In a heartwarming collaboration that celebrates the richness and heart of isiXhosa culture, jazz, storytelling and a culinary experience, Umhlobo Wenene FM’s much-loved presenter and internationally acclaimed artist Dumza Maswana is teaming up with popular culinary and lifestyle influencer Asisipho Burwana for a deeply immersive experience titled Eziko noNcuthu loMculo weJazz on Sunday, 27 July 2025 at Nia on 31 in Cape Town from 13:00.
This infused experience is a powerful extension of Dumza Maswana’s popular Sunday show on Umhlobo Wenene FM, Uncuthu loMculo weJazz, which broadcasts from 13:00 – 15:00, where he curates thoughtful jazz content. Maswana also has a feature on the station from Monday to Thursday at 22:00, where he reads isiXhosa literature with the reverence of a cultural custodian, entitled Ufundo Lwencwadi. While Eziko is a standalone experience produced by Dumza in his personal capacity as an artist, these three entities naturally fused what he lives organically on air — offering jazz not just as music, but as a vessel for language, institutional memory, spirituality, and heritage.
In this event, Dumza brings together live jazz performances during and after broadcast, intimate isiXhosa-guided conversations with elders, and storytelling that bridges rural homesteads and modern stages. This is a return not to a location, but to identity – as Dumza puts it: “We’re going home – not to a place, but to ourselves.”
Joining him is Asisipho Burwana, a social media influencer in the food and digital content space, who brings flavour and storytelling into harmony through recipes inspired by his Eastern Cape upbringing. Known for using food as a narrative device, Asisipho will curate the menu and co-host the experience, adding a culinary layer to the ancestral jazz journey.
“This collaboration is about creating a space where culture, music, and food meet in a way that feels authentic and elevated — but always grounded in who Umhlobo Wenene FM and its listeners are,” says Cwy Mandindi, Marketing Manager at Umhlobo Wenene FM.
“Jazz and amaXhosa have long shared a deep connection, especially in the context of Cape Town’s cultural history. I often think back to the early ’90s and the SABC 1 series Living in the Blues — a show that portrayed a refined yet culturally anchored community. That memory has stayed with me and, in many ways, reflects the spirit we see in Dumza’s show. Uncuthu loMculo weJazz feels like a conversation between generations over a Sunday or Christmas meal — it’s familiar, warm, and culturally rich. Umhlobo Wenene FM’s involvement is a natural extension of our commitment to celebrating local talent, preserving culture, and telling stories that truly resonate with our audience” concludes Mandindi.
Bongi Sikelo 