Thami AkaMbongo Manzana: Review: Disart-Ability School Arts Festival 2025.

ENTERING WITH ASSUMPTIONS – LEAVING WITH AWAKENING

I entered the festival believing I understood disability.

I left realising I had simply been comfortable in my ignorance.

Like many, I assumed that being “aware” was enough. I used labels without thinking twice – disability, impaired, incapable – words rooted in a worldview that quietly positions difference as less. But inside that theatre, witnessing courage, beauty, honesty, humour, vulnerability and joy radiating from young artists whom society often sidelines, my language – and my thinking – began to shift.

This festival did not just entertain; it challenged, confronted, and educated me in a way no textbook or conference ever has.

DO WE EVEN SPEAK ABOUT ABILITY CORRECTLY?

The festival forced uncomfortable self-reflection:

Is “disability” even the right word?

What if society is the disabling factor, not the person?

What if the problem is the design of our environments, not the design of their bodies or minds?

What I witnessed affirmed a profound truth:

Ability is not a fixed definition – it is a lived reality, expressed differently by every human being.

We are all one illness, one accident, one life moment away from inhabiting a different part of the ability spectrum. Yet, we continue to treat “disability” as a separate population instead of a shared human condition.

THE ROLE OF A GENTLE ANCHOR – THEMBA MKHOMA AS MASTER OF CEREMONY

A festival of this nature requires more than a host – it requires a custodian of care. Themba Mkhoma, a respected arts practitioner, carried the weight of that responsibility with remarkable skill, wisdom and humility. His role as Master of Ceremony was not to entertain, but to hold the space. With emotional intelligence and deep respect for the sensitivity of the content, Themba created an atmosphere where learners, parents, educators and audience members felt safe to speak, to feel, and to reflect.

His facilitation of the Question-and-Answer dialogues between performances was masterful – thoughtful, gentle, and never intrusive. He asked questions that honoured the performers’ experiences rather than sensationalising them. He listened more than he spoke, and when he did speak, it was with grounding insight that helped us unpack and process what we had witnessed. He ensured that every voice – especially those often ignored – felt valued, heard, and protected.

Themba didn’t host the festival; he shepherded it with heart. His presence was a reminder that true leadership in the arts is not loud – it is human, empathetic, intentional, and transformative.

A JOURNEY THROUGH THE SPECTRUM OF HUMAN ABILITY

This festival didn’t showcase “disabled learners”. It showcased the fullness of humanity – in all its diverse forms of expression. It exposed me to the lived realities and brilliance within eight broad categories:

Physical Disabilities – bodies telling stories beyond movement

Sensory Disabilities – where silence becomes language, touch becomes music

Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities – creativity free from ego

Learning Disabilities – where imagination breaks through academic labels

Mental Health Disabilities – stories holding courage and fragility side by side

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) – resilience and reinvention of identity

Invisible Disabilities – struggles that society does not see but must learn to understand

Chronic Illnesses – strength powered by endurance, not perfection

Every moment whispered the same truth:

We are all temporarily “able” – and permanently human.

WHEN ART BECOMES TRUTH – THE PERFORMANCES AND WHO GUIDED THEM

What made this festival exceptional was how the process centred the learners. The facilitators did not impose creativity – they created space for it. The learners led, and everyone else followed.

Participating schools and facilitators:

Doug Whitehead School – Dignity in Diversity – Facilitated by Hlobisile Mahlangu

Philip Kushlick School – Unseen – Facilitated by Cebo Zikhali

Adelaide Tambo School of the Physically Challenged – From Rejection to Resilience: Minentle’s Journey to Education – Facilitated by Lunga Khuhlane

Winnie Madikizela Mandela School – Ithuba – Facilitated by Diana Maseko

(Guest performance by Harvey Cohen Centre)

These were not neat, polished productions. They were raw. Brave. Honest. They allowed us into worlds we rarely see – not to evoke sympathy, but to expand our humanity.

WHERE REINFORCEMENT MEETS VISIBILITY – THE POWER OF “UNSEEN”

After Unseen, facilitator Cebo Zikhali shared the heart behind the title:

“While engaged majority of the students at Philip Kushlick, one of the most common factors into their everyday life was that they always felt invisible around their peers outside school and sometimes even amongst family members, it was then when we all agreed with them that UNSEEN would have been a perfect title for their show. Working on this project has truly been a humbling experience but more than an eye-opener on how differently abled people look at the world. Their dreams. Their passion. Truly an experience that I would never take anything from and do it all over again.”

This wasn’t applause for entertainment.

It was applause that restored identity, dignity, and visibility.

A MOTHER ’S JOURNEY – THE COST OF RECOGNITION

One moment I will never forget:

A mother travelled all the way from the Eastern Cape to watch her daughter perform – then travelled home immediately after.

Hours of sacrifice for minutes of witnessing her child take up space with pride and confidence.

That is what representation means.

That is why this festival matters.

RECOGNITION THAT HEALS – CERTIFICATES, TEARS, AND DIANA MASEKO ’S MOMENT

The certificate ceremony was one of the most emotional acts of recognition I have ever witnessed. One by one, as names were called, the theatre filled with applause – not out of formality but out of love, pride, and collective affirmation.

Facilitator Diana Maseko could not hold back her tears – seeing her group stand tall, celebrated and validated on stage. Her emotional response affirmed something crucial:

This work is not just facilitation.

It is relational.

It is love.

It is transformation for both learners and facilitators.

Through shared rehearsals, vulnerability, communication challenges, laughter and breakthroughs – the facilitators and learners became families of trust.

Their tears were proof of the humanity invested, not just the art created.

THE PROCESS BEHIND THE BEAUTY

Co-founder and facilitator Lunga Khuhlane explained it best:

“Challenging amazing in an interesting way. It’s more educational and opens up your mind. You realise you don’t know that much until you get into that space. Participants led the process more than the facilitators.”

This work requires time, patience, flexibility, emotional intelligence, and most importantly – humility.

THE BACKBONE OF THE FESTIVAL – A PERSONAL APPRECIATION FOR ALLEN CEBEKHULU

A special acknowledgement must go to Allen Cebekhulu, who not only coordinated schools but took the time to walk me through each school’s journey, challenges, environment, and context. He expanded my understanding of the complexities of disability – beyond performance.

Allen is more than a coordinator.

He is a bridge – connecting families, schools, facilitators, and communities.

His insight helped me grasp that inclusion is not an event – it is a lifestyle, an ongoing practice, and a responsibility.

WHY THIS FESTIVAL MUST GROW BIGGER – AND NATIONWIDE

The impact of this model is undeniable. It should not remain a once-off or small-scale project. It must evolve into a national movement.

To achieve this:

Strengthen partnerships – Department of Education, Foundations, Arts Institutions & Private Sector

Expand to all 5 Districts of Gauteng, leading to all 9 Provinces

Extend into community and after-school spaces for continuity

Bring the arts industry closer – casting directors, theatre companies, talent scouts, training institutions

This festival is more than an event.

It is a talent pipeline.

A dignity restoration programme.

A social and cultural justice movement.

WHY LULE PRODUCTIONS DESERVES GREATER SUPPORT

Lule Productions is not hosting a festival.

They are shaping a cultural shift in South Africa.

With limited resources, they have already:

– Opened creative spaces for learners often excluded

– Built confidence, identity and artistic voice

– Educated audiences and dismantled stereotypes

– Created a replicable model for inclusive theatre

Imagine what their impact would be with real investment:

▪ Transport and access for more schools and families
▪ Paid pathways for differently abled young artists
▪ Specialist training for inclusive arts facilitation
▪ Annual national showcase and touring opportunities

Funding Lule is not charity.

It is investing in social change, educational reform, and human rights through art.

MESSAGE TO THE FOUNDERS – LEBO & LUNGA

You have birthed a life-long project capable of shifting the mindset of the world. Never give up on this work, and never allow the world to take it away from you or dilute its purpose. You lead this work with heart and soul – and that is what keeps its integrity intact.

FINAL REFLECTION

This festival changed me – not as an audience member, but as a human being.

I entered with assumptions. I left with responsibility.

These performers are not defined by what society misunderstands.

They are dancers.

They are actors.

They are storytellers.

They are artists.

And like every artist, they deserve platforms, resources, respect, representation and opportunities to thrive.

To Lule Productions, the facilitators, the schools, the families, and every young performer – thank you. You didn’t just put on a festival. You ignited a movement of visibility, belonging, dignity, and transformation.

I am forever changed – and I hope South Africa allows.

Thami AkaMbongo Manzana
akambongo@gmail.com
AkaMbongo Foundation Pty Ltd

Disclaimer: Artslink.co.za encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views published do not necessarily represent the views of Artslink.co.za.

This piece is penned by Thami akaMbongo Manzana in his personal capacity – as an artist, thinker, and observer of life.

The reflections, ideas, and expressions shared here are entirely his own and are not meant to represent the views or positions of any organization, structure, or association he may be part of.

These are personal thoughts flowing from the heart, mind, and lived experience – meant to provoke thought, inspire dialogue, and spark the imagination.