The Cape Malay Choir Board competition is officially in full swing.
The first two sections kicked off at the Bellville Velodrome at the weekend.
Section One ended in a tie with both the Young Men singkoor and Shoprite Jonge Studente collecting 28 points, which means automatic qualification to the Top 8 for both teams.
Ghakeem Roman, who is classed as one of the best moppie singers of his time, missed out on the keeps trophy.
A “keeps” trophy is given to certain individuals who win first prize for their item three years in a row in their section.
Ghakeem, like myself, has not had much luck in this regard but continues to be a damn good ambassador of moppie.
Ismail Fagodien however has two keeps trophies in his career with Shoprite Jonge Studente for moppie and continues to be the most decorated moppie singer of his time at the Cape Malay Choir Board.
This weekend also saw Strelitzia Youth Development continue their dominance when they walked away with 32 points, coming first in all their items except the combine chorus.
WELL DONE: Raeez Domingo, 1st prize. Picture: Supplied.
Raeez Domingo continues to lead Strelitzia to greatness and I am starting to think that he is one of the most underrated stars in the fraternity.
I think because he is so young, most of his rivals underestimate him and this is why they always end up behind him.
Domingo is a leader second to none and has a group of singers who believe in him and his ability so much that they can beat almost any team at any moment.
Teams need to start showing some respect to Domingo if they pull his section because Strelitzia sings their hearts out for this young legend in the making.
He also walked away with a first prize moppie and a well deserved keeps trophy because this is now three in a row for him.
Well done, Raeez!
I spoke to the president of the Cape Malay Choir Board, boeta Shafiek April, about some problems that have been brought to my attention.
The president admits there is limited parking at the Velodrome, so they have implemented a shuttle service to transport the elderly and persons with disabilities from the bottom parking to the entrance of the stadium.
This weekend coming, he says there will also be wheelchairs available for those who need it.
While the City of Cape Town and South Africa at large are struggling with a shortage of potable water, I was taken aback to hear April complaining that our people wasting water in the venue’s toilets.
He says in one very embarrassing incident, a cleaner showed him a vuil kimbie that was left on the floor in the toilet.
LIMITED PARKING: Shuttle to transport the elderly and disabled from bottom to entrance. Picture: Supplied.
April says some Muslim attendees make ablutions for salaah and mess water everywhere.
“ Onse mense moet verstaan dat die toilets is nie vir abdas nie, hulle maak die hele toilet nat,” he says.
“We will provide sprayers this week so people can take abdas, and towels as well.
“It’s behaviour like this that can put us in a bad light at any venue, so we need to treat it with the sensitivity it needs, because if we lose another venue, then people want to cry by the board and say we are not doing our job properly.
“So we ask the public to please try and play along, it’s in the best interest of our culture.”
With that said, well done to the Cape Malay Choir Board on a well-run competition and for always putting the people’s interest first.
We no longer dwell on the fact that we lost the Good Hope Centre, but we see to it that the choirs have a venue no matter what the cost.
This is growth and a healing process at the same time.
So slamat to all the teams for bringing their best this past weekend and good luck to the choirs competing this weekend.