South African musicians Nomfundo Moh, The Brother Moves On, Xtreem Makhayeni, BLVQ IRIS and ZANAH are among the artists set to take the stage at the second edition of Ngeke! Festival in Johannesburg this weekend.
Taking place on Saturday, November 7, at The Nest in New Doornfontein, the free festival brings together established and emerging musicians for an evening of live performances with a message that extends beyond the music.
Returning after its debut at Constitution Hill in 2025, which attracted more than 600 people, Ngeke! Festival uses music as a platform to encourage South Africans to reject corruption and take greater responsibility for the role they play in society.
Its rallying cry, “Say Ngeke!”, draws on the isiZulu word ngeke, meaning “never”, with this year’s edition encouraging people to say no to the everyday actions that contribute to a culture of corruption.
Nomfundo Moh and The Brother Moves On headline Ngeke! Festival
The line-up brings together artists from different musical backgrounds, with each bringing their own sound and perspective to the festival.
Afro-pop star Nomfundo Moh (https://iol.co.za/entertainment/music/2026-04-08-nomfundo-moh-drops-farm-julia-ahead-of-river-jam-performance-with-mafikizolo-and-karyn-white/) will close the live programme. Known for her emotive vocals and storytelling, the singer has established herself as one of South Africa’s recognisable contemporary music voices.
Her breakthrough came with her 2020 debut single, “Lilizela”, which achieved platinum status. She followed it with her debut album, “Amagama”, in 2022, blending Afro-pop, R&B and traditional South African sounds.
The album produced popular songs including “Umthwalo” and “Phakade Lami”, the latter achieving six-times platinum certification.
Also bringing their distinctive live performance style to the festival are The Brother Moves On, the Johannesburg collective known for combining music, storytelling and performance art, drawing on African traditions while exploring contemporary sounds.
Xtreem Makhayeni returns after performing at the inaugural festival. The 2025 Fair Play South Africa winner uses his music to tell stories about the realities facing his community.
Cape Town rapper, producer and songwriter BLVQ IRIS will perform alongside The Crossroads. The collective combines live instrumentation with hip-hop, jazz and African influences, using multilingual lyrics to explore issues affecting society.
Rounding out the line-up is ZANAH, whose hip-hop sound explores heritage, ancestral memory, identity and empowerment.
DJ Nodiggity will open and close the evening, while LERAI (https://iol.co.za/entertainment/celebrity-news/local/2022-03-31-lerai-talks-about-her-journey-at-nickelodeon-and-being-the-first-african-kids-choice-awards-host/) returns as the festival’s host.
Why Ngeke! Festival is using music to fight corruption
Beyond the performances, the festival’s central message is about challenging the everyday behaviours that allow corruption to continue.
Organisers point out that corruption is not limited to government offices, boardrooms or questionable tenders. It can also take place in seemingly ordinary situations, such as offering a bribe at a roadblock, paying a tjotjo to skip a queue or turning a blind eye when witnessing wrongdoing.
Through music, Ngeke! aims to encourage people to recognise these behaviours and understand that tackling corruption also requires individual accountability.
For Xtreem Makhayeni, the festival is about confronting practices that have become normalised in everyday life.
“Every South African knows what a cold drink is. We’ve made it a joke because it’s easier than calling it what it is. Ngeke! is about refusing that, and doing it with a crowd behind you,” he said.
The festival is once again partnering with Corruption Watch, a social justice organisation that advocates for transparency, accountability and clean governance.
The organisation recently launched its Impepe Campaign, which encourages South Africans to blow the whistle on corruption and report wrongdoing.
Members of the public can find out more about the campaign and how to get involved at Impepe Campaign.
Festivalgoers encouraged to take the Ngeke! Pledge
Audience participation is also central to the festival, with attendees invited to take the Ngeke! Pledge, first introduced at the 2025 event.
The pledge has three commitments:
Ngeke ngithule (I won’t keep quiet): Speaking out when witnessing corruption instead of contributing to the silence.Ngeke ngikwenze (I won’t do it): Refusing to offer or accept bribes, take cold drinks or abuse positions of power for personal gain.Ngeke ngiye ngedwa (I won’t go at it alone): Standing together with other South Africans to challenge corruption and encourage accountability.
From Constitution Hill to The Nest
The inaugural Ngeke! Festival marked the arrival of the global Fair Play initiative in South Africa.
Held at Constitution Hill in 2025, the event featured performances by Zoë Modiga, BCUC, Onset Music Group and Xtreem Makhayeni, attracting more than 600 people.
The second edition builds on that foundation, bringing together new Fair Play South Africa winners, returning performers and established names in the local music industry.
Matt Clark, programmes and marketing director at JM International, said the initiative was about giving young artists a platform to use their creativity to address social issues.
“The fight against corruption is global, but it must be fought locally,” he said.
“Fair Play is about amplifying young artists, letting their stories be heard and giving them a platform to unite people around a common message. Every action counts. Note by note, song by song, we can shape a better tomorrow together.”
Ngeke! Festival 2026: Date, venue and tickets
The festival takes place on Saturday, November 7, from 6.00pm to 11.00pm at The Nest, 39 Voorhout Street, New Doornfontein, Johannesburg.
Entry is free, with doors opening at 6.00pm.
Tickets are available through the Ngeke! Festival website.
The festival is delivered by JM International, the European Union Delegation to South Africa, the EU-funded Enhancing Accountability Technical Assistance Facility, Transparency International, Corruption Watch and the Public Protector South Africa
