Cape Town - Blind busker Lunga Goodman Nono is playing to some of the biggest audiences of his life.
And some in the crowd who have visited him this week on the corner of St George’s Mall and Shortmarket Street in the city centre have opened their hearts and wallets to him.
Nono, who has been busking in the city centre since 2008, came to prominence on Monday when a group of City of Cape Town law enforcement officers forcefully removed him from the corner for allegedly contravening city by-laws by performing for longer than his permit allowed.
His guitar was smashed to pieces.
His story has made headlines across the country and the Cape Argus has been inundated with telephone calls from readers either wishing to give Nono money or to replace his guitar. Musician Tony Cox gave Nono a guitar earlier this week, and on Wednesday at least 200 people converged on the corner where Nono busks and held a concert in his honour.
And on Thursday, UCT student Aviwe Mncwabe, 18, donated R1 000 towards Nono’s 10-year-old daughter Portia’s education. After the ordeal, mayor Patricia de Lille said the city would review its busking policy.
Since the incident, Nono has spoken to his twin brother, Lungiswa Goodwell Nono, whom he hasn’t had contact with in more than a decade.
“I feel better now that we made contact again. He has been on my mind for some time,” said Nono.
He lost contact with his brother when he moved from Joburg to Cape Town 11 years ago. “The last time I saw him was at our mother’s funeral. I lost my phone after that and we lost all contact,” he said.
Lungiswa, who still lives in Joburg, had read about his brother’s ordeal in a newspaper and contacted the City of Cape Town, which put him in touch with his brother. The twin brothers have spoken over the telephone and are planning a reunion in December.
Nono’s lawyer, Aadil Kirsten, of Kirsten Attorneys, said although the officers forcefully removed Nono for contravening city by-laws he was not charged with anything. His wife Abigail was fined R1 500 for disobeying an instruction from an officer.
Cape Argus