Students representing various institutions converged at the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) Fred Crookes Sport Centre, yesterday,  to share their musical voices in the annual South African Tertiary Institution’s Choral Association (SATICA)  six-day choral competition.

The hall was filled to capacity with the excited musical maestros, each one hoping to make their institution proud on day one of the event. 14 Institutions of Higher Learning choirs are sharing the stage to showcase their musical talent in a form of competition and friendly concert at the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) Fred Crookes Sport Centre from Tuesday, 04 July 2017 to Sunday, 09 July 2017.

South African Tertiary Institution’s Choral Association (SATICA) is a non-profit organisation for creating a platform for institutions choirs to share and showcases their musical talent in a form of a competition and friendship concert. Every year the choir competitions are held in different institutions around the country.  The main programme of SATICA is its annual Eisteddfod boosting with a participation of about 2500 youths.

Welcoming the students to the event was the President of SATICA, Mzubansi Nkitha, who first thanked all the sponsors for always supporting their non-profit organisation. He also added that the choir competition was a means to acknowledge student development not just musically but academically and holistically as well.

“We need to ask what is the purpose of the University and are we playing the role of academics to save our country? So, as the youth of this country we need to revisit the purpose of being at universities and take it very seriously,” he said.

Hosted by DUT, the week-long event  encourages nation building through cohesion in the creative industry through the SATICA Eisteddfod 2017, aiming to promote, nurture and preserve new talent of young people as a catalyst to their own personal development and so their service to the nation. 

Institutions that are part of SATICA 2017 Eisteddfod are the Durban University of Technology, University of Fort Hare, Mangosuthu University of Technology, University of Limpopo, University of Venda, Walter Sisulu University, University of Johannesburg, Vhembe TVET College, Motheo TVET College, Sole Plaatjie University, Sefakgo Makgatho University, Tshwane University of Technology, North West University and Umfolozi TVET College.

The musical exchange event will culminate with a prize-giving ceremony for the best choral and orchestral performances on Sunday, 09 July 2017.

Pictured: President of SATICA, Mzubansi Nkitha, welcoming the students to the annual event. 

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SATICA Day 1

SATICA Day 2

SATICA Day 3

SATICA finales: Sunday, 09 July 2017