Concert opens new road for advocacy photo-(15-02-07)

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The event, staged in Durban this week, was an initiative of the Council of KwaZulu-Natal Jewry, which has mounted an exhibition in the city for the past fortnight. ‘Seeking Refuge’, consisting of personal histories told through documents and pictures, highlights the forced emigration of Jews from Germany to South Africa to escape Nazi persecution, and ultimately avoid dying in the Holocaust.
Similar conditions of political repression and economic chaos have led hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans and Congolese to flee their homelands for the safety of South Africa. Their life in this country has been a struggle simply to survive, to find a foothold in the society and to deal with widespread xenophobia.
By presenting songs by Timothy Rukombo, the concert brought refugee voices to the fore. Backed by a group of local musicians – the Mayera Lions – Rukombo’s outspoken lyrics forcefully underlined the realities of political and social life under ZANU-PF rule for an audience more accustomed to the beauties of classical music recitals. The concert also featured songs by a group of DRC refugees.
Rukombo, an ardent MDC supporter and a local organizer among ex-patriate Zimbabweans, fled to South Africa in 2000. He and his vocal group were targeted after they had performed at a pro-MDC rally in Harare. One of them was assaulted by officials of the ruling party. In the heavily repressive atmosphere of that year, the group of friends decided to leave Zimbabwe without delay, and dispersed to various foreign countries.
Rukombo’s life in Durban has been a difficult one, as he has had to live off a string of poorly-paid casual jobs. His activist work on behalf of the MDC has also run up against the fear that many refugees feel when they are challenged to speak out about conditions in Zimbabwe. Yet, he feels, this silence is conveniently interpreted by Mugabe as ‘permission to continue’.
He has already made a preliminary recording of his songs for a projected album called ‘Border Jumper’, but he lacks the means to go into a studio and record the final versions. He is convinced that his songs would find a large market in Zimbabwe, and he continues to seek financial support for this through the local MDC network.
For the Solidarity Peace Trust, visit www.solidaritypeacetrust.org
For the ‘Seeking Refuge’ Exhibition, visit www.goethe.de/ins/za/prj/jue/enindex.htm