South Africa is preparing for a landmark cultural gathering as the Unity Soweto Concert heads to Orlando Stadium on June 14. Organised by the Unity Concert Foundation in partnership with the City of Johannesburg and the Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, the event is positioned as a powerful celebration of music, history and national solidarity.
Produced by industry veterans Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse and Marah Louw — both central figures in the historic 1985 Concert in the Park — the concert will unite legendary performers with emerging artists in a cross-generational showcase. The occasion marks 50 years since the 1976 Soweto uprising and four decades since the iconic Concerts in the Park, paying tribute to the youth and cultural activists who shaped South Africa’s democratic journey.
The first lineup phase features trailblazers including Sipho “Hotstix”, Marah, PJ Powers, Juluka and Blondie Makhene, setting the stage for an emotional homecoming in Soweto.
Held during Youth Month, the event will spotlight young South Africans while blending jazz, pop, maskandi, Afrofusion and amapiano. A heritage documentary by filmmaker Darrell Roodt will chronicle the concert, preserving its cultural significance for future generations.
