AGP Executive Report

Live Music: John Legend has announced a three-city South African tour in February 2027, with dates in Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town; Mastercard presales open on 11 November. DJ Stokie is also taking amapiano to Washington, D.C., while Kaytranada is set to return to Cape Town and Johannesburg in December. Local Talent: Cape Town singer Zoe Zana has won Heart FM’s presenter search and landed a weekend late-night slot, while Makhadzi has released a new track following her Botswana controversy. On Screen: “Love Is Blind: South Africa” is reportedly set to premiere on Netflix on 4 December. Meanwhile, “Blood Legacy” star Xolile Tshabalala has confirmed the series is ending. Visual Arts: William Kentridge’s work is in focus in a new feature exploring how he makes and remakes cities. Ghanaian photography pioneer James Barnor has also been named for a 2027 Sony World Photography Awards honour.

Music: Amanda Black’s relaxed, bra-free stage look has sparked debate, with supporters praising her confidence. John Legend has announced Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town dates for his 2027 Muse Tour, while Kaytranada is set to return for South African shows in December. TV: Love Is Blind: South Africa is reportedly eyeing a 4 December Netflix premiere. Behind the Hits: DJ Clock has shared how he brought “Umahamba Yedwa” to life, prompting debate over his account of recruiting students to add vocals. Visual Arts: William Kentridge’s new film, part of his long-running Drawings for Projection series, turns again to Johannesburg and its history of wealth and inequality. Culture: Durban University of Technology students performed South African song and dance at a university anniversary gala in China; singer Nokwazi also praised Eswatini’s culture after performing in a royal celebration.

Music: Kaytranada returns to South Africa in December for Cape Town and Joburg shows, headlining Milk + Cookies Music Week alongside local acts. Mi Casa will open Kirstenbosch’s 19-concert summer season. TV: Netflix’s Love Is Blind: South Africa is reportedly set to premiere on 4 December, with Dineo and Solo Ntsizwa Langa hosting; the date has not been officially confirmed. Screen and Stage: The Cape Town Philharmonic has announced four concerts, while the 2027 Cape Town Jazz Festival’s first acts include Simphiwe Dana and Mahotella Queens. Industry: DJ Shimza has been removed as a Kunye Records director after allegations of financial misconduct and undisclosed business interests; he has not been found guilty of wrongdoing. Celebrities: Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine and House of Zwide actress Kay Bikitsha celebrated their traditional union, drawing warm reactions from fans and industry friends. Awards: Nozipho Phiri leads the 2026 Gospel Awards nominations with five nods.

Afro-house: Shoba’s new EP, Africa to the World, marks another reinvention; he says a Shana reunion with Black Coffee and Demor looks more possible than ever. On the scene: Actress Kay Bikitsha and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine have married, drawing congratulations from entertainment figures. Screen: South Africa-focused documentary Return of the Cheetah: Bloodlines has premiered globally, following efforts to protect the species’ genetic diversity. Music: The Cape Town Philharmonic has announced four concerts, while Mi Casa will open Kirstenbosch’s 19-show summer sunset season. Arts & heritage: A photo essay celebrates Enos Mafokate, South Africa’s first Black showjumper, and the Soweto equestrian centre he founded to open the sport to township youth.

South African Music: Western Cape-born singer ZP Theart has released a power-metal take on Nightwish’s “Nemo,” giving the 2004 hit a grittier vocal style. Live Music: Mi Casa will open Kirstenbosch’s 19-show Summer Sunset Concert season, bringing a major outdoor programme back to Cape Town. Creative Industries: CANEX WKND put finance, ownership and market access at the centre of discussions about Africa’s creative economy; Afreximbank has raised its creative-industries financing commitment to US$2 billion. Visual Arts: A Cape Town exhibition brings together four artists exploring migration, identity and belonging. Stage & Screen: Joburg Theatre has revealed the cast for Janice Honeyman’s Alice in Wonderland, while South Africa’s film industry is seeking Presidency intervention after talks with the DTIC stalled.

Live Music: Mi Casa opens Kirstenbosch’s 34th Summer Sunset Concert season on November 22. The 19-show programme also features Lira, Simphiwe Dana, Mango Groove, Goldfish and Jeremy Loops, with performances running through March. Jazz: Simphiwe Dana and Mahotella Queens are among the first acts announced for the 2027 Cape Town International Jazz Festival. Creative Industries: Afreximbank has quadrupled its financing commitment for Africa’s creative sectors to US$2 billion, as CANEX WKND puts investment, ownership and market access in focus. South African Talent Abroad: Four South African performers in the touring musical Cats met Singapore rescue cats while the production plays in the city through November 22.

Live Music: Mi Casa will open Kirstenbosch’s 19-show Summer Sunset Concerts season on 22 November. The programme also features Lira, Simphiwe Dana, Mango Groove, Goldfish and Jeremy Loops. Cape Town Art: Four emerging artists explore migration, identity and belonging in the Tiriparwendo exhibition, opening at Hub Gallery on 12 November. Creative Economy: Afreximbank has raised its financing commitment for Africa’s creative industries to US$2 billion, as CANEX puts ownership, investment and market access in focus. Film and TV: South Africa’s film industry is calling for presidential intervention after talks with the DTIC stalled. Meanwhile, SAGA and the PMA have secured an exemption to negotiate minimum rates for local actors.

Dance: Benoni’s Luke Scrase made history as the first South African to win the adult men’s solo title at the IDO World Tap Dance Championships in Prague. International stages: Two South African teams are among the artists presenting traditional Ramlila at Ayodhya’s Deepotsav, alongside performers from several countries. Creative economy: Afreximbank has quadrupled its financing commitment to Africa’s creative and cultural industries to US$2 billion, with ownership and market access in focus at CANEX WKND in Lagos. Music: Simphiwe Dana and Mahotella Queens are among the first acts announced for the 2027 Cape Town Jazz Festival; DBN Gogo and DJ Lag will headline the YX26 Experience at Constitution Hill. Film and performance: Saudi-Iraqi film Hijra took top honours at Cape Town’s HACC 2026, while South African actors’ groups secured an exemption to negotiate minimum rates.

Music: Simphiwe Dana, Mahotella Queens, Bongeziwe Mabandla and The Joy are among the first acts announced for the 2027 Cape Town International Jazz Festival. Makhadzi has moved her album release to 27 November, two days before her Emperors Palace show. Film: Saudi-Iraqi drama Hijra won Best Feature at HACC 2026, while South African films Izenzo Zami and Ori received honourable mentions. Industry: SAGA and the Producers’ Association secured an exemption to negotiate minimum rates for South African actors. Afreximbank is targeting up to $1 billion in deals for Africa’s creative economy at CANEX in Lagos. Media: Cosmopolitan is set to return to South African shelves in February 2027, with digital and print editions. Recognition: The Feather Awards named its 2026 winners, with Thami Willis marking a farewell. Legacy: Ramu Gopidayal, a pioneer of South African Indian broadcasting and community radio, has died.

Actors’ Pay: The SA Guild of Actors and Personal Managers’ Association won a five-year Competition Commission exemption to negotiate minimum rates and recommended contract terms for performers, many of whom work as independent contractors. Broadcasting Legacy: Ramu Gopidayal, who died on Thursday, helped launch SABC’s Impressions and Radio Lotus’s resident band, and later played a leading role in community radio. Live Music: Johannesburg’s Marabi Club has reopened at Steyn City, reviving its blend of jazz, food and late-night atmosphere; DJ and producer Mo Laudi is also taking South African sounds to global audiences. Film: Alternativa Film Festival has opened submissions for its first African edition, with three prizes reserved for African filmmakers and a March 1 deadline. Fashion: Actor Warren Masemola is among four winners of Local Fashion Police 2026, each set to wear a custom R50,000 design at the November 19 finale.

Live Music: Kirstenbosch’s 34th Summer Sunset Concert season runs from 22 November to 28 March, with 19 shows featuring Mi Casa, Freshlyground, Lira, Simphiwe Dana and more. New Releases: South African singer Jabulile Majola is set to release a deluxe edition of his debut album, Ipasi, this Friday, building on a year of growing acclaim. Industry Watch: South Africa’s film industry is calling for intervention from the Presidency after talks with the DTIC stalled again, raising fresh concerns about support for local productions. African Creative Industries: CANEX WKND has opened in Lagos, bringing together artists, investors and policymakers for four days of events spanning film, music, fashion, literature and visual art. Photography: Ghanaian photographer James Barnor, whose work appeared in South African magazine Drum, will receive the Sony World Photography Awards’ 2027 Outstanding Contribution to Photography honour.

Reality TV: Lasizwe Dambuza’s cooking nearly went up in smoke on Celebrity Come Dine With Me South Africa, as the entertainer swapped interviews for a dinner-party challenge. New Music: Johannesburg-raised singer Malaika Gray has released debut single “My Fever” with Tanzanian star Marioo, saying she wants to build her own identity rather than follow comparisons with other artists. Film Industry: South African filmmakers are asking the Presidency to intervene after talks with the trade department stalled again. Makhadzi: The singer is heading home after a Botswana court settlement in her dispute with a promoter; she has also postponed her album release. Choir News: Ndlovu Youth Choir has entered Grammy consideration, joining Tyla and TxC in South Africa’s push for recognition.

Makhadzi: The singer is heading home after a court dispute with a Botswana promoter, following an emotional court appearance. She has postponed her album release. Film Industry: South Africa’s film and TV coalition is asking the Presidency to intervene after talks with the DTIC stalled for a third time over the dormant production incentive and a backlog of applications. Live Music: Kirstenbosch has confirmed dates and a line-up for its 2026/27 Summer Sunset Concerts. On Screen: Nambitha Ben-Mazwi will mark 10 years in the industry with a Johannesburg screening of her Swiss TV film Tatort: Könige der Nacht on 10 November, followed by a conversation about her career. New Voices: Klipfontein’s Sniper Entertainment is backing five emerging artists, building a platform for local sounds including lekompo, motswako and Afro-soul. The Ndlovu Youth Choir has also entered Grammy consideration, adding to South Africa’s push on the global music stage.

Live Music: UJ’s annual Dean’s Concert returns on 7 November, bringing baritone Federico Freschi, soprano Angela Gilbert, pianist Christopher Duigan and the UJ Choir together to raise funds for struggling FADA students. Screen & Stage: A new Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone song, filmed in South Africa, has been released, while Joburg Ballet’s award-winning Charlie and the Chocolate Factory returns to Gold Reef City from 27 November. Local Creatives: Ndlovu Youth Choir joins Tyla and TxC in South Africa’s Grammy push, with the choir entering consideration; Eswatini film A Dream (Liphupho) won Best Screenplay at Durban’s Waterloo Film Festival. Fashion & Books: SA Fashion Week puts designers’ personal expression at the heart of its latest collections, and Deon Meyer’s new Benny Griessel thriller, Scorpio Rising, is in the spotlight. Artist Update: Makhadzi is reportedly in Gaborone awaiting a 9 November court appearance in a dispute with a local promoter.

Makhadzi: The singer says she was left stranded in Botswana after her passport and car were allegedly seized amid a dispute with a local promoter; Dirco has stepped in. Film: South Africa’s Film and Publication Board has refused to classify Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America, banning its public screening and distribution over hate speech and Holocaust denial. African Creators: The NAACP Image Awards has opened submissions for 10 new categories celebrating African film, television and music talent. Music Heritage: A new book by music historian Ashley Kahn revisits Paul Simon’s Graceland, exploring the album’s creation and the role of South African artists, including Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Local Arts: A film shot in Phoenix is showcasing KwaZulu-Natal’s movie-making potential, while Soweto Fashion Week returns with its Spring/Summer 2026 showcase.

Comedy: Politically Aweh’s election special is available ahead of voting, while Leon Schuster says he has no regrets about his controversial films and pranks, arguing they were meant to bring South Africans together. Television: Khethukuthula Jele lands her first leading role in Mzansi Magic drama Inyosi, and MultiChoice is developing a psychological thriller with Stained Glass TV. Fashion: Soweto Fashion Week returns with a three-day Spring/Summer showcase of local designers. Culture: Durban’s Diwali festival brought music and dance together with an interfaith walk against gender-based violence.