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UPRISING: A Night Walk Through Memory, Music, and Resistance

A Special Mandela Day Tour by Soweto Night Out

This Mandela Day, on 18 July 2025, join Soweto Night Out for a one-of-a-kind night walking tour through the beating heart of Soweto — a journey that commemorates both the legacy of Nelson Mandela and the upcoming 50th anniversary of the 1976 Student Uprising.

This commemorative tour is more than an evening stroll. It is a living archive — walking side by side with history, guided by stories of youth, struggle, music, and liberation. It is an invitation to honour Madiba not through speeches, but through shared steps in the streets that shaped him and so many others.

Event DetailsDate: Thursday, 18 July 2025 (Mandela Day)Time: 17:00Pick-up location: Starbucks, RosebankBooking: www.sowetonightout.tours

?? Tour Stops & Highlights

1. Soweto Theatre

We begin at this vibrant arts and culture hub, a symbol of contemporary expression and community renewal in Soweto. A FIFA 2010 legacy project opened in 2012, the theatre serves as a living canvas for Black South African storytelling, creativity, and resilience. Here, participants will receive a briefing and opening performance that sets the tone for the night ahead.

2. KwaKhaya LeNdaba (Credo Mutwa Cultural Village, Jabavu)

Tucked away in the heart of Jabavu, KwaKhaya LeNdaba is better known as the Credo Mutwa Cultural Village — a mystical, open-air museum and spiritual heritage site envisioned by renowned Zulu traditional healer, author, and artist Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa. The village features symbolic sculptures and architectural pieces that explore African mythology, cosmology, and prophecy.

Far more than a tourist attraction, the site reflects Credo Mutwa’s mission to preserve African knowledge systems and challenge colonial narratives. On this stop, participants will walk through his visionary landscape and learn about the cultural resistance that runs parallel to political struggle — a reminder that liberation is not only about policy, but also about reclaiming identity, memory, and meaning.

3. Oppenheimer Tower

Rising within the community, this tower offers a panoramic view of Soweto and its transformation over the decades. Built from bricks from the people of the township, the tower honours the resilience of Black workers and families. Participants will ascend the tower to observe the urban landscape and hear about the township’s role in South Africa’s industrial and liberation histories.

4. June 16 Memorial Acre and MuseumThe final and most solemn stop, this museum and heritage site commemorates the students who were killed during the 1976 Uprising. Here, visitors will walk through exhibits, learn about key figures like Hector Pieterson and Tsietsi Mashinini, and engage in reflection around the themes of youth-led change, state violence, and enduring resistance.

?? Special Dialogue Over Dinner at Native Rebels

Following the tour, guests will gather for an intimate community dinner and an extraordinary intergenerational conversation between:

Rapsody – Grammy-winning hip hop artist, poet, and global voice for Black womanhood and justice.Seth Mazibuko – Former student leader, Patron and Historian of the Seth Mazibuko Foundation, the youngest member of the June 16 Action Committee; arrested at 16 and imprisoned on Robben Island.

In a unique format, Rapsody and Mazibuko will interview each other, exploring the intersections of music, protest, and legacy — from the streets of Soweto to the stages of the world.

Moderated by Nomsa Mazwai, activist and founder of Soweto Night Out, the discussion will reflect on Mandela’s dream and the new challenges facing today’s youth.

Why Mandela Day?

Mandela Day is a call to action — not simply to volunteer, but to actively build the world Madiba dreamed of. This tour answers that call by reclaiming public space, honouring youth resistance, and creating meaningful dialogue across generations. By walking together through Soweto on Mandela Day, we walk in defiance of fear and in pursuit of justice, dignity, and freedom.

About Soweto Night Out

Soweto Night Out is a bold reimagining of township tourism, transforming night walks into curated heritage experiences that combine safety, storytelling, live performance, and public memory. Founded by Nomsa Mazwai and born from the #FunkItImWalking movement, the initiative champions safer, inclusive cities by reclaiming the night — especially for women and marginalised communities.

Through partnerships with museums, local businesses, and artists, Soweto Night Out provides economic opportunity while creating space for healing, learning, and joy.

??? Limited Spaces Available

To book your place: www.sowetonightout.tours Follow the journey: @FunkItImWalking | @SowetoNightOut

?? About Rapsody

Rapsody (born Marlanna Evans) is a Grammy-winning hip hop artist, lyricist, and cultural storyteller whose music bridges the gap between activism, identity, and art. Hailing from Snow Hill, North Carolina, she has risen to prominence not through spectacle, but through substance, earning a place as one of the most respected voices in contemporary hip hop.

Her critically acclaimed albums — including Laila’s Wisdom and Eve — explore the experiences of Black womanhood, ancestral pride, and systemic injustice, with tracks named after iconic Black women such as Nina Simone, Michelle Obama, and Sojourner Truth. Each project is a study in lyrical precision, cultural reverence, and personal truth.

Rapsody has worked alongside legends like Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, Erykah Badu, and Anderson .Paak, yet her artistry remains deeply rooted in community and conscience. She views hip hop not just as entertainment, but as a tool for education, healing, and social change — much like the protest songs of the anti-apartheid movement.

In joining Soweto Night Out on Mandela Day, Rapsody brings not only her talent but also her commitment to intergenerational dialogue, global Black solidarity, and the power of storytelling as resistance.

About Seth Mazibuko Foundation

The Seth Mazibuko Foundation (SMF) is a revolutionary youth development and heritage preservation organization rooted in the legacy of one of South Africa’s most pivotal historical moments—the June 16, 1976 Uprising. SMF is headquartered at the Seth Mazibuko Heritage Home in Orlando East, Soweto, symbolically situated at the heart of South Africa’s liberation history.

The Foundation’s core mission is to protect, preserve, and promote the history and heritage of June 16 through intergenerational dialogue, courageous leadership development, and community empowerment across South Africa and the African Diaspora. SMF bridges the past and the future by empowering youth, amplifying marginalized voices, and catalyzing social change through education, culture, and activism.

Seth Mazibuko, the Patron of SMF, is a revered former student leader and the youngest member of the Soweto Students Action Committee that orchestrated the 1976 uprising. At just 16 years old, he was arrested and imprisoned for seven years—spending time in solitary confinement and later on Robben Island. His unwavering courage, ethical conviction, and lived experience as a youth leader in the liberation struggle uniquely position him as a credible custodian of this history and a powerful advocate for youth empowerment today.

Through initiatives such as The Hero’s Walk, June 16 reenactments, theatre productions, and educational programs, the SMF continues to inspire a new generation to confront contemporary challenges with the same courage and clarity that defined Mazibuko’s youth.

Today, Mazibuko serves as a mentor, public speaker, historian and activist through the Seth Mazibuko Foundation. His life’s journey — from student revolutionary to elder statesman — reflects the very essence of resilient leadership, generational wisdom, and the unfinished project of freedom and to correct the distortion around the events of 1976. In 2026, as part of the 50th Anniversary of 1975, he will finishing the intended 1976 Student’s March.

?? About Nomsa Mazwai

Nomsa Mazwai is an award-winning activist, creative entrepreneur, and cultural innovator whose work sits at the intersection of art, safety, and social justice. She is the founder of the feminist walking movement #FunkItImWalking, as well as the visionary behind Soweto Night Out — a tourism and placemaking initiative that reclaims public space through storytelling, performance, and collective memory.

Mazwai holds a Master’s degree in International Political Economy and Development from Fordham University and has consistently used both her academic training and artistic sensibility to reimagine urban life — especially for women, queer people, and marginalised communities. Through her work, she challenges dominant narratives about townships, crime, and protest, choosing instead to centre joy, culture, and belonging.

As a former SAMA-winning musician, Nomsa understands the power of rhythm and word. As an activist, she understands the urgency of liberation. By combining both, she has created a platform that transforms ordinary spaces — street corners, museums, parks — into stages for resistance, reflection, and celebration.Her leadership is deeply rooted in community, and her approach to activism is not only about marching but also about dancing, not only about shouting but also about listening. Through Soweto Night Out, Mazwai invites others to experience the township not as a place of fear, but as a site of radical possibility.

About Native Rebels

Located in the historic neighbourhood of Jabavu, Soweto, Native Rebels is a vibrant cultural restaurant that blends food, art, and music into one unforgettable experience. Founded by local creatives, the space serves as both an eatery and a performance hub — offering traditional South African cuisine with modern flair, alongside regular live music, poetry, and community events.

A true celebration of Afrocentric pride and township innovation, Native Rebels is where stories are shared, flavours are bold, and the spirit of Soweto comes alive.