By Charmaine Ndlela
The Wits School of Arts is hosting a series of performances, exhibitions, film screenings and discussions as part of its 2026 Africa Month programme.
Observed annually in May, Africa Month commemorates the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity on May 25, 1963, celebrating African identity, heritage and unity across the continent.
In a statement, the Wits School of Arts said this year’s programme is centred on the theme, “Water as Life, Memory, and Infrastructure: Artistic and Intellectual Responses from Africa and the Global South.”
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Through art, music, storytelling and academic engagement, the programme explores the role of water in shaping memory, culture, identity and everyday life.
The celebrations officially got underway earlier this month with a Jazz Big Band performance titled WHEN WATERS GATHER. Audiences also attended musical performances, panel discussions and conversations exploring African music, jazz and cultural expression.
According to the school, several events are still set to take place during the remainder of the month, including theatre productions, workshops, exhibitions and film screenings.
One of the featured productions is AUSTRALOPITHECUS, directed by Kgafela oa Magogodi.
Film screenings of The Heart Is a Muscle and Kalushi will also give audiences an opportunity to engage with filmmakers through post-screening discussions.
Artists Vincent Mantsoe and Yuck Miranda are expected to lead creative workshops, while praise poet Majesty Mnyandu will present a storytelling performance focused on indigenous oral traditions and African heritage.
The programme also includes exhibitions and digital installations such as the Sophiatown Jazz Archive and Liquid Signals, which explore the relationship between history, memory and contemporary artistic expression.
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Africa Month at Wits will conclude on May 31 with Mama Africa: Miriam Makeba Tribute, featuring Zenzi Makeba Lee and her band in honour of legendary South African musician Miriam Makeba.
Organisers said the programme aims to encourage dialogue, reflection and collaboration through the arts while creating a platform for African creatives and scholars to engage with issues affecting communities across the continent and the Global South.
Most of the events are free and open to the public, organisers said.
