South Africa celebrates the country’s heritage in September and the Playhouse Company will present its third International Traditional Arts Festival (ITAF), founded by the Playhouse Company Managing Artistic Director Linda Bukhosini in 2004.

The first two components of the Traditional Arts Festival take place during mid September 2006 at the Playhouse in Durban, with its third component following in the Durban City Hall in November.

ITAF’s programme this year opens with the annual Traditional Zulu Dance Competition, to be held in the Playhouse Company’s main Opera theatre on September 16 from 09h00. This programme comprises four categories, iSishameni, iNdlamu, iNgoma and iSigekle, the latter a newly introduced category focusing on women.

Competing groups are drawn from three regions of the province, the north and south coast regions of KwaZulu-Natal as well as from inland. Significant cash prizes will on offer. A panel of two adjudicators will preside, and popular media personality “Juba Special” Dlamini will be the event’s programme director. Admission is free.

The festival’s second red-led letter event, a Gala Traditional Performing Arts Concert, takes place on September 23 at 19h00 in the Playhouse Opera. Star attractions here are Afro fusion diva Busi Mhlongo, jazz maestro Madala Kunene, and maskanda superstar, Phuzekhemisi. Book through Computicket.