“This school was always Pokie’s dream and we continue to develop it. We received small donations from various companies, whether it is our piano or keyboard, or our saxophones. We also received some plywood boards that we are going to use to divide the space inside the building,” said Munjana.

Klaas is a double-bass player who played with, among others, the legendary Louis Moholo, but his beloved double bass is standing in a corner, awaiting repair. “I don’t have the money to fix it but hopefully I will get the money soon. So now I’m forced to play on an ordinary electric bass guitar,” said Klaas.
While Munjanja takes me on a “tour” of the two rooms and outside area of the school, Klaas and his fellow teachers decide to start rehearsing.
Munjana talks passionately about the school’s mission and their expansion plans, until I tell him that I have to listen to the band.

At that point, they had completed the structured first part of the song they were playing, one of Klaas’s compositions, and they were now getting into the solo bits.
Egged on by Klaas, saxophonist Sam Pono gets carried away by his solo, followed by an inspiring drum solo by Sticks Mrwebi, who “used to travel the world, but has now settled in Gugulethu”, according to Munjanja. Mrwebi’s solo is followed by a solo by Klaas himself and another by guitarist Latch Mdengi.

At some point, Klaas puts down his bass guitar and tells Mdengi to stop playing, urging an interaction between saxophonist Pono and drummer Mrwebi.
This goes on for a while, until the two guitars join in again, and they bring the song to a conclusion. I remark afterwards that I saw a little bit of Louis Moholo’s influence in the ending of that song and Klaas laughed, admitting to his admiration for Moholo. “And we have not even rehearsed this song.”

Afterwards, we were treated to a display by some of their students.
Leaving there a few hours later, I could not help thinking about the wonderful work Klaas and his fellow teachers are doing in Gugulethu, in a space that would normally be occupied by several backyard shacks.

They tell me that their school is the only one of its kind in Gugulethu and I have to believe them, because I don’t know better.
But the more initiatives like Ntonga there are, not only in the townships but all over South Africa, the more we will be able to develop more balanced youth in future.
I sincerely hope they get all the support they deserve.

* Ryland Fisher is Executive Chairperson of the Cape Town Festival and a diversity and media consultant. He can be contacted on rylandfisher@mweb.co.za.