On the 16th and 17th of June 2021, the youth showcased My Home Town – a play written and produced by one of Sasolburg’s rising stars, Kedibone Motlhasedi.

The showcase was poignant in terms of its scheduling during the period commemorating youth month and the ambitions of the youth of 1976 in fighting for a democratic South Africa.

In this small community, the youth pick up the baton of emancipation in the current paradigm. Through their performance, they gave a voice to the young creatives in Sasolburg to air out challenges that exist within their communities. This included government corruption, gender-based violence and unemployment. The play speaks of a small mining town where sectors of the community are marginalised. It also makes a resounding pronouncement on the degradation of support for the creative sector in Sasolburg because of inconsistent and at times antagonistic support by the public and private sector in this region.

Kedibone Mothlasedi, the writer and director of  My Home Town, was inspired to create the showcase not only to display the talent of Sasolburg but also to shed light on the culturally rich community of Sasolburg, particularly with regards to its mining history.

She also highlights the important role that the NAC plays in fostering the development of the creative sector, but also the role that it can play in assisting creative collectives in working with the public and private sectors.

Listen to the NAC interview with Kedibone Motlhasedi as she narrates her life story, the contributions that she has made to her community in partnership with Rejuvenation Community Trust, with regards to creative sector development and what lies ahead.