Lowveld High’s choirmaster concludes 16 years of harmony

In what can truly be marked as the end of an era, the man widely known for being Lowveld High’s choir conductor, is leaving the school.

Bongani Mavundla started his journey at Lowveld High as a Grade 10 learner in 1999. Had you asked him then, or even a few months prior to his part-time appointment to the school in 2007, whether he saw himself conducting a choir, he would have said, “Never.”  Growing up in a musical family, he has always had a love of this art, but he was initially a brass instrument player and lecturer at the then Ray Phiri Arts Institute. One of his students there mentioned that he would be the right person to help out a choir, and so this journey began.

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What many do not know is that Mavundla was not employed solely as the school’s choir conductor. He was the co-ordinator for the school’s Educational Support Services.  “That is what I really did. They often called me the big brother of the school.”

During his time there he was the head of the hostel for a year and a half, he coached the first cricket team for some years and acted as the announcer at athletics events.  Now, this chapter of his life has come to a close as he prepares to join Uplands College as its academic support coordinator (similar to his job at Lowveld High), and, naturally, to conduct its choir.

He is both nervous and excited for this new challenge. “There are a lot of nerves, I am not going to lie, but new beginnings – I like them. You do not know what is coming.”  Although the two schools’ environments might be very different, Mavundla said a teenager is a teenager, but a child is unique. And aside from music, he had always had a passion for working with children. “That is where my heart is, whether it be on the cricket field, in an office or with a choir.”

Saying goodbye to his family at Lowveld High was undoubtedly difficult for him, but he wanted to use this opportunity to thank everyone there, from parents and staff to the school’s management throughout the years. “One does not become a person without people. I am very grateful. These people allowed me growth and I never felt at any time that they doubted me.”

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For those concerned about Lowveld High’s choir’s future, he said, “Doubt not.” Mavundla’s wife, Millicent, will be taking over the reins. “I am excited to sit back and watch my wife.”  Anticipating the question about his fondest memories with the choir, he said he had discussed this with Millicent and they both agreed on one specific incident.

In 2015 they returned from an event in Johannesburg late in the evening with 60 kids. It was during Innibos, so the city and all possible accommodation (including the hostel) was filled to the brim. Some of the kids needed a place to spend the evening. The children who lived in town took some of their friends home, if they had space. The rest was up to the Mavundlas.

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At that time they were living at the hostel. “My house was full. I could not open the door. There were matrasses everywhere.” But not a single person complained.

There have been many goodbyes, but the last choir practice was filled with tears. At first, he said he could see the question “Why?” in the children’s eyes, but when they finally sang together for the last time, there were tears all around.

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