The Durban University of Technology (DUT) are in ‘musical awe’ of the melodious DUT Midlands Choir and the DUT Durban Choir who were both victorious with their perfected choral synergy at the recent 2026 Lengau Choral Music Association (LECMA) Choral Eisteddfod.
Held in the first week of October 2026, the event hosts annual provincial choral eisteddfods in partnership with the Free State Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation (DSACR) to promote South African choral music and foster social cohesion. DUT Midlands Choir sang their way to victory winning firs position overall in the competition, whilst DUT Durban Choir clinched second position in the same competition.
Chairperson of the DUT Midlands Choir, Sanele Mathe described how ecstatic the chorale was upon hearing the exhilarating news of their win.
“The mood was electric as both choirs burst into a joyous celebration. We were confident that we had done the best that we could do, leaving the rest to the judges,” he happily highlighted.
Emphasising which song was instrumental in securing first place victory, the two choir leaders say the African song, Koze kube nini, which at the end of their preparations was the piece that they had given most of their time to.
The choir leaders related that their rehearsal venues were not as large as the competition venue so the acoustics were a bit of a challenge, however the prowess of both their conductors eliminated any negative effects as they guided the choirs through their renditions.
Preparing for this specific winning repertoire, according to the choir executives, took approximately 30 hours in total, including cross nights and long rehearsals of four hours each at a time during weekends.
“We must thank the SRC for their helping hand in ensuring that the DUT choirs attended the competition and indeed came back victorious,” they relayed.
For the two choirs, their participation intertwines with ENVISION2030 mostly at the levels of stewardship and society. “Furthermore, the values and principles that resonate are those of commitment, excellence, transparency and professionalism – from both the staff and the choristers,” they said.
The leaders spoke of how the conductors emphasised the importance of enjoying the music and putting the competition factor at the back of their minds. “Their confidence in the choirs, carrying themselves like victors already infused us with unimaginable motivation and high levels of energy. For both the choirs, key take aways are that you do not fail to try and that through teamwork and dedication, anything is possible. In terms of our music, we aim to continue and enjoy it,” they shared.
Sharing her sentiments on their second win (after the Bulose Foundation Competition), was DUT Durban Choir Chairperson, Ovayo Dick, who jubilantly indicated that they were overwhelmed and surprised at their achievement.
“The competition was tight, and all the competing choirs were excellent; we did not see it coming. The joy of a chorister is shown through singing. We were happy; some were crying, seeing the pressure and hard work paying off and creating history in such a short space of time. So you can imagine the excitement and joy we were feeling,” he explained.
Ovayo indicated that the chorale was optimistic and motivated by their conductor to enjoy the song more than treating it as a competition.
DUT Registrar, Dr Maditsane Nkonoane shared his congratulatory message on both choirs’ sterling achievements.
“The DUT tagline, Creative, Distinctive, Impactful, is not just a slogan; it is a lived identity. This phenomenal first place victory by our Midlands Choir, with our Durban Choir taking a very close second place at the 2026 LECMA Choral Eisteddfod, embodies this perfectly. They were Creative in their interpretation, arrangement and performance — showcasing originality and artistic excellence that is uniquely DUT. They were Distinctive, competing on a highly contested national stage, they stood out for their discipline, vocal precision, and unity. To take both first and second overall positions is a distinctive mark of dominance. And they were Impactful-their music moved the adjudicators and the audience and has brought immense pride back to our campuses. They have put DUT’s name on the national map, not only as a university of technology, but as a home for holistic talent,” he said.
One of the central tenets of DUT’s Living Values Framework, highlighted Dr Nkonoane, is to nurture a people-centred culture where every student and staff member feels seen, valued and part of one DUT family.
“A win of this magnitude does exactly that. Music is a universal language that transcends faculties, campuses and hierarchies,” he added.
As registrar, Dr Nkonoane’s role is to ensure that DUT’s systems and student support create an enabling environment for the whole student to thrive.
“Participating in an award-winning ensemble like our choirs is integral to producing the kind of graduate envisioned in ENVISION2030, a graduate who is well-rounded, responsible, and entrepreneurial. In a choir, our students learn discipline, time management, teamwork, leadership, listening, and resilience, they must juggle rehearsals with academics and still deliver excellence,” he emphasised.
Both the choirs wish to celebrate their victories together and appreciate choristers by awarding them with certificates of participation in the DUT choirs and enjoying their milestone achievements,” he said.
For both choirs, the dream is to host a choral extravaganza before the year ends.
“The advice to those students wishing to be part of the chorale is to push and to dedicate themselves whenever they want to achieve something. Through hard work, nothing is impossible,” concluded Sanele.
Pictured: The two victorious DUT Choirs.
Waheeda Peters
