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African Muzik Magazine Awards 2026: Davido, Tems and Phyno among winners

African Muzik Magazine Awards 2026: Davido, Tems and Phyno among winners

London man jailed over UK’s largest counterfeit vinyl seizure

London man jailed over UK’s largest counterfeit vinyl seizure

Groove Biennale III to close with Joburg alternative culture showcase

Groove Biennale III to close with Joburg alternative culture showcase

Nigeria: Fireboy DML, JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela release ‘IMALI’

Nigeria: Fireboy DML, JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela release ‘IMALI’

Warner Chappell Music co-chair Carianne Marshall to leave company

Warner Chappell Music co-chair Carianne Marshall to leave company

CANEX WKND 2026 to bring Global Africa’s creative economy to Lagos in November

CANEX WKND 2026 to bring Global Africa’s creative economy to Lagos in November

SA: Mjolisi releases new album ‘Kuphelele’

SA: Mjolisi releases new album ‘Kuphelele’

Nigeria: Davido announces three-night Lagos residency at National Theatre

Nigeria: Davido announces three-night Lagos residency at National Theatre

Uganda: Nyege Nyege returns to the Nile for 11th edition with Wakaliwood collaboration

Uganda: Nyege Nyege returns to the Nile for 11th edition with Wakaliwood collaboration

Burna Boy to headline halftime show at NFL’s first Paris game

Burna Boy to headline halftime show at NFL’s first Paris game

Suno faces another class-action lawsuit over alleged 2025 data breach

Suno faces another class-action lawsuit over alleged 2025 data breach

SA: Mawhoo to bring Secret Garden live experience to Durban in November

SA: Mawhoo to bring Secret Garden live experience to Durban in November

NEFCISA
NEFCISA

The Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF) is proud of its partnership with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) as a Strategic Implementing Partner (SIP) for its Social Employment Fund (SEF). Through this collaboration, MIAF is running a national programme that is creating jobs, addressing skills gaps, and strengthening South Africa's creative industries — in line with the SEF's overarching goal to generate work for the common good and build community value through employment, social contribution, and inclusive economic participation. Operating under the banner NEFCISA (National Employment Facility for Creative Industries in South Africa), the initiative is recruiting and training participants, matching them with host organisations, and has already placed 1 500 workers across the country — surpassing its original target of 1 000. NEFCISA is delivered through a network of 20 host organisations spanning five provinces, who are actively hosting participants and contributing to work for the common good across South Africa's creative and cultural industries. Key Objectives: Support employment and entrepreneurship in the creative industries. Offer skills development and training programmes. Foster partnerships between public and private creative sectors. Promote South African creativity at both provincial and national levels Foster community development through social contribution.

ACCES
ACCES

ACCES Conference and Showcase Festival is Africa's leading music industry gathering, bringing together the people shaping the future of the continent's music business. Artists, entrepreneurs, executives, investors, policymakers and cultural leaders from across Africa and around the world come to ACCES to build partnerships, exchange ideas, discover talent and create new business opportunities. Since its launch in 2017, ACCES has become the continent's premier platform for professional exchange and music market development. Combining a high-level conference with a curated showcase festival, networking, exhibitions and industry programmes, ACCES offers a unique space where creativity meets business and where African music connects with the global industry.

Gender@Work
Gender@Work

Music In Africa Gender @ Work is a three-year training programme aimed at upskilling and increasing the participation of female professionals in the African music sector. Launched by the Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF) in April 2019, the programme is connected to the MIAF’s ACCES music conference – a pan-African event held in a different African country every year. This connection enables the programme to reach new participants in a different African country every year. The programme marks the beginning of a more concerted effort by the Foundation to support the participation and inclusion of women in all facets of its programmes and the music sector in Africa as a whole. Over the three years, the programme will aim to address gender imbalances in the sector through training, lobbying, facilitating knowledge exchange and dialogues that foster the interest of women. The broader objectives of the programme are to: Provide industry training for women on critical music industry skills, focusing on: Stage management Electronic music production and recording Music business management Technical knowledge Provide an opportunity for both professional and aspiring women to benefit from the Music In Africa network and its broad range of activities in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Provide a solution-based platform in the form of a round table at ACCES with a view to identify challenges, discuss opportunities and lobby for the interests of female practitioners. Offer participants the opportunity to benefit from programmes offered by MIAF’s partners. Increase access to educational materials. Integrate participants in the broader ACCES programme to maximise experience and exposure to the industry. Record and present training materials on the www.musicinafrica.net, including but not limited to tutorials, templates and other best-practice materials. Communicate women-based themes that support the initiatives and messages of the programme. MAIN TRAINING ACTIVITIES Training in first country (Ghana): In the first year, participants will be trained on all aspects of stage management by a team of experienced stage managers from 10 to 17 November 2019. The programme will offer robust classroom training as well as practical, hands-on training in which participants will also be given the opportunity to manage various aspects of the ACCES performance programme. Training in second country: The second training iteration will take place at ACCES 2020 when the programme will diversify its course to include music production lessons and training on other music business topics. A round-table platform will also be introduced to coincide with the ACCES programme. Training in third country: The third training iteration will take place at ACCES 2021 in a different country, offering an advanced course. HOW DO YOU GET INVOLVED?  As a participant, facilitator or trainer: The programme enrolls up to 12 trainees every year. All opportunities are advertised publicly on this website, and will be added to this page. Please keep checking this page for new calls (below under UPDATES & CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES). As a partner Please contact Claire Metais at [email protected]. APPLY The call for applications for 2020 will be announced soon. The Music In Africa Gender @ Work programme is made possible with the support of the Prince Claus Fund, Siemens Stiftung and Goethe-Institut.

Sound Connects Fund
Sound Connects Fund

For cultural and creative practitioners and organisations operating in southern Africa, access to funding remains a major challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic has also had a massive impact on government policy, spending and the economy in general, and has seen spending on culture being moved further down the list of priorities. Further, the cultural and creative industries repeatedly cite four main areas where investment is needed for growth, which are increased visibility, mobility including access to new markets, finance and support structures.

Instrument Building And Repair Project
Instrument Building And Repair Project

Experience the Vibrations African Instruments Exhibition online in 3D

Music In Africa
Home / Artists & Industry / The Unity Band
The Unity Band

The Unity Band

Bands /groups
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Cape Town, South Africa

In operation since:

2017

Contact person:

The Unity Band

BIO

A diverse collective of young South African musicians, The Unity Band strives to create new music which explores the cultural diversity of South Africa. Inspired by a multitude of genres, this Cape Town-based ensemble lets their musical influences flow together to form their own fresh identity.
The Unity Band has been making a name for themselves in the local music industry since the release of their debut album Fabric. This album beautifully captures the amalgamation of the band’s diversity as they explore elements of jazz, hip hop, poetry, salsa, funk and at its core, a contemporary African sound.

The Unity Band was founded by drummer and vocalist, Lumanyano “Unity” Mzi, at the South African College of Music (University of Cape Town) where all the band members studied. While each member forms an integral part of The Unity Band, they are all highly sought after individuals who pursue their musical talents in many other successful projects.

Lumanyano Mzi
Stephen de Souza
Lonwabo Mafani
Dylan Fine
Lilavan Gangen
Thandeka Dladla
Ofentse Moshwetsi
Marco Maritz

Drum Set & Vocals
Upright & Electric Bass
Piano & Keyboard
Electric Guitar
Auxiliary Percussion
Vocals
Alto Saxophone
Trumpet & Flugelhorn

Contact

Email: [email protected]

Thandeka Dladla: +27 76 871 7571

Lumanyano Mzi: +27 78 156 8232

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheUnityBandZA/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/theunitybandza/

Performances
The Unity Band has been privileged to perform at some of Cape Town’s finest venues:
The South African College of Music - Chisholm Recital Room (2017)
The Great Wizoo (2017)
The Crypt Jazz Restaurant (2017)
The Silo District (2018)
The V&A Waterfront Amphitheatre (2018)
Harrington’s Cocktail Lounge (Africa Day 2018)
Kwa Sec “Jazz in the Native Yards” - Featuring McCoy Mrubata (2018)
Addis in Cape (2019)
Guga S’thebe Cultural Centre (Fabric Album Launch 2019)
The Reeler Theatre (2019)
The band has also participated in the following music festivals:
The Artscape Band Stand Festival (2017)
Jazzathon Festival (2018)
South African Association for Jazz Education Festival (2019)

Recordings

Fabric (2019) by The Unity Band
Featured on Brasskap Sessions Vol. 3 (2019) by McCoy Mrubata

Media

Trails (studio recording 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20dkwxVicl4

Brudeness (V&A Waterfront 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyq8D-cqw3g

Fabric (album) on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/music/album/The_Unity_Band_Fabric?id=B3ai3nbohgymgbgp6ijf2ijak7m

Fabric (album) on Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/za/album/fabric/1453805842

Fabric (album) on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/6LhYAuzSS2X8mJEFB4ZDr7?si=WBwhgsPMSsCLw-KKvrUpig

Photos

The Unity Band

Music

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Videos

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