontobeko A. Ndlovu, Duduzile O. Boqwana, Pamela J. Ndou, Vanessa Marovhela, Bridgett Seabi, Niki Mabaso, Asavera Mtshali, Precious Nxumalo, Lindokuhle Kubheka, Nolwandle Nhleko, Nqobile Zulu, Thandeka Mulo, Thandile Xulu, Nomvule Towa, Thandi Mkhonza, Nontokozo Mzila, Portia Tseke, McLarin Billah, Carol Radebe, Nokuthaba Moyo, Portia Ndlovu, Babalwa Goduka, Simphiwe Gabula, Thandeka Mlilo and Thabisile Mlilo) with Simphiwe Tshabalala (drums); Zweli Mthembu (rhythm guitar and amp); Tito Zwane (bass guitar); Ayanda Themba Zulu (keyboard); and Teboho Semela (conductor and violin).
Side C, Track 1: Thath’i Cover Okestra Vol.1: (in no particular order: Mngomezulu Neku, Tito Zwane, Zweli Mthembu, Nkosinathi Mathunjwa, Kgomotso Mamaila, Tiko Ngobeni, Donna ‘RubyGold’ Mariza, Kagiso ‘Gwyza’ Diseko, Sibusiso Galaweni, and Tebogo Mokoena.
Side C & D: The Essential: Words From Her (in no particular order):Phumla Siyobi, FLO, Arazen, Aviwe, RubyGold, Mbali Siluma, Mercy Dhliwayo and Vallentine (with thanks to Davina ‘Satori’ Moonsammy who mixed).
Side D, Track 2:Quaz, K* Blaque and Jet Jacto (of The Black Poets)
Side E and Side F: Thath’i Cover Okestra Vol. 5 (in no particular order): Ambuya Stella Chiweshe, Yusuf Makongela (same person as Zweli Mthembu), Yonela Mnana, Ayanda Zalekile, Tiko Ngobeni, Masello Motana and Simphiwe Tshabalala.
Side G and Side H: Impande Core (the acoustic version, in no particular order: Nkosinathi Mathunjwa, Nkululeko Biyani, Ntsikelelo ‘El Dog’ Machache, Simangaliso ‘Smash’ Mfula and Siphosenkosi ‘Laliboi’ Nkodlwane
TEXT CONTRIBUTORS (in alphabetical order):
Abulele Mafuya and the Circle of Love, Mxolisi Makhubo, Mark Raymond and Percy Zvomuya (transcribing and translating Ambuya Stella Chiweshe)
Listings always lead to erasure – by no means do this acknowledge attempt to elevate those listed as stars, thats not our business! We would like to give thanks to all the people who have served as critical support structures to those listed above as contributors-creators: Keith Moyo of Slang Audio Records and Zenzele Dj Zakes Ndaba, who were central to the early days in the mentoring and recording of work that took place as part of the Keleketla! After School Programme (K!ASP) between 2008 and 2015. Extra thanks to Sinethemba Hope Magona, Reneilwe Mathibe and Day Mthembu whose administrative and coordination skills in service of the K!ASP and experimental projects were the vital lifeline. And finally, to all the facilitators in the K!ASP programme between 2008 and 2015 when the work was created.
This work was realised with funding from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, instigated by Keleketla Media Arts Project NPC, in partnership with the Haus der Kulturen der Welt/House of World Cultures/HKW. We would like to thank our producer at HKW, Shohreh Shakoory, who has been remarkable in carrying incredible stress with grace, patience and care to see a project of this magnitude project through. Mariano Rosales was the assistant to Shohreh, and was instrumental the logistical liason in this project. We give special thanks to Savannah Turner, editorial assistant whose role was vital for the success of this work. To Anna Diagne and Chiara Figone of Archive Books for beautiful editorial and design work that displayed a great deal of trust and encouragement every step of the way. And last but the one who came first indeed, Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung for his role in helping us manage huge institutional complexities in navigating an unconventional partnership.
DETAILS:
69 Years to the Treason Trial: The Drill Hall Arts Advocacy Project
Trifold with 4 x 12″ records
66-page, 4-colour Booklet, 35 x 35 cm
ISBN: 9 783949 973857
Published, 2025: Archive Books, Berlin/Dakar
This was a limited print run of 320 units. On the basis of the number of contributors-creators alone, the publication is non-commercial. Only limited numbers will be available at Archive Books Berlin, located at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt/House of World Cultures/HKW, as well as the website of Archive Books and the Haus der Kulturen der Welt/House of World Cultures/HKW. Once shipped, details will follow regarding availability in Johannesburg.
Keleketla Media Arts Project 