A single closing anthem will bring 326 learners together at Curro Wilgeheuwel High School on Wednesday, 23 September, as the Ke Nako! Festival of Voices returns for its second edition.

The festival will run from 18:00 to 20:00 at the school in Vintage Street, Wilgeheuwel, Roodepoort. Learners from 12 Curro schools across Gauteng will perform South African songs shaped by their own voices and experiences.

This year’s theme, Intsha Inamandla, celebrates the potential of young people during Heritage Month.

A wider stage for young voices

The 2026 edition is led by Lisa Dowds, Executive Head of Curro Wilgeheuwel, who has taken forward a vision first set in motion by her predecessor, ie ‘voices flowing like streams and joining to form a river’.

This year, the festival moves outdoors and opens the experience to a wider audience. The format also gives each school two performance opportunities, with a mix of traditional and contemporary South African songs chosen to speak to identity and hope.

‘It’s about opening the doors wider,’ says Lisa. ‘We’ve moved outdoors, which brings a completely different energy. Families can come along, relax and experience something that feels distinctly South African. This year, each school will perform twice, giving every learner more space to be heard and celebrated, with a mix of traditional and contemporary South African songs chosen to reflect identity, resilience and hope.’

Expression before competition

Ke Nako! Festival of Voices is designed around expression rather than adjudication. The performances focus on learners sharing their experiences through music, with less emphasis on the formal precision associated with competitive choir events.

That gives the festival its character. Traditional sounds will sit alongside contemporary voices, bringing together different communities and languages from across Gauteng.

The evening will build towards its shared closing anthem, when all 326 learners perform together. For a Heritage Month event, that final moment gives the theme a clear shape.

Event details

Ke Nako! Festival of Voices takes place on 23 September from 18:00 to 20:00 at Curro Wilgeheuwel High School, Vintage Street, Wilgeheuwel, Roodepoort, 1724.

‘We want people to leave inspired, and we want them to leave with hope,’ says Lisa. ‘We want every young person on that stage to feel proud to be South African, and for our audiences to walk away having experienced the true culture, diversity, vibrancy, energy and strength that our young people carry.’

Tickets are available via Quicket.