Image credit: Minenhle Memela
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.
A Movement for the Youth, by the Youth.
Corruption eats away at opportunities, jobs, education, and healthcare. But Mzansi’s youth are mobilising through music. Fair Play SA is here to prove that every verse, every beat, every chorus can be an act for positive change. This isn’t just a concert. It’s a movement where young South Africans can transform frustration into fire, and creativity into collective action. The festival will bring together renowned musicians and new voices, reminding us that small actions make a big difference and that together we can win this battle. “Fair Play is all about amplifying the voices of young artists around the world, letting their stories be heard and giving them a platform to unite their people around a common message. The fight against corruption is global, but it must be fought locally. Every action counts. Note by note, song by song, we can all shape a better tomorrow, together.”
– Matt Clark
Programs & Marketing Director, JM International
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?
- A spot on stage at the Ngeke! Festival in South Africa.
- R10,000 per selected act to perform.
- The chance to open for some of the biggest names in South African music.
- Global exposure through Fair Play’s international network.
- Connection to artists and activists fighting corruption across continents.
- International training and coaching from music industry experts.
Fair Play is more than a competition — it’s a movement. Join artists like Nasseman (Liberia), Cill Soul (Nigeria), Shanti Powa (Italy), Alesh (DR Congo), Haga Que Pase (Colombia), and Faith Mussa (Malawi) in creating music that speaks out.
HOW TO APPLY:
- Musicians must be aged 18–35
- Submit your original song / music video that addresses corruption and injustice.
- Applications close on 14 September 2025
- Apply at: mubazar.com
Questions? Email us at info@anticorruptionmusic.org or call us on +27 71 382 4006.
More info at www.anticorruptionmusic.org Deadline: 14 September 2026