The annual e’Bosch Heritage Awards celebrated locals from the greater Stellenbosch who brought a tune to the town and helped establish generations of musicians.
The recipients of the 2026 edition of the awards sought to acknowledge the music teachers, choir masters and those who use music as a means of activism.
The group were from various walks of life but they are driven by a shared responsibility and joint relationship to keep music alive in Stellenbsoch, said Dr Sias Mostert, director of e’Bosch Heritage Project.
e’Bosch was born through a partnership between Stellenbosch University (SU), Stellenbosch Municipality, and the founders who strove to find a few people to retain and celebrate Stellenbosch’s diverse heritage.
Prof Deresh Ramjugernath, SU rector and vice-chancellor, said heritage is not something merely inherited but also is actively preserved. “Music is one of the most powerful carriers of heritage. It can cross boundaries of language, age and background. And perhaps most importantly, it can bring people together who might otherwise have very little in common,” he said.
“The musicians we have honoured tonight have contributed to that living cultural heritage of Stellenbosch,” he said at the awards ceremony on Wednesday 23 September.
Array awarded
In all 10 music awards were handed out. The recipients were Neil Keet, Patrick de Vries, David Taylor, Marthie Hauptfleisch, Mandy Skippers, Rochelle Adams, Heidi Sauls, Kevin and Glynnes Phillips, Wendy-Joy Crowley, and Danell Herbst-Muller.
Keet, the Phillips, Crowely and Sauls are among the local who have established and been at the helm school choirs.
Taylor represented the Johnman Music School at the Johnman Garden Homes Music in the Stellenbosch CBD. The school, established by Dorothy and Charles Johnman in 1996, has helped to teach various musicians and provided performance opportunities for nearly 200 since the Covid pandemic.
Hauptfleisch, a longtime e’Bosch collaborator, received her award in part for her use of music as education tool and her activism. The nurse recently launch the first of her songs which aims to encourage young people priorities their sexual health.
Leaders step up
Along with the music makers the night also celebrated the group of participants who completed the e’Bosch leadership programme, which was facilitated by SU.
“Leadership is not confined to position, title or public visability. Of course, we have more expectations of the people in official positions. I’m grateful to say that while Stellenbosch has fantastic leadership positions, every one of us has something that our heart is crying about. And what our heart cries about is the one area where you can take action,” Mostert said.
“That is what this Community Leadership Training course is all about, how to see, recognise what your heart is crying about, how to make the plan, how to imagine what is the miracle of what is needs to happen and end, but through hope, mobilise your compatriots to actually work together and with resilience to get to the end.
“So we look forward to handing over these Community Leadership Certificates and we look forward to seeing what projects you are taking on.”
Stellenbosch mayor Jeremy Fasser encouraged all attendees to continue honouring and preserving their heritage in big and small ways. “[Heritage] is about the stories our grandparents told us. It is about the languages we speak, the food we save, the traditions we preserve, the songs we sing and the memory that connects generations,” he said.
“In a place like Stellenbosch, with its complex and diverse history, celebrating heritage must also mean creating opportunities for different communities to see themselves and each other as part of one shared story.”
