Rashid Lombard Tribute: A cultural giant, comrade, and dear friend

IOL News

2 days ago

Carl Niehaus pays tribute to acclaimed activist and photojournalist Rashid Lombard who passed away this week.
Image: Phando Jikelo / Independent Newspapers
With a heavy heart, I mourn Rashid Lombard, a titan of South African culture, a revolutionary artist, and my cherished friend, who left us on June 4, 2025, at the age of 74. His death is a profound loss, not only to me personally but to the nation, the arts community, and all who knew his boundless humanity. I extend my deepest condolences to Rashid's beloved wife, Colleen, his children Chevan, Shadley, Yana, Zach, and Daniel, his numerous grandchildren, his countless friends, colleagues in the arts, and fellow comrades across South Africa, particularly in Cape Town and the Western Cape.
Rashid was a mensch—a true human being whose warmth, humour, and unwavering commitment to justice illuminated every space he entered. Our friendship, spanning decades, was a cornerstone of my life, forged in the struggle against apartheid and deepened through shared dreams of a liberated South Africa. Born in 1951 in North End, Gqeberha, and later relocating to Cape Town in 1962, Rashid's life was shaped by the brutal realities of apartheid. The forced removals under the Group Areas Act, which shattered his diverse community, ignited a political consciousness that defined his work. Influenced by the Black Consciousness Movement, he wielded his camera as a weapon, capturing the pain, resilience, and hope of oppressed communities.
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His archive of over 500,000 photographs, now housed at the University of the Western Cape, stands as a testament to his fearless dedication to truth. From the unrest of the 1980s to Nelson Mandela's release in 1990 and South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994, Rashid's images, published globally through outlets like AFP, BBC, and NBC, exposed apartheid's inhumanity and amplified the call for freedom. His work, featured in exhibitions across Southern Africa and in the seminal book South Africa: The Cordoned Heart (1985), documented the political mobilisation against oppression. As a member of the Vukalisa artists' collective, he championed community-based cultural activities, ensuring art was a tool for resistance and enlightenment. His 2010 book Jazz Rocks immortalised the spirit of jazz and its role in the anti-apartheid struggle, reflecting his deep connection with musicians who became his 'friends and family.'
Our personal bond grew strongest in the late 1990s when I served as South Africa's ambassador to the Netherlands. Together, we poured our hearts into bringing the North Sea Jazz Festival from The Hague to Cape Town, a vision that evolved into the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) under Rashid's extraordinary leadership. Working closely with him, I witnessed his genius as a music entrepreneur and his fierce commitment to uplifting communities through art. Launched in 2000, the CTIJF became Africa's largest jazz event, blending South African and international talent while prioritising inclusivity. Rashid's vision ensured the festival empowered disadvantaged communities through training programs in music and dance, fostering a legacy of cultural integration and economic upliftment. Those moments of collaboration were filled with his laughter and warmth, reminding me always of the power of human connection.
I am immensely grateful for Rashid's contributions to photography and art entrepreneurship. Initially trained as an architectural draughtsman, he transitioned into industrial photography before becoming a renowned news and documentary photographer. His images, published in progressive outlets like Grassroots and South, chronicled the fight for human dignity. The CTIJF, established through his founding of espAfrika in 1997, transformed Cape Town into a global jazz capital, a testament to his entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to cultural resistance.
Rashid's progressive political engagement was equally inspiring. His photography was activism, bearing witness to protests, political figures, and everyday life under apartheid. His establishment of the CTIJF was a deliberate act of defiance, creating spaces where South Africans could celebrate their shared humanity. His work earned him prestigious accolades, including the Order of the Disa for meritorious service to the Western Cape, the SABC/Southern African Music Rights Organisation Jazz Achievement Award for his lifelong contribution to the South African music industry, and, in 2014, the National Order of Ikhamanga in Silver, recognising his role in placing South Africa on the global cultural stage.
Rashid's loss is a wound that cuts to the core. His kindness, his stories, his belief in justice and beauty made every moment with him a gift. Whether we were strategizing over the festival or sharing quiet conversations, his presence was a reminder of what it means to live with purpose and love. His passing leaves an ache I know is shared by Cape Town, the Western Cape, and all of South Africa, where his legacy endures in every note played at the CTIJF and every image that tells our story.
To honour Rashid's memory fully, I reflect on the countless lives he touched. His ability to connect with people—musicians, activists, ordinary South Africans—was unparalleled. I recall late-night discussions about jazz as a form of resistance, his eyes alight with passion as he spoke of artists like Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba. His home was a haven for creatives, a place where ideas flourished, and his generosity knew no bounds. He mentored young photographers and musicians, sharing his knowledge with a humility that inspired all who knew him.