While the entrepreneurial spirit of Joburg burns brightly on nearly every pavement and street corner, it is most prominent at our traffic lights. Intersections are our public squares, where a variety of attractions are offered to waiting motorists. There are the pantsula dancers of Rosebank, the bead artists of Parktown, the fruit sellers of Melville, the singers and street photographers of Maboneng, and performers with uncanny "floating heads" on Winnie Mandela Drive. There are roadside artists, flower traders, booksellers, and human statues – and all of them are a testament to Joburg's unique creative spirit.
Photo: Imbumba Dance Crew.
While many of us hate our (often malfunctioning) traffic lights, these intersections have become spaces where communication gaps are bridged and worlds are brought together in unexpected ways. Despite the stark inequalities across the city – or perhaps because of them – our traffic intersections often create a sense of possibility for bridging divides, and positive social encounters.
One such place is the corner of Bolton and Oxford roads in Rosebank. Here, you can find the Imbumba Dance Crew as they entertain passing motorists with their bold acrobatics. Consisting of Sboniso Prince Motaung, Sphiwe Clopas Gumede, Scelo Neliswa Khumalo, and Sphamandla Arronnie Mteyi, "imbumba" means unity. They chose this name because it is simultaneously representative of their heritage and has a positive meaning.
Imbumba is no ordinary dance crew. Anyone who has seen them perform at their regular spot in Rosebank knows that their death-defying acrobatics have had many a motorist anxiously hold their breath as they watch the guys effortlessly toss each other up in the air. Backflips, somersaults, and vaulting over each other’s heads are part of their regular routine – and not even the hard and unforgiving tarmac of the intersection can discourage them from bringing their all to these public performances. They also use these performances as opportunities to spread the word about their talents by handing out pamphlets to passing motorists.
The members of Imbumba met in 2015 and started their own group in 2017. Since then, they have performed in several competitions and shows, and they have represented companies such BOS Ice Tea and Andiccio24. While they are steadily building a reputation for themselves, they dream of making their passion for dance a commercially viable enterprise. They love entertaining people, and one of their goals is to be an opening act for other big names in the entertainment industry (their favourites being TOSS, Pabi Cooper, and LeeMckrazy). They also hope to open their own school one day, where they can teach both young and old various dance styles, including kofifi and pata pata.
According to Aviva Rabinowitz, founder of Yes I Can! (an organisation whose mission is to empower post matriculants and young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds with the opportunity of obtaining a market-related qualification or skill), the Imbumba crew is "energetic, talented, inspiring", and all-around "awesome".
Rabinowitz first started working with Imbumba in 2022 when she saw them dancing at their usual spot on Bolton Road. She instantly knew that she wanted to be part of their journey, and she has been managing them ever since. In addition to Imbumba, Rabinowitz and Yes I Can! have brought hope to many other young people wishing to empower themselves and develop their skills: it is their mission to help "create a better South Africa where people will be empowered, employed, or self-employed".
According to the guys of Imbumba, a successful dance crew finds its strength in good leadership and communication. "I want to be a mirror in my community by doing the right thing," says Motaung. "We want to inspire people in our community through art." It is this vision of leadership that drives them to maintain – and continually increase – their involvement with their local community. In addition to being a commercial success, Imbumba also strives to be an example for young people in Joburg to show them that it is possible to do something meaningful with your life, no matter where you come from. They want to prove that art – in all its forms – is worthy of being taken seriously because it can bring out the best in people.
What does Joburg mean to them? Based in Alexandra, the city's most historic township, they always look towards neighbouring Sandton, often called the richest square mile in Africa, as an example of what is possible. Despite the stark inequality that exists between these areas in the city, being that close to their dream life is like seeing their future unfold in real life. "Joburg is a place of opportunity that has inspired us to get ahead," they say. Furthermore, the city has taught them the meaning of hard work and how to think outside the box, and it constantly motivates them to strive for more.
The members of the group eat, train, and live together as a family. In their "clubhouse", they are the embodiment of the creative spirit of Joburg, and what kind of potential that something as simple as a traffic light can have for people living here.
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