District Six to A Life in Theatre: 11 February, A Date of Destiny

Where do I begin… to tell the story of how great a love can be…
The morning I woke up with 11 February 1966 sitting in my body and in my heart. I also knew that the evening I was going to watch the new 2026 production, From Hanover Street, at Artscape, when ten years ago to the very day, 11 February 2016, I was David Kramer’s publicist on District Six Kanala.

From Hanover Street is a new District Six musical commemorating 60 years since the declaration of District Six as a whites-only area on 11 February 1966, according to the Group Areas Act.
This led to the forced removal of the entire community and almost all but a few buildings, like churches, being reduced to rubble by South Africa’s Apartheid government.

How did I even become a publicist? I asked myself that at the time. I was 38 years old. And to think, I met David Kramer when I was 17 years old in high school, through the Music Active programme initiated by Bryan Slingers and project-managed by Marc Lottering.

Music Active was my first fully immersive theatre experience. I had watched District Six with my mother at the theatre when I was 10 years old, and that was when I fell in love with musical theatre. After that, my mother would always buy me musicals on VHS: The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, Barbie and the Rock Stars…

A First Love: Musical Theatre

But District Six stayed with me. After watching it, I could clearly picture the life my mother and father would speak about when they talked about their time living in District Six.
I was over the moon when David Kramer came to teach songwriting during the Music Active programme. It was such a privilege learning from him.

After Music Active, Bryan Slingers also ran a debating project for high school students. The top students were selected to represent Cape Town for the 2020 Olympic Bid. I was lucky enough to be chosen as a youth ambassador. With that came another opportunity to be taught public speaking by the legendary David Kramer.

I will never forget what he taught us that day. He told us to ask ourselves whether there is anywhere else we would rather be in that moment, and to live our lives so that the moments we are in are chosen.

Backstage Dreams Take Shape

Luckily for me, my mother was still taking me to the theatre regularly. Jinne, she would sew me a new dress for every show we went to. We went to the Dock Road Theatre several times to watch Fairyland the musical, because I had a crush on Giempie Vardien, which in retrospect my mother probably should not have encouraged.

Then Kat and the Kings played at the Dock Road, and again my mother and I were regulars. These stories took her back to the District Six she longed for, I guess.

After our workshop in preparation for the Olympic Bid youth ambassadors, I suggested that the committee go and watch Kat and the Kings. I remember the big smile on David’s face when I made that suggestion. My motivation was that it would give the foreigners real insight into Cape Town and its people.

Fast forward to my first part-time job while studying at UWC. I got a job as an usher at the Baxter Theatre. It was not easy to get in there at the time. I was so nervous when Ashraf Johaardien interviewed me. I took a whole week to get my CV in order with all my testimonials and certificates.

From Usher to Spotlight

Luckily, I got the job.
Shortly after starting in 1999, David Kramer came walking down the stairs while I was on duty in the foyer. He remembered me when I greeted him and asked what I was doing there.
I told him I was working as an usher, but I really wanted to be inside the theatre, behind the scenes. One of the skills I had learned through Music Active was how to operate a follow spot.
And just like that, I got to operate follow spot on Kat and the Kings. I was no longer an usher.

Building Theatre Family

I learned quickly that David, Taliep and Renaye don’t just produce musicals; they build families through their productions. Over the years I worked on various Kramer and Petersen productions. During the day I did media and marketing work, first with The Mail & Guardian and later with Media24.

And in the midst of that season, theatre at night, media marketing by day, my eldest son was conceived. He was made on our off day, on 1 January, during the time I was working on District Six the musical in the evenings and at the Mail & Guardian during the day. Even that feels poetic now. That new life began during a time when I was fully immersed in storytelling, legacy and love.

At night, I was in the theatre.
It was the place I chose to be, my happy place, just like David taught us: work towards being in a place where there is nowhere else you would rather be.

Mentorship, Legacy and Red Shoes

It is impossible for me to think about David without seeing Renaye. She is the engineer and the glue in the work that gets done. She doesn’t just support, she teaches and holds space for growth. She held my hand and mentored me into publicity while mothering the entire cast.

When Karen Mering gave me the opportunity to produce my own dream production, Die Riel van Hip Hop, it was David Kramer who opened his home to us and gave us access to his incredible musical instruments for the production. That generosity is something I will never forget. I made sure the entire cast of 36 wore red shoes in honour of David. We had red vellies brought all the way from George, especially, because Riel dancers wear red vellies; a tradition that carries weight, and one that David helped platform by giving authentic Riel dance a stage in his work.

This day, 11 February 2026, I made an opening-night cake for the first time in years. It was David Kramer’s work that started my tradition of making a special celebration chocolate cake for productions my heart loves. The last one was for District Six Kanala.
I wore my red velskoene in honour of the living legends that are David and Renaye Kramer.

A Date That Became Destiny

What was extra special was seeing Jesse and Amy, the actual DNA of David and Renaye, because often they are holding all their theatre children. Tonight their theatre broetjies showed that 11 February 1966 will never be forgotten.

When having the print made for the cake this morning, all I could think to put on it was an image of Taliep Petersen and David Kramer. Because to me, they are the original Broetjies of Hanover Street, District Six.
11 February 1966 will never just be a date.

District Six 60 Years Later: Forced Removals, Loss, Memory, Culture & Resilience

It is the birth of a cultural force that shaped Cape Town’s storytelling, restored dignity through music, and kept the spirit of District Six alive when others tried to erase it.

Through David. Through Taliep. Through Renaye. Through every cast member. Through every theatre child.
What I witnessed tonight was not nostalgia. It was legacy. Living, breathing, singing legacy.
And I am grateful that my life intersected with that love.