Rivonia Trialist’s birthday will fund centre for arts
ON SUNDAY, one of only two living Rivonia Trialists, Denis Goldberg, will turn 85 and through his birthday celebrations open a centre for the arts near his home in Hout Bay.
To raise funds for the centre, House of Hope, he will host an event at the Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium in Parow. Yvonne Chaka Chaka, the Tygerberg Children’s Choir, Dizu Plaatjies and many more will perform.
About R6 million is needed to create a space for the impoverished youth in Hout Bay to be provided with music and performing arts lessons, IT and computer skills, life and language skills, and to create jobs.
Goldberg, Nelson Mandela, Govan Mbeki, Walter Sisulu and six other Umkhonto we Sizwe guerrillas were tried from June 1963 to October 1964 in the Pretoria Supreme Court.
Goldberg was the only white person sentenced in the Rivonia Trial and spent 22 years in prison.
He is now battling stage four lung cancer and undergoing treatment.
Speaking to the Cape Times yesterday, Goldberg said: “It’s the culmination of all my life’s work.
“It’s all well having political power, but how do we get young people together to learn each other’s languages in conversation and promote social cohesion?
“Not everyone will be a great artist… but we can help make our young people computer literate. It’s about young people having hope.
“Young people are at risk from criminality, drugs, brutality, dysfunctional families and boredom at weekends and school holidays. The centre aims to fill that gap.”
The South African division of German company Lanxess has joined as a partner for the event, as has the Folkwang University of the Arts in Germany.
Prof Gareth Lubbe, of Folkwang University, said he met Goldberg at an event in 2011, and shortly afterwards invited him and the students from the Kronendal Music Academy of Hout Bay to a festival in East Germany.
“His energy and enthusiasm for the arts and culture after a life of active and tireless struggle has reminded me how much easier it is to go on with our daily lives when we dedicate a sufficient portion of our time to the well-being and happiness of others,” he said.
Tickets are R200 (pensioners and students R120). Advance booking and prepayment are essential.
Bank details: Nedbank; Denis Goldberg Legacy Foundation Trust; a/c no: 1146197411; branch 1667609; ref: name, cellphone, e-mail.
For tickets, send proof of payment to Zena Jacobs, zena@ sun.ac.za or call 072 685 5968.
If you are not able to attend but wish to make a donation to the Denis Goldberg Legacy Foundation, use the same bank details with the message: Happy Birthday Denis.
It’s about hope. Young people are at risk from criminality, drugs, brutality