FAIR PLAY RETURNS TO SOUTH AFRICA: IT’S TIME TO SAY NGEKE! TO CORRUPTION
- JM International
- Aug 7
- 2 min read
Musicians of South Africa! The fight against corruption needs your voice.
Following the success of the first-ever Ngeke! Festival in 2025, Fair Play is once again calling on South Africa’s boldest young musicians to create powerful music that challenges corruption, inequality, and injustice.
Last year, hundreds gathered at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg to celebrate music as a force for change. The inaugural Ngeke! The festival featured acclaimed artists including Zoë Modiga and BCUC, alongside emerging Fair Play winners Onset Music Group and Xtreem Makhayeni. Together with activists, youth leaders, and audiences from across the country, they proved that music can inspire action, spark dialogue, and mobilise communities.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
Fair Play invites South African artists aged 18–35 to submit original songs or music videos that explore the impact of corruption on everyday life and its connection to issues such as inequality, discrimination, broken systems, stolen opportunities, and abuse of power.
Across all music genres, artists are encouraged to expose the realities of corruption, amplify community voices, challenge harmful narratives, promote accountability, and imagine solutions for a more just future.
What matters most is authenticity, creativity, and the power to inspire South Africans to say one word: “Ngeke!” (“No more!”). More than a competition, this is a movement that uses music as a force for civic action and positive change.
WHAT DO YOU GET?
Two selected acts will receive:
R10,000 performance fee per act
A performance slot at the 2026 Ngeke! Festival
The opportunity to open for major South African headliners (to be announced)
Professional development workshops and mentoring opportunities
International training and coaching from music industry experts
Exposure through Fair Play’s global network of artists and activists
Connections with anti-corruption movements and cultural leaders from around the world
As part of Fair Play, you will join a global community of artists using music as a tool for social change, including Nasseman (Liberia), Cill Soul (Nigeria), Shanti Powa (Italy), Alesh (DR Congo), Haga Que Pase (Colombia), Faith Mussa (Malawi), and many others.
ABOUT THE
NGEKE! FESTIVAL
Ngeke! The festival is South Africa’s flagship anti-corruption music event, bringing together artists, activists, young leaders, and communities to imagine a more transparent and accountable future.
The 2026 edition will take place on 7 November 2026 at The Nest in Johannesburg. Building on the momentum of the inaugural festival, Ngeke! continues to create a platform where music becomes a catalyst for dialogue, participation, and social change.
HOW TO APPLY
Eligibility:
Applicants must be between 18 and 35 years old
Songs must be original works
Entries can be submitted as audio recordings or music videos
Songs should address themes related to corruption, accountability, justice, transparency, or social change
Applications close on 14 September, 2026, 23:39 CET.
For questions: info@anticorruptionmusic.org or +32 2 513 97 74
ABOUT FAIR PLAY
Fair Play is a global anti-corruption music initiative led by JM International in partnership with Transparency International. Since 2010, Fair Play has empowered young artists in more than 70 countries to use music as a tool to challenge corruption, inspire civic engagement, and promote social justice.
Fair Play South Africa is brought to you in partnership with Enhancing Accountability and the European Union.
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