Umavela

Umavela is an operetta written by Dan Twala that was staged at the Inchcape Hall in Polly Street in Johannesburg in March 1949. It tells the story of a young man who leaves his rural home in Zululand to seek his fortune in the big city and earn enough to pay lobola for his girlfriend. Naturally, the obstacles along the way are overcome and there is a happy ending. Basically, the story is similar to that of Donald Swanson’s film Jim Comes to Jo'burg, which was released later that year. The critic of the Rand Daily Mail relates that Swanson was in the audience and told him that Twala had played in important role in the making of the film. Amongst those who appeared in the stage production were Lazarus Zwane, Betty Mphepheto, Peggy Phango and James Sabe.

Sources

Rand Daily Mail, 21 March 1949

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