GWIJO MAKES ITS MARK ON POTCHEFSTROOM CAMPUS

Maruné Nel

@muisnel14

 

On 21 April 2026, the North-West University (NWU) Potchefstroom Campus hosted Gwijo as a formal event. What had long been a spontaneous, organic expression of culture at the NWU was given a chance to shine in its own light at the Amphitheatre – and shine it did.

 

But first, what exactly is Gwijo?

 

Gwijo is a form of call-and-response singing deeply rooted in South African culture. It is characterised by powerful group harmonies, rhythmic energy and an emotional weight that is almost impossible to describe to someone who has never experienced it. It is not rehearsed in the traditional sense – it is felt, passed down and shared. 

 

One of the event judges, known publicly as General Gee, a famous Gwijo singer for Pistole Gwijo and local celebrity, said, “Gwijo is a story of a South African Black child who has been through a lot. A story used to expose their feelings to people or how to pass the message to people.”

 

For General Gee, what makes Gwijo distinct is precisely its personal nature. “It’s different from other genres,” he said. “It’s something that is personal to someone.” According to him, this deeply human quality is also what makes competitions like this one so valuable, as they create bonds between people and encourage the formation of groups who enjoy and learn the tradition to keep it alive.

 

At NWU, Gwijo has historically surfaced informally, where residences could participate, but it was not judged, and an entry fee was charged. The decision to formalise it as an event marked a meaningful shift, giving this tradition the platform and recognition it deserves.

 

With regards to how we can grow Gwijo’s reach while respecting its origins, Gee was thoughtful. He pointed to events exactly like this one as the answer. “By hosting small events and making groups, people will know there is something happening in the North-West, and they can be involved and engaged in how to know about Gwijo and how to create. Gwijo is all about creativity and the style of how you do it.”

 

Retshegofetse Mompati, one of the attendees at this year’s Gwijo event, summarised the impact Gwijo can have on student unity. “You don’t really need to understand what they are saying to understand the emotion of the performances, and that is what Gwijo is about, you know, the feeling it evokes in the audience.” 

 

The audience was also notably bigger than before, with many student attendees saying that the free entry made a significant difference. In previous years, costs had created a barrier for some students wanting to enjoy the performances. This year, with no ticket price standing between the audience and the stage, the crowd was bigger, louder and so incredibly full of energy. It certainly wasn’t just the cold rainy weather giving the audience chills.

 

The performances were judged based on energy and pronunciation. General Gee praised the performance quality of the event. “I love the performance that they gave us,” he noted. The standout quality of the evening was the performers’ energy and the creativity with which they constructed their songs.

 

He also had one clear piece of advice for next year’s performers – more women. “They must involve more ladies in this industry,” General Gee said. “In order to hear the different tones and elements, more women are needed. If more women are involved, I believe we’ll eventually find a way forward.”

 

Kelebogile Simelane, a second-year student and one of this year’s winning performers, stated, “I participated last year, but I didn’t perform because it wasn’t taken seriously due to the fact that it was an informal event. The ladies who attended weren’t that many, and it seemed like the PC and Student Campus Council (SCC) didn’t care about it because it was during recess or a day before, so obviously most people wouldn’t attend or even dare to come. However, this year everything changed since it is a formal event. It seems like they really want to take it seriously with all the certificates, recognition, etc. I’m just happy that they are finally taking our culture seriously, but there’s still a lot to work on!”

 

The night ended with General Gee joining the host on stage for an impromptu performance where he showcased his talent. The final rankings were given later in the evening after people joined in singing and dancing together on stage whilst waiting in suspense.

 

Overall Klawerhof and Invictus tied alongside Lavaria and Over-de-Voor for third place. Joining them on the podium and taking home silver were Kasteel and Veritas. Taking the gold home for the evening, as the winners of the very first formal Gwijo, were Vergeet-My-Nie and Excelsior, making it their second sleep win after Bingle.

 

Mea Colyn, the Arts House Committee (HC) member of Vergeet-My-Nie (VMN) ladies’ residence, shared her input about the preparation that led them to the win. “Gwijo was completely and entirely a new thing for me, not only because it was the first time it was a formal performance, but also because it had never really been a big thing in VMN before.” She also stated, “Quite a few of us had to learn from scratch what gwijo is and how it works. During rehearsals we mainly sang various gwijo songs (not necessarily the ones we performed) to get the feel of it and learn how to immerse ourselves in it.”

 

In regard to the night they performed, Colyn stated that the performance was so enjoyable that they forgot there was still an awards ceremony afterward. Her parting words on the experience and what she might hope for can inspire the next winning team. “And no matter what place we come in, we know we gave everything for the One who gave everything to us.”

 

This will surely become an annual fixture on the NWU calendar. If the energy that was present on 21 April is anything to go by, we can expect only better things from the performances. Next year’s performers will most certainly have big shoes to fill.

 

Kasteel and Veritas performing in the Amphi Theater (Source: NWU Kunste Instagram)

 

Edited by Kyle Bauermeister