In Conversation With Vuyisile Mshudulu Arts Administrator and Policy Maker
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The City of Johannesburg will host the 2026 edition of EMBO at the Soweto Theatre on 6 June 2026 as part of commemorations marking the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Soweto Uprising. The annual programme serves as a cultural and intellectual platform dedicated to preserving African history, celebrating youth activism, and promoting African-centred thought through arts, music, poetry, and public dialogue.
This year’s event pays special tribute to Anton Muziwakhe Lembede, the founding President of the African National Congress Youth League and one of the leading intellectual architects of African nationalism in South Africa. Lembede is widely recognised for advancing the principles of African self-determination, mental liberation, and Pan-Africanism during the 1940s, helping to shape the ideological foundation of the liberation struggle.
The focus on Lembede’s legacy coincides with national reflections on the significance of the 1976 Soweto Uprising, when young people across South Africa challenged apartheid education policies and broader systems of oppression. The uprising became a defining moment in the country’s liberation history and highlighted the influential role of youth in driving social and political change.
As part of the programme, Afrocentric scholar Dr Pedro Mzileni will deliver a memorial lecture examining the continued relevance of Lembede’s philosophy in contemporary debates on African identity, education, liberation, and youth activism. The event will also feature panel discussions involving cultural practitioners and scholars, including Napo Masheane and Jacky Shandu.
EMBO seeks to promote intergenerational dialogue and historical remembrance while positioning arts and culture as tools for social consciousness and nation-building. Through music, poetry, and intellectual engagement, the festival aims to reconnect younger generations with the values of resistance, identity, and African heritage.
The programme includes a daytime lecture session involving female high school learners and students from 11:00 to 16:00, followed by an evening concert from 18:00 featuring performances by Joliza Ushuni WeBhaca, Mntanexwele Nkosinathi Koela, and Tlokwe Sehume. Poets Mak Manaka and Makhafula Vilakazi will also contribute to the cultural programme.
This year’s event pays special tribute to Anton Muziwakhe Lembede, the founding President of the African National Congress Youth League and one of the leading intellectual architects of African nationalism in South Africa. Lembede is widely recognised for advancing the principles of African self-determination, mental liberation, and Pan-Africanism during the 1940s, helping to shape the ideological foundation of the liberation struggle.
The focus on Lembede’s legacy coincides with national reflections on the significance of the 1976 Soweto Uprising, when young people across South Africa challenged apartheid education policies and broader systems of oppression. The uprising became a defining moment in the country’s liberation history and highlighted the influential role of youth in driving social and political change.
As part of the programme, Afrocentric scholar Dr Pedro Mzileni will deliver a memorial lecture examining the continued relevance of Lembede’s philosophy in contemporary debates on African identity, education, liberation, and youth activism. The event will also feature panel discussions involving cultural practitioners and scholars, including Napo Masheane and Jacky Shandu.
EMBO seeks to promote intergenerational dialogue and historical remembrance while positioning arts and culture as tools for social consciousness and nation-building. Through music, poetry, and intellectual engagement, the festival aims to reconnect younger generations with the values of resistance, identity, and African heritage.
The programme includes a daytime lecture session involving female high school learners and students from 11:00 to 16:00, followed by an evening concert from 18:00 featuring performances by Joliza Ushuni WeBhaca, Mntanexwele Nkosinathi Koela, and Tlokwe Sehume. Poets Mak Manaka and Makhafula Vilakazi will also contribute to the cultural programme.
