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Kovsie student Moeketsi Ngesemane making his mark through Sesotho music

15 December 2021 | Story Nondsindiso Qwabe | Photo Supplied

Bachelor of Education third-year student, Moeketsi ‘Escalator’ Ngesemane.

By day he is a third-year Bachelor of Education student on the Qwaqwa Campus, but this young man is a Sesotho music maestro with a deep-rooted passion for traditional music and a diligent devotion to unearthing new talent and connecting more people to the cultural artistry that Sesotho music has to offer.

Moeketsi Ngesemane, better known as ‘Escalator’ in the world of music, is only 22 years old, but he has already released one solo album and featured in two more, leads a group of more than 80 traditional singers and dancers, and is responsible for a string of groups around Qwaqwa. He has made strides far beyond his age, and Ngesemane says he is only getting started. He was also instrumental in coordinating the Qwaqwa traditional groups that performed during this year’s Multilingual Mokete festival, where he also featured.

Born and bred in Qwaqwa, Ngesemane pins his love for traditional music as something that was cultivated in his childhood while singing traditional songs with his mother and brother. “My mother is a traditional healer, so Sesotho music was a big part of my upbringing. As I grew older, my brother and I would perform in town and people would give us money. I have not looked back since.”

He cemented himself as an artist and artist manager in his first year in 2009. The name ‘Escalator’ came about in an uncanny way, as he fondly recalls. “I had a friend who was afraid of escalators when he first saw it – but I wasn’t, so he named me ‘Escalator’. I hated the name until I personalised the meaning behind it. It is able to take people from one point to another and from one level to another, which is something I am passionate about doing through traditional music, so the name was fitting.”

He captivated the minds and hearts of both young and old people who want to be under his leadership, and he grooms young people as young as ten, who will also thrive and take traditional praise singing and dancing to greater heights. This, he says, helps him alleviate some responsibilities so that he can focus on his schoolwork.

Celebrating the Sesotho culture through music

Word about his music skill often spreads quickly. “Even when I am on teaching practicals at different schools, once learners find out what I do, they ask to join my group and I can’t say no. Their ages range from 7 to 21, and I know that my group will have more than 100 members before the year ends,” he said.

He often puts together music shows with his group around Qwaqwa. This, he says, he does to promote Sesotho music and art.

Ngesemane has been selected to represent the Basotho Kingdom at the Indoni Mr and Miss Cultural South Africa – an indigenous event focused on promoting South Africa’s diverse cultural heritage, taking place at the Durban ICC on 17 December. He describes this as a dream come true.

“It’s a great honour to be representing the Basotho culture. I have discovered that young people, especially, have neglected their cultural roots and often look down on traditional music and regalia. I’ve made it my personal aim to promote and uphold the Sesotho culture through praise singing and dancing.”

You can vote for Ngesemane by SMS’ing ‘Indoni Mr Sotho’ to 33616.

News Archive

Kovsies raise their voices to say no to racism – and yes to equality

2015-03-13

SRC President, Mosa Leteane
Photo: Hannes Pieterse

Launch of the No-to-Racism/Yes-to-Equality Campaign : Video

In support of National Human Rights Month, the UFS has launched the No-to-Racism/Yes-to-Equality Campaign. Through this campaign, the entire UFS community reaffirms its commitment to equality, respect, democracy, social justice, humanity, dignity, human rights, and diversity.

The first leg of the campaign, No-to-Racism, was launched at the Qwaqwa, Bloemfontein and South Campuses during the past month. “Look in the mirror tonight and have a discussion with yourself,” Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, said during the launch at the Bloemfontein Campus. “Ask yourself to what extent can I truly say, ‘I am dealing with my racism, my bigotry, my ethnicism, my homophobia, my xenophobia? Am I truly dealing with those in my life?’”

Through the No-to-Racism Campaign, staff and students are encouraged to take a public stand against not only racism, but also homophobia, sexism, ableism, xenophobia, classism, ethnicism, ageism, and all forms of intolerance and othering.

The start of No-to-Racism will closely be followed by the Yes-to-Equality Campaign, which will be launched on 1 April 2015.

SRC President, Mosa Leteane, urged the Kovsie community to make South Africa work. “We say ‘no’ because we want to say ‘yes’. Fix your ‘no’ so that your ‘yes’ is clear, it’s equal, it’s honest. That is what ‘yes’ looks like.”

The campaign is also aligned with the declaration made by the UFS Council in November 2014 in which it was stated that “the Council of the University of the Free State believes very strongly in the human dignity, equality, and freedom of all people. Accordingly, the Council reaffirms its abhorrence of acts of racism, sexism, and unfair discrimination of any kind or in any form”.
The No-to Racism/Yes-to-Equality Campaign is an initiative of the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice, together with the SRC.

Important dates:
1 April 2015: Launch of Yes-to-Equality Campaign on the Qwaqwa and Bloemfontein Campuses
13 April 2015: Pledge of the UFS community at 12:45 on the Red Square, Bloemfontein Campus

For more information or enquiries contact news@ufs.ac.za.

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