Music has always been one of Africa’s most powerful ways of preserving memory. Long before written records became widely accessible, communities passed histories, values, stories and traditions from one generation to another through song, rhythm, dance and instruments.
That enduring tradition will take centre stage when the University of South Africa (Unisa) hosts its African Music Festival in Pretoria on 21 and 22 August 2026.
Now in its second edition, the festival will take place at the ZK Matthews Great Hall on Unisa’s Main Campus, with both concerts starting at 18:00.
The festival forms part of Unisa’s broader vision to “Reclaim Africa’s Intellectual Futures”, reflecting the university’s commitment to placing African knowledge, culture and heritage at the heart of its intellectual and public mission.
This is an important role for a university. Higher education is not only about producing graduates and advancing research; it is also about preserving knowledge, celebrating identity and creating spaces where generations can engage with the cultural traditions that have shaped society.
This year, the festival places instruments such as the mbira, marimba, bow and percussion at the centre of its programme. These instruments are not simply tools for producing music. They carry histories, identities and cultural meanings that have survived across generations.
South Africa’s musical history demonstrates why preserving these traditions matters. Indigenous musical practices provided communities with ways to celebrate, mourn, communicate and tell stories. As cities developed during the 20th century, traditional sounds encountered jazz, gospel and other international influences, giving rise to new forms of African popular music.
Marabi became an important part of urban township culture, while mbaqanga developed into one of the country’s most recognisable popular styles. Maskandi maintained strong links to Zulu cultural expression, while isicathamiya gained international recognition through groups such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Music also became an important form of resistance during apartheid. Artists such as Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela used their music to tell the story of South Africa to audiences around the world. Their work demonstrated that music could carry powerful political messages while preserving cultural identity.
Later, genres such as kwaito reflected a new generation growing up in a democratic South Africa. The genre captured the language, fashion, energy and experiences of township youth and demonstrated once again how South African music continually reinvents itself.
The Unisa festival sits within this long history of change and continuity.
The opening concert on Friday will feature internationally acclaimed guitarist Louise Mhlanga. Zimbabwean master musicians Solomon Mudavanhu and Laina Gumboreshumba will also perform and share their knowledge with festival audiences.
Percussionist Mike Sibanda will lead the Totem Marimba Band, bringing African and contemporary classics to the stage.
The festival concludes on Saturday with a Gala concert featuring Afro-fusion group Freshlyground. The group will perform music from its latest album, Take Me Home, together with some of its well-known songs.
Bringing these performers together sends an important message about the future of African music. Preservation does not require traditions to remain unchanged. Instead, it requires opportunities for knowledge to be shared, adapted and experienced by new audiences.
This is where Unisa’s contribution becomes particularly significant.
By creating a platform where established musicians, emerging audiences and African musical traditions can meet, the university is demonstrating that heritage belongs not only in archives and academic texts, but also on stages where it can be experienced, discussed and passed on.
The festival also reflects a broader understanding of what a modern African university can contribute to society. Unisa is not simply providing a venue for performances; it is creating a space where culture and knowledge intersect.
For a university committed to reclaiming Africa’s intellectual futures, that connection is especially powerful.
The African Music Festival therefore represents more than two evenings of entertainment. It is an affirmation of the value of African knowledge and a celebration of the musicians and traditions that have helped shape the continent’s identity.
It creates a meeting point between generations and musical traditions, while reminding audiences that heritage is not something frozen in the past.
African music is a living archive — carrying the memories of previous generations while continuing to evolve and shape Africa’s cultural future.
By giving that heritage a stage, Unisa is helping ensure that the songs, rhythms, instruments and stories of Africa continue to be heard by generations yet to come.
