Film producer, Anant Singh has created a special video tribute to celebrate the culmination of the Mandela Centenary year and mark the passing of musical legend, Johnny Clegg.
The video which uses the backdrop of Clegg’s 1997 concert in Frankfurt, Germany, shows Madiba surprising Clegg and his band by walking onto stage in the middle of their performance of the song ‘Asimbonanga’ which Clegg dedicated to Madiba while he was still in prison on Robben Island. At the end of the performance, Madiba takes the microphone and says, “Music and dancing…that makes me at peace with the world, and at peace with myself”, and asks the band to perform the song again. The video can be watched at: https://vimeo.com/348581794/f6224b170f.
Singh said, “Madiba was a huge inspiration to Johnny Clegg and the song ‘Asimbonanga’ was dedicated to him. It also became the anthem for the Mass Democratic Movement in the late 1980’s. The chemistry between Madiba and Johnny in the video is clear, and it is our tribute to these great icons of our time.”
Singh who is currently in Portugal, will be participating in the South African Embassy’s Mandela Day initiative with Ambassador Mmamokwena Gaoretelelwe. The Embassy will be collaborating with the Sao Sebastiao Catholic Church’s daily food scheme and dedicate 67 minutes preparing and distributing a unique South African meal.
Continuing the Mandela Day observance on Saturday, 20 July, Singh and the Videovision Entertainment Team, accompanied by the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s Chief Executive will be visiting the Durban-based NGO, Streetwise. Streetwise, the Child and Youth Care Centre which provides shelter, education, food, clothing, spiritual and psychological services to children under its care. Streetwise was introduced to Videovision Entertainment by the Nelson Mandela Foundation in 2009, and this year marks 10 consecutive years of association as the Mandela Day beneficiary of the company.
