“The Africa Unite! Festival in Cape Town, held today at Greenmarket Square, brings together musicians, poets, and cultural workers from across Africa to celebrate diversity and resist rising Afrophobic sentiment. Organized by the Ad Hoc Committee for Organising Musicians (AHCOM), the event emphasizes unity, cultural exchange, and the power of art to counter hate.”
Africa Unite! Festival: A Celebration of Pan-African Culture in Cape Town
Cape Town’s historic Greenmarket Square became a vibrant hub of cultural exchange today as the Africa Unite! Festival unfolded, bringing together artists, poets, and musicians from across the continent. Organized by the grassroots collective known as the Ad Hoc Committee for Organising Musicians (AHCOM), the festival was more than just a showcase of artistic talent—it was a powerful statement against rising Afrophobic sentiment in South Africa and a call for solidarity across national borders.
The festival, hosted at the Central Methodist Mission, ran from 1 pm to 4 pm and welcomed audiences free of charge, with donations accepted to support logistical costs. The atmosphere was electric, filled with the sounds of drums, jazz, poetry, and traditional rhythms that reflected the diverse heritage of performers hailing from Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Eswatini, Cameroon, and South Africa itself.
A Response to Rising Afrophobia
AHCOM’s decision to organize the Africa Unite! Festival was deeply rooted in current social realities. In recent months, South Africa has witnessed troubling incidents of xenophobic and Afrophobic violence, targeting migrants and foreign nationals. The organizers sought to counter this narrative by creating a space where cultural diversity is celebrated rather than feared.
Stanley Sibande, a member of AHCOM, emphasized the importance of the event: “There has been a large amount of coverage of the hateful conduct and sentiment of anti-immigration groups around the country, but we believe that this event will demonstrate and celebrate the possibilities that come from communing and sharing culture from across our continent.” His words resonated with the festival’s mission—to remind communities that national borders are political constructs, not natural divisions, and that shared culture can be a unifying force.
Music and Poetry as Tools of Resistance
The performances at Africa Unite! were not only artistic displays but also acts of resistance. Poets recited verses that spoke of migration, belonging, and resilience, while musicians blended traditional African sounds with contemporary genres to highlight the interconnectedness of African identities.
One standout performance came from a collective of Zimbabwean and Malawian musicians who fused mbira and marimba rhythms with modern jazz, creating a soundscape that symbolized the blending of traditions. Meanwhile, South African poets used spoken word to confront issues of exclusion and reclaim narratives of unity.
The #WeDon’tPlay Campaign
The festival also built upon AHCOM’s earlier initiative, the #WeDon’tPlay campaign, launched in Langa at Guga S’Thebe. That campaign focused on improving working conditions for musicians and cultural workers, highlighting the precarious livelihoods many face in the creative sector. By linking labor rights with cultural celebration, AHCOM underscored the idea that cultural workers are essential to the social fabric and deserve recognition and fair treatment.
A Vision for the Future
Beyond the performances, Africa Unite! served as a vision for what a more inclusive South Africa could look like. The festival created a communal space where people of different nationalities and backgrounds could gather, share, and celebrate without fear. It was a reminder that culture is not static but dynamic, evolving through exchange and collaboration.
Organizers hope that the festival will become an annual event, continuing to challenge xenophobia and Afrophobia while strengthening ties across African communities. By foregrounding art and culture, they aim to inspire dialogue, empathy, and solidarity in a society grappling with division.
Conclusion
The Africa Unite! Festival was more than a cultural gathering—it was a declaration of unity, resilience, and hope. In a time when fear and hate threaten to fracture communities, the festival demonstrated the transformative power of art to heal, connect, and resist. As the sounds of drums and poetry echoed through Greenmarket Square, Cape Town witnessed a living testament to the idea that Africa’s strength lies in its diversity and its ability to unite against forces of division.
