Revered for their grassroots ethos and deep connection to community, Kujenga has become a cornerstone of Cape Town’s music scene.
Kujenga is a Black improvised music collective based in Cape Town. Their sound is shaped by the textures and tensions of Cape Town itself, drawing inspiration from their surroundings while expanding their reach across South Africa and beyond. Together, they create music that is politically charged, historically aware, and emotionally resonant. Their work is rhythmic, romantic, and soul-stirring; music that moves both body and spirit.
SA Creatives sat down with members, Zwide Ndwandwe (bassist, composer, and co-founder), Owethu Ndwandwe (keys), Thane Smith (guitarist), and Bonga Masola (trumpet), ahead of their performance at Felabration 2025, to discuss their latest EP ‘Common Ground’, the relationship between their movement and Fela Kuti’s, and their endless love for their community.
Kujenga’s ethos aligns seamlessly with the revolutionary energy of Felabration. “What makes it special,” says Zwide, “is knowing that there’s a community far away from Nigeria that clearly feels impacted by Fela—not only his musical contributions, but his views on liberation and how music is a game changer.”
The timing is cosmic. Their latest EP, Common Ground, was released just ahead of the festival and carries clear influence from Afrobeat, Tony Allen, and the Nigerian musical lineage. “It’s almost a cosmic alignment,” the band adds. “The music came out, and now we get to present it in conjunction with the celebration of Fela.”
Common Ground was recorded in collaboration with Art Club and draws influence from across the continent, including Afrobeats and Malian soundscapes. The project emerged from songs written and performed during their In The Wake era, and was shaped by a desire to reach a common goal, both within the band and across borders. “We really do want to spread a message of Pan-Africanism and a united front,” says Zwide. “Especially in South Africa, where we’ve been facing things like xenophobia and this separation of nations.”
Their music resists genre limitations. It is rooted in Black musical traditions, jazz, funk, highlife, and indigenous African sounds. “We see Fela in the same light as many of our idols. He represents the expansiveness of Black music, something that can’t be limited to genre-specific terms.”
They’ve graced international stages, performed at major festivals, and collaborated with hip-hop powerhouse Maglera Doe Boy. Yet their love for communion never changes. “Johannesburg has become a cultural center we pull from a lot,” says Owethu. “It’s natural for our music to expand past Cape Town, because our influences are South African, continental, and international.”
Felabration will be a transformational performance, one that introduces audiences to the astronomic wavelength Kujenga is on. It’s not just a show. It’s a sonic offering, a political act, and a celebration of Black music in all its depth and possibility.
