Clegg, Juluka share bill with top sportsmen

EAST LONDON -- Saturday's concert at the Basil Kenyon Stadium here will be a first for veteran musician Johnny Clegg as he has never had to share the limelight with top-flight sportsmen.

Clegg, who with Juluka is to head the bill at an all-day event to raise funds for Border rugby and cricket development, said he had often performed in sports arenas but had never been part of "what might be termed a showcase for top sporting personalities".

The day will start off with talks on coaching clinics by cricketers Fanie de Villiers and Dave Richardson, former rugby Springbok and TV personality Kobus Wiese, and boxer Baby Jake Matlala.

It has been more than eight years since Clegg performed in East London with his group Savuka. "There has always been a good vibe when we played in East London, either at the Orient Theatre or in Mdantsane, and I hope it will be the same on Saturday," he said in an interview from Johannesburg at the weekend.

His concert here will be his first since winning the Kora award for the best African group last week and one of his last in South Africa this year.

He and Juluka are off on a European and North African tour next month and are due back at Christmas time when they will start recording a new album.

Six weeks ago he and Juluka completed a 22-concert tour that took them through France and Tunisia.

Next month they will play at venues in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and Spain before touring through islands in the French Antilles and Reunion, with possible concerts in Algeria.

Although pleased with the Kora award, given for excellence in music from Africa, he said it did not have any real major spinoffs in terms of world markets.