'Ka Lebitso La Moya' confronts faith, power and corruption in Johannesburg township

The City of Joburg’s Arts Alive has partnered with “Ka Lebitso La Moya”, an award-winning play written and directed by 2024 Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year for Theatre, Momo Matsunyane.

The play will run from October 16 to 26, 2025, at the Ramolao Makhene Theatre, The Market Theatre Square, forming part of this year’s Arts Alive Assemblage of Artistic Offerings.

Arts Alive is CoJ’s premium artistic and cultural showcase across the performing and visual arts, design, crafts and critical industry conversations.

“MoMo Matsunyane has distinguished herself as a leading creative mind in our city’s cultural landscape. Her talent, passion and professional evolution has contributed immensely to the City’s cultural capital.  In giving a platform to this production, we are also curing an anomaly of a SBYA Award winner for theatre not performing within Joburg,” states Vuyisile Mshudulu, director: Arts, Culture and Heritage at the City of Joburg.

“Ka Lebitso La Moya” won six awards at the 2025 Naledi Theatre Awards: Best Production of a Play, Best Director of a Play, Best Male Lead Performance, Best Female lead Performance, Best original score/arrangements/soundscape as well as Best Actor in a Play.

Bringing the story to life is a stellar cast made up of Josias ‘Dos’ Moleele, Siyasanga Papu, Sibusiso ‘Black’ Madondo, Khutjo Green, Zevangeli ‘Zevie’ Mampofu and Chrisophocus Seboka, joined on stage by pianist Tshepo Dean.

With gripping chemistry and artistry, the cast pulls us into an all-too-familiar world in a Godforsaken township known as Ha Satane, where residents live under evil conditions.

Possessed by the Unholy Trinity of poverty, unemployment and crime, the masses grow restless against the government of the day, mobilising for militant action. This is until the arrival of a self-ordained messiah who casts their spirit of rebellion out and pacifies them with the prosperity gospel.

Hidden under the man of God’s irresistible charm and charismatic messages is a wolf looking for a blameless lamb to defile. Targeting a devoted girl, he grooms her for his own sexual immorality, exposing the predatory behaviour ever so rife in churches.

Similar to Karl Marx’s famous critique that ‘religion is the opium of the masses’, the play explores how blind faith pacifies the oppressed. Their resistant voices have shifted, and they now that the little they give to the man of God will return to them in good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over…with heartbreaking disappointment. 

Writer-director MoMo Matsunyane shares that being part of the 2025/26 Arts Alive Programme is an exciting opportunity that will allow her to showcase her work to different audiences. “The collaboration with the City of Johannesburg Arts Alive gives much needed longevity to a production I believe ought to be seen in different parts of the country,” she continues, “It will greatly impact the work we do, and help spread the important themes carried by the production. The issues we address with the play’s brilliant cast are what ordinary people deal with daily in townships. They remind us that when our leaders neglect communities, they put the people at risk of being scammed by questionable characters.

“Ka Lebitso La Moya” is produced by Bonono Kreativez, an artistic producing company led by Thandeka Nheke, dedicated to shining a light on voices and narratives that deserve to be seen, heard, and celebrated.

Secure your seat now for a theatrical adventure that confronts, questions, and moves the spirit. Tickets are available at Webtickets – https://www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?itemid=1578303307