A Spiritual Journey Beyond Language: Review of Sétimo Juramento (The Seventh Oath) Botho Arts Festival Boutique Edition One of the most remarkable aspects of the Botho Arts Festival Boutique Edition is its ability to create a meeting point for different theatrical voices, cultures, and artistic languages. This year, the festival achieved something particularly significant by presenting a production all the way from Maputo, Mozambique — Sétimo Juramento (The Seventh Oath) . The inclusion of this production signals an important cultural exchange between South Africa and Mozambique. It is also a testament to the growing relationship between the Botho Arts Festival and the organizers of the International Winter Theatre Festival (FITI) in Maputo. One can only hope that this collaboration continues to grow into a more formal partnership where productions from both countries travel annually between these festivals. Such exchanges enrich audiences, artists, and the theatre ecosystem ac...

  Profile: Johannes Geshwin Sekhaolelo — The Voice Behind Shattered Innocence At the Botho Arts Festival Boutique Edition in Limpopo , emerging theatre voices continue to demonstrate the depth of storytelling that exists within the province. Among them is Johannes Geshwin Sekhaolelo , the writer and director of Shattered Innocence , a compelling theatrical work that explores the fragile intersections between truth, silence, and the painful consequences of ignorance. Sekhaolelo represents a growing generation of theatre-makers who are committed to using the stage as a mirror of society — confronting uncomfortable truths while also opening pathways toward healing. A Storyteller Exploring Human Fragility In Shattered Innocence , Sekhaolelo presents a powerful production  that carefully unpacks the fragile cycle of life where ignorance becomes both the cause and the consequence of pain. Through intertwined lives bound by secrets and silence, the production slowly peels away layers...

  YAWA LEMBEWU Written and Directed by Ntsikelelo Ngcanga 05 March 2026, 17h00 Botho Arts Festival Boutique Edition – Polokwane Library Gardens Cast Nokwanda Stokoti as Londiwe Phiwokuhle Mazibuko as Thembisile Lehlohonolo Taolana as Nthabiseng The Botho Arts Festival Boutique Edition continues to demonstrate the richness and diversity of theatre programming in Limpopo. One of the most exciting aspects of the festival is its willingness to present productions that explore different theatrical styles, forms, and performance languages . In doing so, the festival not only entertains audiences but also educates both practitioners and viewers about the breadth of theatrical expression. Among the productions that brought a distinctive theatrical language to the festival stage was Yawa Lembewu , written and directed by Ntsikelelo Ngcanga . This production stood out as a carefully crafted piece of theatre that blends storytelling, chorus work, movement, and musicality into a cohesive perf...

  Review: My Tiny Voice — When Young Voices Refuse to be Silenced Festival: Botho Arts Festival Boutique Edition Production: My Tiny Voice Date: 05 March 2025 Venue: Limpopo Library Gardens, Polokwane Written & Directed by: Takalani (Tshinesa) Raduvha Choreography: Wilbert Dzombere & Ngonizashe Mushonga Music: Mathakha Dzimbale  Stage Manager:  Khodani Raduvha Cast: Mathakha Dzimbale as Vhalaudzi Ngonizashe Mushonga as Fuluphelo Wilbert Dzombere as Zwidofhelangani There is something profoundly moving about watching young performers tell stories that speak directly to the realities faced by many in society. My Tiny Voice , presented at the Botho Arts Festival Boutique Edition, is one such production — a work that reminds us why theatre remains one of the most powerful tools for social reflection and healing. Written and directed by Takalani (Tshinesa) Raduvha , the production explores the emotional world of a 16-year-old boy living with the traumatic flashb...

  A Reflection on Minister Gayton McKenzie’s CCI Sector Clusters Narrative On 4 March 2026 , the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture hosted a media briefing at Freedom Park in Pretoria where Minister Gayton McKenzie and Deputy Minister Peace Mabe addressed several matters within the department’s portfolio. The agenda included issues such as VAR, WAFCON, LIV Golf, Formula 1, the National Language Summit, Robben Island, the Venice Biennale, and the launch of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) Sector Clusters. However, one thing became immediately clear during the briefing: approximately 90% of the discussion centred on sport , leaving Arts and Culture to occupy the margins of the conversation. For a department tasked equally with the stewardship of Sport, Arts and Culture , the imbalance was not just noticeable—it was symbolic. For those working within the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) , the most striking moment came when the Minister attempted to explain the rationale...

Trail of Thoughts – A Stirring Opening to the Botho Arts Festival Boutique Edition Botho Arts Festival Boutique Edition – Polokwane Library Gardens 04 March 2026 | 17h00 The Botho Arts Festival Boutique Edition opened its Limpopo programme at Polokwane Library Gardens with Trail of Thoughts , a production written by the late Selaelo Maredi and Mpho Kolapho , and directed by Kolapho herself.  The choice to open the festival with this work was fitting. It is a play that places the experiences of women firmly at the centre, challenging audiences not to shy away from confronting the realities that shape women’s lives in our communities. The play introduces Mahlodi (Seipati Conny Kgatle), a fearless and outspoken woman who refuses to remain silent about injustices faced by women. Mahlodi imagines a radical political response—forming a party of women and positioning herself as a Commander-in-Chief (CIC). Her bold thinking unsettles Donsile (Mpho Kolapho), who fears that Mahlodi’s vi...