mbekweni black bafanas

Based in Cape Town

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Mbekweni Black Bafanas hails from Mbekweni Township, Paarl and has been together since its insemination in 1997. Oomavuthengatshi, as its audience popularly knows the group, performed in a number of local and international functions and they continue to wow the audience with their magical voices wherever they perform.Their music is called Isicathamiya (Acapella): 'tip toe,moving on one’s toes as if you do not want to be heard, the music that celebrates and mourns'.

Performance highlights include a charity event organized by the Duke of Wellington at Diemersfontein in Paarl, as well as performance in Copenhagen, Denmark. The group performed also in a number of other international functions and shared the stage with world acclaimed artists like Freshly Ground, and the international Chor’Africa from France. The group recorded two albums, Mandenze Indumiso 1999 and Wenza Ngabom which will be released later in 2007. Bafanas also featured in other recorded works like Ezodumo, Africa Within (SABC Africa) Cape Winelands Documentary, FC Hammers Documentary and other local documentaries. Recently  the group completed some studio recordings for two international films that are due for release in 2008.

The undisputed champs of the Western Cape in Isicathamiya music had an opportunity of entertaining an international audience in Copenhagen in Denmark in 2003 and also shared the stage with artists like Jonas Ngwangwa, Madala Kunene, Ray Phiri, Jimmy Dludlu and Moses Ngwenya.

As part of their social responsibility, the group invests on human capital as Oomavuthengatshi forged partnership with the Frank Petersen Music School, mentoring a group of 15 young boys, who are taught music literacy and a capella music. Part of the curriculum is to teach the youngsters about moral values so that they can grow up as responsible citizens.