Vus'umuzi Phakathi

A select group of poets from South Africa and around the world gathered together for a week showcasing the face of present day spoken word and storytelling at the 19th Poetry Africa Festival. The festival takes place in Durban from the 12 to 17 October 2015.

[@internetathi]

I wish I was in Jo'burg for his 12 Years A Poet. So much love for you Bhud' Vus' all the way from CPT

[@bzungu]

A poem about South Africa...
THE LAND OF UBUNTU
From Musina to Cape Town
From Zeerust to Richards Bay
From Golela to Alexander Bay
From Lebombo mountains to Mafikeng
Minus the mountainous terrain of Lesotho
This is South Africa
Her wrinkles tell you she’s seen it all
From the Cape frontier wars to the Anglo-Boer wars
From the battle of Blood river to the battle of Isandlwana
From the Sharpeville massacre to bloody June 16
But yet she still smiles gracefully
And her friendliness is known world over
This is South Africa
She belongs to all who live in her
Those pledging allegiance to her majestic flag
Those who want to see her prosper
Those who know what it means to say
Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika
I love Mbeki when he says
I owe my being to the hills and the valleys
The mountains and the glades, the rivers, the deserts
The trees, the flowers, the seas and the ever-changing
seasons
That define the face of our native land
I love Sobukwe when he says
We can never do enough for Africa
Nor can we love her enough
The more we do for her, the more we wish to do for her
You have a mission; we all have a mission
A nation to build we have, a God to glorify
And a contribution clear to make towards the blessing of
mankind
We must be the embodiment of our people's aspirations
I love Biko when he says
The basic tenet of black consciousness
Is that the black man must reject all value systems
That seek to make him a foreigner
In the country of his birth
And reduce his basic human dignity
I love Luthuli when he says
I am only one among millions
Who have dedicated their lives to the service of mankind
Who have given time property and life
To ensure that all men shall live in peace and happiness
And I like to here say
That there are many in my country who are doing so
I love Mandela when he says
I have fought against white domination
And I have fought against black domination
I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society
In which all persons live together
In harmony and with equal opportunities
I love Serote when he says
You shall remember
Because memory unlike the eye knows no sleep
That today comes from a past yesterday
The footprints of that past yesterday
Like the wind
Are everywhere now
I love Kgositsile when he says
Our memories of struggle
Refuse to be erased
Our memories of struggle
Refuse to die
This is my beautiful South Africa
To those trusted with her government
I say honour her flag
Remember the many who died for her
Remember the selfless sacrifices of multitudes
Think of the words of Letta Mbulu
It is not yet Uhuru
This is South Africa
To those who visit her I say
Honour her flag and respect her borders
Refrain from criminal and dishonourable behaviour
Do not take her Ubuntu for granted
Harken to the Zulu idiom that says isihlahla asinyelwa
God bless South Africa
Let greed and corruption fall
Let the racism tendencies fall
Let unemployment and poverty fall
May the dream of a free education come true
And may radical economic transformation arise
Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika
(Poem by Bheki Zungu - [e-mail])

[@66TT88]

Few days to 2020 and still find this breathtaking.

[@McColly100]

The arts will live. Amen!

[@lebogangdlaminilebogangdla1691]

I got healed through this poem

[@nodumompofu6482]

This is true passionate talent, keep it up

[@lordprospit7740]

Much respect - a soul that guides us

[@hawe606]

Wow! Absolutely amazing!

[@vuyiswadebbysibiya9422]

So drawn in his words😌😔

[@dannyseota1813]

This is perfect crowd engagement and control {Hustle Hustle}

[@simisosokhela]

Powerful expression of poetry and figures of speech! #PoetryIndustry

[@siyabongatshabalala9710]

Nicely presented Vusi.... well done

[@Celu-CM2]

This is intriguing...

[@Zano35]

Awesome stuff

[@66TT88]

What's the name of the person singing the first song? Baleka? The name of artist and song. She is amazing.

[@vusumuziphakathi]

Her name is Nomashenge Dlamini: facebook.com/700928783441995/videos/828926930642179/

[@kwenaramahuta7546]

This is another level creative, phenomenal delivery.
The background singing is getting on the way though. It needs to be more quieter and subtle to enhance your delivery.

[@66TT88]

I love it.

[@missi855]

power

[@bonganimpala3803]

happy new year

[@thandekamlungwana2492]

❤

[@khosiroyalhighness4965]

I must say he kind of was irritating at first but he made up for it once he got started