Johannesburg’s most anticipated creative festival, Constitution Hill’s Basha Uhuru Freedom Festival, is back. This year, the festival doubles down with exciting new programme partners as part of Youth Month commemorations. Celebrating its 14th anniversary from 24 to 27 June, the Basha Uhuru Freedom Festival is a signature legacy event honouring the young people who fought for freedom and justice in South Africa and lost their lives during the June 16 youth uprising. This year’s theme, “Commemorating 50 Years of Youth Activism and Creative Freedom”, has inspired a programme specifically curated to engage young people throughout June.
The festival offers opportunities to learn and be inspired, share skills, nurture talent, network, collaborate, create and monetise, while driving important conversations affecting the creative sector.
“Basha Uhuru is more than a festival. It is a celebration of the power, resilience and imagination of South Africa’s youth. We are thrilled to see thousands of young people gather at Constitution Hill to commemorate 50 years of youth activism and creative freedom through music, art, film, entrepreneurship and dialogue. Events like these are vital because they provide platforms for young people to express themselves, develop their talents and contribute to Gauteng’s growing creative economy. We look forward to another inspiring and impactful edition of Basha Uhuru.”
– Vuyiswa Ramakgopa, MEC for Gauteng Economic Development, Agriculture and Rural Development
Basha Uhuru is known for its creative conference programme, which begins on 24 June and precedes the Sounds of Freedom Concert and one-day music festival. The event attracts music lovers, young people, changemakers and creative industry leaders from across Gauteng.
The annual music festival, hosted at Constitution Hill’s newest venue, The People’s Park, opens at 10:00. Visitors are invited to spend the day supporting emerging artists, exploring the Creative Youth Expo, engaging with designers at the Curated Market, visiting museum exhibits and connecting with South Africa’s liberation heritage through creative culture.
The Basha Uhuru Legacy Award was created to recognise and celebrate South African artists who have advanced creative freedom through music. Previous recipients include Mandla Spikiri, Thebe, Alaska and 2025 awardees Boom Shaka.
Festival-goers can look forward to performances by Nasty C, Zee Nxumalo, DJ Tira, Bucie, DJ Cleo, Skwatta Kamp, Lia Butler, OSMIC, HitBossSA, Atmos Blaq, Maline Aura, Lochive and other rising local talent.
Basha Uhuru will also unveil a special mural honouring celebrated designer, publicist and creative icon Maria McCloy. Maria shared a longstanding relationship with Constitution Hill and played a key role in championing the festival’s publicity efforts. She also performed on the Basha stage for the first time in 2025.
The mural has been designed by acclaimed South African artist Lazi Mathebula and will be installed alongside the mural of the late music legend Hugh Masekela on the public-facing mural wall along Joubert Street at Constitution Hill.
“Our partnership with the Basha Uhuru Festival reflects Joburg Tourism’s commitment to leveraging culture, heritage and creativity as powerful drivers of economic growth and destination promotion. As we commemorate 50 years since the 1976 Soweto Uprising, we are equally focused on the future, supporting youth-led innovation, strengthening SMMEs and showcasing Johannesburg as Africa’s leading hub for both business and leisure tourism.”
– Belu Mabandla, Executive Head: Destination Marketing & Events, Joburg Tourism Company
“Basha Uhuru’s Creative Uprising programme delivers capacity-building initiatives that unlock potential and empower youth through the Creative Conference. The conference brings thought-provoking dialogues, masterclasses and design workshops to its audience while creating opportunities for knowledge sharing.
The event and concert create market access opportunities for MSMEs through the Gauteng Curated Makers Market and generate approximately 150 gig-work opportunities for local artists, production crews and content creators. The Creative Conference Programme will also accommodate approximately 600 young people during the three-day event.”
– Reuben Pasha, Education, Heritage and Public Programmes Manager, Constitution Hill
What’s on the Programme?
Visit www.bashauhuru.co.za to register.
24 & 25 June: Closed Sessions
The Youth Summit
Presented by WeThePeopleSA and Chapter 9 Institutions
Under the theme “Constitutionalism in Action: Youth Shaping the Next 30 Years”, the summit seeks to reposition young people not simply as beneficiaries of democracy, but as active custodians, participants and builders of South Africa’s constitutional future.
Thirty-two years into democracy, South Africa faces a critical paradox. Young people inherit one of the world’s most progressive constitutions while continuing to experience inequality, unemployment and democratic disillusionment.
As the country approaches 30 years of the Constitution and marks the 50th anniversary of the 1976 uprising, the summit aims to honour that legacy while empowering young people to transform systemic frustration into practical civic action.
Today’s youth continue organising, mobilising and driving change across climate justice, education, gender equity, community activism and entrepreneurship. The summit seeks to bridge historical memory and constitutional values to build a socially cohesive and prosperous South Africa.
25 June 2026
Basha Uhuru Visions of Freedom Film Festival
17:30 – 21:00 | Free Attendance
The festival showcases a range of short and feature films produced by local filmmakers.
| Film | Director | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Mathonga Elizwe (36 mins) | Tsogo Kupa | Ongoing struggles around land justice |
| Ekstasis (35 mins) | Emilie Badenhorst & Kanya Viljoen | The complexities of intimacy and selfhood |
| Blind Spots (10 mins) | Miselwa Ngamlana | Queer representation and intimacy |
| Ubani Lore (5 mins) | Nqanawe Shange | National pride, cultural expression and pop culture legacies |
| What Did You Dream? (10 mins) | Karabo Lediga | Family, connection and the women who sustained communities |
| Sam Nzima: A Journey Through His Lens (74 mins) | Nhlanhla Mthethwa | Historical truth and legacy |
| Sipho’s Pink Dress (3 mins) | Tshego Magolego | Identity, belonging and self-expression |
26 June 2026
Back to the Future: Remembering Freedom in 2026
Presented by Iqhawe Magazine
10:00 – 17:00 | Free Attendance
A full-day conference exploring topics such as:
- The Women Who Opened the Door – An intergenerational conversation reflecting on 70 years since the Women’s March.
- The Youth Who Refused Silence – A youth assembly exploring what must change over the next 30 years.
- Reflections on the spirit of 1976 and how youth resistance manifests today through digital activism, independent publishing and cultural organising.
Music Masterclass
Presented by Groove Academy
10:00 – 17:00 | Free Attendance
The Music Masterclass connects artists directly with industry organisations including:
- SAMPRA
- SAMRO
- CAPASSO
- RISA
- Non Club Record Bar
- Royalty Mate
- Radio 101
Attendees will learn about royalties, registration, music distribution, rights management and getting their music heard and monetised.
Theatre: 50 Years On: Aluta Must No Continua
By Masingita Masunga
18:00 – 19:00 | Women’s Jail
Inspired by George Twala’s story, the production challenges the repeated chant “Aluta Continua”, reframing it as a warning rather than a victory slogan.
The play asks a powerful question:
If the struggle has become a permanent condition, did we win, or did we inherit unfinished freedom?
Words of Freedom Poetry Showcase
Presented by WordUP Sessions
19:00 – 22:00 | Women’s Jail
Free Attendance
Curated by Sabelo Soko, this powerful showcase features:
- Mak Manaka
- Xabiso Vili
- Modise Sekgothe
- Solly Ramatswi
- Torsten Rybka
- Tshepo Molefe
- Zama Madinana
The evening explores poetry as a tool for social dialogue, identity, healing and transformation.
27 June 2026
Sounds of Freedom Music Festival
10:00 – 02:00
Patrons are invited to enjoy art exhibitions, the makers market and creative expo while indulging in food, music and fashion.
The lineup includes:
- Nasty C
- Zee Nxumalo
- DJ Tira
- Bucie
- DJ Cleo
- Skwatta Kamp
- Lia Butler
- OSMIC
- HitBossSA
- Atmos Blaq
- Maline Aura
- Lochive
- Emerging local talent
Stay Connected
Facebook: Constitution Hill (South Africa)
Instagram: @Constitution_Hill
X: @VisitConHill
Website: www.bashauhuru.co.za
For Additional Editors’ Information
The Creative Uprising
Basha Uhuru festivals serve several important functions:
- Bringing together Constitution Hill’s Creative Uprising Hub to profile, support and celebrate the creative sector.
- Positioning Constitution Hill at the centre of urban culture inspired by music, art and creativity.
- Supporting creatives through an ongoing programme launched in 2020.
- Providing members with access to studio space, business support, education, networking and market opportunities.
- Offering seminars, masterclasses, dialogues and capacity-building programmes throughout the year.
- Prioritising creative enrichment and development over commercial outcomes, maximising impact rather than profit.
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