· Residents say the Maskhandi Festival helped them forget the fear and trauma caused by ongoing violent crime in the township.
· Top musicians including Mafikizolo, Sminofu and Mjolisi thrilled the crowd with performances that lifted the community’s spirits.
For a few joyful hours, the people of Khayelitsha were able to forget the fear and violence that surrounds them.
Hundreds of residents packed the Khayelitsha Stadium for the Maskhandi Festival, eager to sing, dance and enjoy a rare moment of peace.
Local woman Busiswe Zintonga said the festival came at exactly the right time.
“When I saw the line-up, I knew I had to go. I wanted to see my favourite artist, Mafikizolo,” she said. “We live in one of the most dangerous townships in Cape Town. It was good to forget all the killings and feel happy for once.”
Zintonga said the moment Mafikizolo performed his latest hit, “Uyoncengwa Unyoko”, the crowd went wild.
“Singing along with him made me forget that criminals might kick down our doors later. We are really grateful they came.”
Another resident, Linathi Zako, said the festival helped the community heal after a tough year.
“We’ve seen so many terrible things happening here. The crime is bad. We’ve been traumatised. But the festival gave us something good, we needed this.”
An anonymous festival-goer said: “It’s not easy living here. But seeing our favourite artists made us smile again.”
Artists who performed included Sminofu, Mjolisi, Njoko and Mafikizolo.
The event was a rare treat for locals, many of whom said they hoped it would become an annual celebration.
Pictured above: Khayelitsha community forget their daily struggles at the Khayelitsha Maskhandi Festival
Image source: Buziwe Nocuze
