Pilots inspire the next generation
CENTURION - The skies above Pretoria came alive today as daring displays marked the return of the South African Air Force Museum Air Show.
Hosted at the Air Force Mobile Deployment Wing, it brought together together heritage and high-flying displays.
This year's theme, 'Wings of Legacy – Advancing Towards Space and Future Frontiers', paid homage to the history of aviation while looking towards the possibilities for South African fliers.
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Rashid Lombard Tribute: A cultural giant, comrade, and dear friend
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. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 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.
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La Ronde: a provocative exploration of sex and power at the Baxter
Awethu Hleli, Carlo Daniels, Berenice Barbier, Lyle October, Nolufefe Ntshuntshe, Aiden Scott, Tamzin Williams Image: Mark Dobson La Ronde is set to ignite The Baxter Studio this winter with a daring and darkly comic new production directed by Leila Henriques, running from 20 June to 12 July 2025. Inspired by Arthur Schnitzler's once-censored 1897 play, this contemporary reimagining explores themes of sex, power, and longing through a chain of encounters between 10 strikingly different characters. In a world obsessed with visibility, image and performance, this modern adaptation of LaRonde probes a world where intimacy is currency, sex is a calculated strategy and everyone is performing for someone. Set in modern-day Cape Town, the play unfolds through the eyes of a DJ, who soundtracks each scene with music that reflects the emotional tempo of the characters' intimate exchanges. 'This play is funny, awkward and deeply human,' said Henriques. 'Anyone who's ever chased love or connection will see themselves in it.' Lyle October, Berenice Barbier and cast of La Ronde Image: Mark Dobson The production features The Baxter's acclaimed Fire's Burning Company — Awethu Hleli, Lyle October, Tamzin Daniels, Nolufefe Ntshuntshe and Carlo Daniels — joined by Berenice Barbier and Aidan Scott, both of whom have earned critical praise, with Scott recently honoured as Best New Director at the Fleur du Cap Awards. With design by Patrick Curtis, costumes by Wolf Britz, and lighting by Franky Steyn, La Ronde merges visceral choreography, sharp-witted dialogue, and a pulsing score into a theatrical experience that's provocative, poignant, and unapologetically bold. Cast members shared their thoughts on the production with Weekend Argus, reflecting on its emotional depth and cultural relevance. 'It's both exciting and scary,' said Awethu Hleli, reflecting on performing La Ronde in a contemporary South African context. 'As young artists in South Africa, we don't shy away from complexity — we embrace it. We're part of a generation that's evolved in how we think about sexuality, and we're using our voices to engage with topics that were once considered taboo.' Asked to choose a song that captures her character's experience, Hleli chose Dolly Parton's Just Because I'm a Woman. 'My character is very aware of her own strength and how that can be used against her — or judged — as if she's somehow less capable of loving.' For Carlo Daniels, the play unlocks deeper reflections on romantic relationships. 'La Ronde really gets you thinking differently and reveals some hard truths about relationships,' he said. 'They're often complex and layered — especially once they're consummated — but what the play shows is that these knots can be untangled, even if it takes time.' He added: 'It's always great working with this team. You're reminded of what a gift real teamwork is, and the kind of magic that can come from it.' For Berenice Barbier, it's the silence in La Ronde that speaks loudest. 'There's a moment where everything goes completely still — no lines, no gestures — just a quiet return to self-realisation,' she said. 'It's charged with unspoken tension and self-awareness. That silence says more than a monologue ever could. Every night it lands differently, and that unpredictability is thrilling.' Carlo Daniels, Awethu Hleli and cast of La Ronde, Image: Mark Dobson Though La Ronde is rich with emotionally charged and intimate scenes, it's also filled with unexpected moments of levity. 'I'm definitely the one most likely to burst out laughing during a serious scene,' Barbier admitted. 'But those moments are a gift — they remind us not to take ourselves too seriously.' It's this balance — between humour and discomfort, silence and revelation — that gives La Ronde its power. As Hleli put it, 'We're part of a generation that doesn't shy away from complexity. We embrace it.' In this bold new staging, La Ronde becomes more than a series of encounters — it's a mirror held up to modern intimacy, in all its vulnerability, contradiction and connection." [email protected] Weekend Argus
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South Africa's amapiano has the world dancing
Dancer and choreographer Bontle Moloi, also known as Bontle Modiselle, centre, dances during an amapiano class at her dance studio in Johannesburg. Image: Michele Spatari / AFP AT A studio in central Johannesburg, dancers from various countries moved together to the rhythm of South Africa's amapiano sound that is taking social media by storm. With energy and purpose, they rehearsed a sequence in the style of the house music subgenre born on the streets of the townships around 15 years ago and now showcased by stars like Beyonce and Tyla. Soweto's Finest Dance Studio draws dancers of all kinds - from ballerinas to party-goers - to learn the amapiano moves sweeping the world through TikTok tutorials and challenges. Amapiano dance craze from South Africa goes global — CGTN Africa (@cgtnafrica) June 4, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Amapiano "is not about the words but you feel it inside of you," said Venus Chidinma, 25, a professional dancer from New York who studied at the studio for several weeks. "It doesn't matter where you come from, what race, what colour - you feel it and you have to just move. It's just from inside you," said the Harvard graduate. Central to the sound is the log drum, a distinctive bass that sets it apart from other forms of dance music. It blends soulful jazz and deep house with 1990s kwaito to create a local genre with no strict rules. The dance style mixes up others, from the coordinated quick steps of South African panstula to the "baleka" move that closely resembles Michael Jackson's iconic moonwalk. "Its authenticity to South Africa makes it stand out," said Thando Nhlapho, the 21-year-old professional dancer and choreographer at the landmark Soweto studio. Nhlapho, still glistening from her latest class, creates and posts dance videos on social media to "get my name out there". "I don't only dance to amapiano but I choose to use amapiano as a marketing strategy because it is now the trending thing, the hot thing globally," she said. Global language "Amapiano is so powerful, it's taken over Africa," said Emmanuel Mwenya, 25, a choreographer from Lusaka. "In Zambia, we dance and sing along to the music even though we do not understand the lyrics," said Mwenya, who spent a week in South Africa to learn the style. "We do amapiano but it's never original. So I thought I'd take the time to come here to learn something original," he said at the studio. Amapiano is its own language, said the professional dancer who also uses social media to promote his work. "Whether you speak Zulu, Bemba, Nyanja, English... it all connects, no matter where you're from." This spirit of inclusiveness comes to life on social media, where people of all ages, backgrounds and cultures unite in dance challenges, like the one for "Tshwala Bami" on TikTok that was taken up by US performer Jason Derulo. "My mom is 46 years old today and even at her age, I still teach her some TikTok dance challenges," said 21-year-old South African Snethemba Mathe, her face lit up. Grammy award winning South African musician Tyla. Image: Instagram Xiaoying Zhan, 30, brought three friends visiting from China with her to a class. Zhan, who is from China but now lives in South Africa, said she caught on to the amapiano beat during the Covid-19 lockdown around five years ago. "I was enjoying the music and that is why I started dancing to amapiano," she said. "The music has a lot of upbeat tempo," she said, listing South Africa's DBN Gogo and Uncle Waffles, originally from neighbouring Eswatini, as among her favourite artists, but only after Tyla.
