Manenberg youth band toots tributes to golden oldies at funerals

Abdul Bassit Gaffoor and Oswald Moses

Abdul Bassit Gaffoor and Oswald Moses

Published Jun 17, 2021

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A GROUP of four musically gifted young men from Manenberg are using their talent to give back in a unique way that sees them pay tribute to older community members who have passed on.

Volunteering their time to play brass instruments like the trumpet and trombone at funerals, they are able to contribute to a special send-off by escorting the hearse down the street out of the community as the departed heads for the grave.

To date, Keagan Adams, 23, Abdul Bassit Gaffoor, 24, Oswald Moses, 29, and Rudy Jacobs, 29, have played over 200 funerals over the last five years. They also play at community events across the Cape Flats, wherever their talents are requested, from Delft, Nyanga to Mitchell’s Plain and Kuils River.

“I love music, it is literally everything to me and to share that with others is a blessing. My friends and I played for the minstrel troops for years and then we also learned to play gospel music. One day someone asked if we could play at a funeral and we thought why not, this is something good, a nice way of honouring the ones we love and lost. Since then we have been asked frequently by people we know and don't know,” said Moses.

Their community is often associated with gangsterism and crime, hence their mentor Lionel van Rensburg said it was important to showcase the rich talent that too exists.

“These guys don’t have much, they come out of poor homes but they are so talented, it is beautiful that they also try to give back. I encourage them and help with transport and loaning instruments because I believe in them and I want as many people in this country as possible to see the talent that can come from Manenberg,” he said.

The group is requesting assistance to buy their own instruments and uniforms.

Anyone who would like to assist can contact Van Rensburg on 082 267 0531.

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