Kwaito legend Kabelo Mabalaane announces return to music industry after 11-year hiatus

Award-winning vocalist Brenda Mtambo is announcing an upcoming album while presenting a powerful gospel-theatrical production titled 'Amahubo Ka Gogo'. This production is a tribute to faith, family, and the hymns passed down through generations.

Inspiration and Meaning of the Show

'Amahubo Ka Gogo' holds deep personal significance for Mtambo, as it is inspired by her late grandmother who raised her through singing, prayer, and discipline. Mtambo shared these feelings during a press event before the premiere of the new show at the Marcellus Theatre in the Imperial Palace in Johannesburg on July 18.

The production goes beyond a mere theatrical performance; it is a tribute to the women who shaped families through faith, music, and tradition. 'Amahubo Ka Gogo' celebrates family, healing, and the memories that connect generations, drawing inspiration from the hymns, prayers, and songs of her childhood.

Return to Gospel and Legacy

Mtambo notes that this presentation allows her to honor her grandmother's legacy while creating a space where audiences can reconnect with their own memories, faith, and the people who spiritually nurtured them. The show also marks her return to gospel music and serves as a preview of her forthcoming album, which shares the same title.

After many years of support from fans who wished for Mtambo to return to the music that first introduced them to her powerful voice, 'Amahubo Ka Gogo' answers this call, blending familiar hymns with African musical influences, fresh arrangements, and a narrative reflecting her own life journey.

Performance and Tour

Audiences can expect an evening filled with live music, beloved hymns, and moments that prompt reflection and celebration. The production promises impressive vocal performances backed by a live band, creating an experience that honors South Africa's rich musical and spiritual heritage. Previously, Mtambo won the hearts of many South Africans performing with Joyous Celebration, where her voice became one of the group's defining characteristics.

She later built a successful solo career, releasing songs such as 'Ungenzela Konke Okuhle', 'Ixesha Lami', 'Themba Njalo', 'I Love You', and 'Mhlaba Wethu'. Following the Johannesburg debut, 'Amahubo Ka Gogo' will travel to Durban, where it will be presented at the Playhouse Company Opera Theatre on August 15.

Various artifacts were discovered during excavations of a Roman tomb in the city of Antalya, among which was a magot skull. These findings were made by Turkish scientists who described the monkey skull that had been found back in 2010.

Conclusions about the remains

Researchers concluded that a resident of ancient Attalia was buried with a macaque between the end of the 2nd and beginning of the 3rd century AD. It is assumed that this was a young magot that may have arrived in Asia Minor from North Africa. This information is presented in a publication in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology.

Historical context of Antalya

The site of the modern Turkish resort city of Antalya was an Hellenistic and Roman settlement called Attalia. The city was named after the Pergamene king Attalus II, who founded it in the mid-2nd century BC. Between 2008 and 2010, archaeologists conducted research in the extensive necropolis of this ancient city, discovering a total of 840 different burials, including burial chambers, stone boxes (cists), and hamosoria, which are tombs carved into the rock.

Contents of Tomb M267

One of the studied tombs, designated as M267, was originally built in the Hellenistic period and later reused for burials in Roman times, presumably in the late 2nd – early 3rd century AD. The burial chamber contained the remains of 22 people, as well as household items such as fragments of an unguentarium (small vessel), an oolpe (pitcher), and a bronze strigil (scythe-shaped skin scraper), along with many animal bones, including a complete dog skeleton and a skull that became the subject of scientific analysis.

Description of the monkey skull

The study of the almost complete monkey skull with preserved teeth was conducted by Ahmet Ihsan Aytekin and Alper Ener Yavuz from Mehmet Akif Ersoy University in Burdur. This find, kept at the educational institution, was significantly deformed, likely due to pressure from the deposits in which it lay for about two millennia. Analysis showed no signs of pathologies or artificial alterations on the skull.

Primate identification

Scientists determined that the remains belonged to a young animal that lived for approximately 20–24 months. Although researchers could not definitively determine the sex, a male is the most probable. The skull was identified as a representative of the genus Macaca (Macaca sp.), with the magot (M. sylvanus) being the most likely candidate, although the possibility of it being a rhesus macaque (M. mulatta) cannot be entirely ruled out.

Origin hypotheses

Researchers hypothesized that the magot might have come to Asia Minor from North Africa. This is consistent with the fact that Attalia and other cities in Anatolia had trade links with the provinces of North Africa, evidenced by amphorae found at archaeological sites. Scientists believe that this domesticated monkey could have been a pet of a wealthy resident of Attalia, whom it may have been buried with. Nevertheless, other versions remain open for consideration. It should be noted that previously, remains of non-human primates had not been found in ancient burials in modern Turkey, except for some little-known finds from a Byzantine monument.

Pop star Dua Lipa has expressed her support for the 'Flamingo Revolution' movement in Albania, which is protesting a large-scale project associated with the Trump family planned for one of the country's most ecologically vulnerable areas.

Support for the Protest Movement

The British singer, who has Albanian heritage, called the movement 'inspiring' during a conversation with Albanian academic and author Lea Ypi for the Service95 book club podcast. Lipa noted that she greatly admires how much people care about the situation, especially during the sixth week of demonstrations.

Reasons for Protests and the Project

Her involvement has once again drawn global attention to the movement, which the Albanian government has found difficult to ignore or stop, as protests have been ongoing for forty-six days. The protests arose due to plans to build luxury properties on the island of Sazan and the Zvernec peninsula, located near the protected Vjosa-Narta landscape. Jared Kushner's investment firm, Affinity Partners, the son-in-law of Trump, heads this $1.6 billion project, which includes plans to construct around 10,000 rooms along most of the undeveloped Adriatic coast.

Environmental and Political Aspects

These wetlands are a habitat for flamingos, seals, sea turtles, and migratory birds. The government of Prime Minister Edi Rama paved the way for this construction after parliament amended Albania's protected area legislation in 2024, weakening restrictions on construction in areas of high ecological sensitivity. Furthermore, the government granted the developer the status of a strategic investor, ensuring access to expedited approval procedures.

Lipa's Concerns and Official Reaction

Lipa highlighted the lack of transparency in this process, stating: 'What really worries me is the principle that the government can simply change the law to remove environmental protection without any public discussion.' Rama described the investment as a 'gift to Europe' and a 'blessing,' refusing to halt the project despite weeks of demonstrations. He previously stated: 'There is absolutely no possibility that the investments will stop while I am here.'