Lundi Joxo (local artist and event organizer, left) with Oudtshoorn’s mayor, Colan Sylvester (middle) and Bethusile Mncinga (artist). Photo supplied
THE mayor of the Greater Oudtshoorn, Colan Sylvester, has expressed his support for a fundraising gospel concert aimed at providing sanitary towels and school shoes. This concert will be hosted in Oudtshoorn this weekend.
The campaign is spearheaded by an award winning gospel artist Bethusile Mcinga, who will also be performing during the show. Top South African gospel artists such as the Lusanda Spiritual Group, Dumi Mkokstad and Butho Vuthela are among the artists who support this campaign and will be performing in Oudtshoorn this weekend.
Mcinga and Lundi Joxo, a local gospel artist and entrepreneur, briefly visited Sylvester last Thursday. Sylvester confirmed that he will be attending the show.
“This campaign named the JIREH Children Campaign (meaning Jehovah provides) has been coming for quite a while now. We give sanitary towels and school shoes to needy children,” said Mcinga. “It originated from the need I saw of girls who often do not go to school when they are in their menstrual cycle because they do not have sanitary towels. This affects their performance in school.
“There are also many children in South Africa who do not have school shoes. This also has caught my attention and therefore I decided to initially contribute from the money I received from my shows as my offering. It later developed into this fundraising concert.”
Mcinga said he challenges government to adopt his campaign. “I believe that if government can give free condoms, they should also be able to give free sanitary towels which are also as important.”
Joxo said the two schools that will benefit from the charity concert are Fezekile High School and Bridgton Senior Secondary School.
Sylvester expressed his support for the campaign. “I urge the people of the Greater Oudtshoorn to throw their weight behind this campaign. The old saying, that ‘your child is my child’, and that ‘a village raises a child’, are still very important and relevant values.”
This event, which is locally organised by Joxo, has attracted a number of national and regional artists from Cape Town, Johannesburg, Umtata and Durban who will be performing alongside Mcinga. They are Mr Vee Sholo, Xolisa Kwinana, Anele Sabani, Siniko Bulana, Jumbo, Mawethu Dikiza, Shkinah Signature and Lundi Joxo. The show will be hosted by Umhlobo Wenene FM gospel radio presenter, Nomonde Vakalisa.
The concert will take place on Sunday 19 November at the Oudtshoorn Banquet Hall at 15:00. Tickets cost R100 (adults), R150 (VIP) and R50 (children). Adult tickets will be R120 at the door.
Enquiries: Lundi Joxo (079 755 5634) or 083 421 2192 or 073 903 1424.