The Sankofa Heritage Festival has announced special guests who will join Thandiswa Mazwai during her headline performance. Taking place on Saturday, 28 February 2026, at Carnival City, the festival marks Thandiswa’s 50th birthday and celebrates her three-decade journey in music, while establishing a new annual platform dedicated to African heritage, indigenous sound, and cultural memory.
Joining Mazwai on stage:
- Thandi Ntuli is an award-winning pianist, composer, and bandleader known for her genre-fluid approach that blends jazz, African spiritual traditions, and contemporary composition.
- Madala Kunene, revered as one of South Africa’s great guitarists and cultural custodians, brings his signature style rooted in Zulu musical traditions
- Jahseed, a core member of the pioneering kwaito collective Bongo Maffin, represents a key part of Mazwai’s early musical journey and the movement that helped define a generation of South African sound.
- The Sivuyile Traditional Dance Group will bring powerful Xhosa dance expression to the stage
The festival’s previously announced co-headliners remain Grammy-nominated artist Somi (Rwanda/Uganda) and acclaimed South African musician Msaki, both long-time collaborators and creative sisters of Mazwai. Their performances anchor the festival’s pan-African vision.
DJ Kenzhero will round off the evening with his selection of South African sounds.
Opening Act Competition Winner Announced
The festival also confirms that the Opening Act Competition winner is Vuyo Viwe (Vuyo Tshwele), selected from 250 applicants from across South Africa. The competition spotlighted emerging artists rooted in traditional and indigenous musical forms.
Vuyo Viwe is a 25-year-old flautist, composer, and vocalist based in Johannesburg. Their sound blends South African traditional song forms with orchestral folk and alternative vocal approaches, combining electronic textures with classical instrumentation. Drawing on the raw sensibilities of uhadi, ngoma time signatures, and intentional dissonance, Vuyo Viwe represents a bold new voice grounded in heritage while pushing sonic boundaries.
Vuyo says “I am beyond honoured to share a stage with one of my earliest and most formidable sonic heroes. This is honestly a dream realised, and proof that African music is here to stay. I am most thankful and excited to do what I was born to do!”
Thandiswa says “I am so excited to welcome Vuyo Tshwele to open the show at Sankofa Fest. She is a dynamic musician who we look forward to seeing on stage at Carnival city. Along with my other special guests who have been a part of my musical journey. A special thank you to our elder Madala Kunene for agreeing to share space with us” She adds “This festival aims to uplift young musicians and introduce them to new audiences. Thank you to everyone who entered the competition, we are so excited to be a part of all of your journeys and next year, it could be you!”
The Sankofa Heritage Festival is dedicated to preserving and celebrating indigenous African music. Each performance will echo ancestral rhythms and bridge the past, present, and future of African sound. This event marks the beginning of what promises to become an annual African cultural celebration, devoted to honouring heritage through music.
This year’s festival has been made possible through the support of the Department of Sports Arts and Culture’s Mzansi Golden Economy Initiative.
GLAMOUR Recommends
The Kingdom of Ubuntu: A reimagined afro-epic musical takes the Artscape stage
Thandiswa Mazwai wins four SAMA awards for Sankofa
GLAMOUR’s Most GLAMOURous 2025: A stylish throwback to the women redefining South African fashion
Celebrate Heritage day with music, art and food
Introducing GLAMOUR’s Most Glamorous 2025 Award Winners
