From Masi to the V&A Waterfront

A BOY from Masiphumelele, who had never visited the city centre and the V&A Waterfront, arrived alone but left with hope, joy and the “Busker of the Day” crown.

Milisa Ndlebe, 12, travelled from the informal settlement near Fish Hoek to the Waterfront yesterday to join the Young Entrepreneurs Pocket Money Market in a Youth Day celebration.

Milisa was accompanied by event organiser, Linda Wilson, as his mother recently had a baby and could not attend, but his dad was able to join him later.

Milisa, a Grade 6 pupil at Ukhanyo Primary in Masiphumelele, began playing the violin when he was 10, trained by a volunteer teacher, who offers free music lessons to pupils at his school.

His interest in music started when his cousin, Anelisa Mahlangulu, won a scholarship to study opera at a Wynberg school.

“We get our love for music from our grandmother and she was the first person we called when I won,” beamed Milisa. He said he initially wanted to become a doctor but now wants to focus all his energy on his violin.

He plans to use his R100 in earnings to buy a new tuner but will have to save just a little more as a tuner sells for R150 to R200.

Milisa Ndlebe