- 2 weeks ago
From a green promenade in Rosebank to the rhythm of Lagos, Afrimaxx explores how design, culture and fashion are reshaping African cities — grounded in heritage and driven by people.
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00:08Right here in the heart of Johannesburg, something new is taking root.
00:11In Rosebank, the city slows down just enough to breathe.
00:14And what's happening here is redefining what pan-African life can look like.
00:17And trust me, this is only the beginning.
00:20But let's see what else we have on the show today.
00:22We step inside a dream escape designed for slowing down and style.
00:26We see how Zambia's fashion scene is set to hit $90 million.
00:30And one woman is ensuring local heritage leads the way.
00:34What happens when Brazil and Nigeria collide for one big cultural celebration?
00:38Bibi Ray is in Lagos to find out.
00:41I'm Mietanichi Tambera, and you're watching Afromax.
00:57Just like our other stories here on Afromax, which aim to showcase modern Africa, this next individual exemplifies just that.
01:05This is the story of a fighter, a man taking punch after punch.
01:09In the video to his song Atika, Senegalese rapper Nix tells his story.
01:14I was touring everywhere in French-speaking countries in Africa, even in Central Africa and everything.
01:19It was really great.
01:20But I had to face the reality of the industry that doesn't like really, it's not very structured.
01:28So at some point you have to do everything on your own and by yourself.
01:32So I learned, you know, I was lucky enough to start early.
01:41So I learned, you know, like we say, you learn the hard way.
01:46Nix is a celebrated musician and a winner of multiple Senegalese hip-hop awards.
01:51He tours across West Africa and Europe, but the commercial mainstream has never been his path.
02:02Instead, he builds his own projects.
02:04His latest is La Villa Treze in Dakar.
02:07Treze is French for 13.
02:09The villa is also home to his studio, where he's working on a new album.
02:13He aims to connect hip-hop with music from West and Central Africa.
02:17His latest music video was shot in the land of his ancestors, the mystical region of Casamance.
02:32So in this music video, I mean, I'm now into problems.
02:36Something happened to me and I don't know where I am.
02:39I'm fighting like ghosts on the beach.
02:44And it was cool because we're showing also the culture, you know, in Casamance.
02:55Yes, welcome to La Villa.
02:58La Villa Treze is also a space for fashion by African designers.
03:03These coats.
03:05From you, who is mine, you know.
03:08I love it.
03:10Fashion is part of even hip-hop culture because hip-hop culture came with, you know, the way you dress
03:18and everything, the jeans, the sneakers, the way you wear shirts, hats, and everything.
03:24It's lights, you know, so it could be a proper coat for Senegal, you know.
03:30I love it.
03:35Nick's knows how to command attention.
03:37Proud, mysterious, contemplative.
03:40A mix that has caught the eye of Chanel.
03:43The French luxury brand booked him for fashion shows in Tokyo and Paris, even naming him a brand ambassador.
03:49A journey that started in Dakar.
03:51So to see Chanel come in here and do this show and also create this vernissage with all those Senegalese
04:00that work on those arts and those, like, fabrics and the way they do it also, it was a good
04:06connection to show.
04:13The next stop at La Villa Treze puts art to skin.
04:30Next believes in community, in people who inspire each other.
04:35La Villa Treze offers space for many art forms, including a gallery for paintings and sculpture.
04:47To me, to have a space where we can always, like, create and be together and help each other, you
04:53know, that's the goal.
04:56Never quit.
04:57Always create.
04:58Always be, you know, part of the story of your country.
05:04Nick's takes stories of Senegal into the world, including Berlin.
05:08At the IFA Gallery, the Diaspora Wonderland exhibition presents fashion as a means of liberation.
05:14It features his short film, Virgo, about a man in search of love and connection.
05:19You know, I tell stories through my music, through fashion, film, art, everything.
05:28I'm just, and to me, it's important to always have a story behind every art piece.
05:39Nick's, rapper, cultural entrepreneur, actor, and film director from Dakar, Senegal.
05:45A man who continually rediscovers the art of storytelling.
06:03In Johannesburg, old buildings are usually replaced with new ones, and developer Timothy Sammons always finds a way around them.
06:10In front of us are walls that belonged to a house that was built in the 1960s, which was owned
06:14by an artist.
06:15Timothy, tell us a bit more about it.
06:18So, this house was originally owned by a South African-Italian artist named Giuseppe Catania.
06:23Yeah.
06:23He came here and settled in South Africa after World War II, and he was a collaborator with an artist
06:29named Eduardo Vila, who is extremely famous.
06:31Yes.
06:32This was the first house that was purchased in the Nine Yards district.
06:35So, this was the first yard that was bought in 1995.
06:38So, that's just over 30 years ago.
06:40And the beautiful thing that I find quite interesting is that there are no chain restaurants here, no chain shops.
06:45It's strictly independent.
06:47Yeah.
06:47What is the reason behind that?
06:49Well, I think, you know, when we started with the project, we wanted this to be a showcase of Johannesburg.
06:53And that comes in with the architecture.
06:55It comes in with the landscaping.
06:57But where it really comes to life is in terms of the tenancy.
07:00So, we wanted it to be a best-in-class showcase for the best operators in Johannesburg.
07:05So, you won't see any chain stores or any international brands here.
07:09You know, when you come here and you want to buy your tomatoes, you want to buy it from the
07:13guy that you know, Jarek.
07:14Or you want to buy your burgers from the burger store that is started in Johannesburg and is local.
07:24We all know Brazil for their carnivals, but this year, Lagos is bringing the heat.
07:27The Fante Carnival turns history, music, and fashion into one big, unforgettable celebration of culture.
07:33Let's take a look.
07:40This is not the real carnival in Brazil.
07:44This is Lagos, Nigeria.
07:46Today is an exciting day where we experience color and culture on a whole different level.
07:52I'm Bibi Ray and I am in the heart of Lagos Island at Tafewa Belewa Square,
07:56attending the Lagos Fancy Carnival.
07:59The Lagos Fancy Carnival traces its roots to Africans who returned from Brazil after enslavement,
08:05bringing back not just memories, but culture reshaped across oceans and time.
08:11I feel like it may sound a bit macy, but I think the whole carnival itself makes me macy.
08:16So, I'm from Lagos Island, from the Gomez family.
08:19Oh!
08:20So, we have Afro-Brazilian roots, obviously.
08:23She always, like, seen people come in celebrating our culture, Lagos culture.
08:26Yes.
08:27I know they did the carnival a few years ago, so it's beginning of a year, like in the 1800s.
08:31Yes.
08:31When the returnees came back.
08:35Today, 140 years later, a new generation is fighting to keep that story alive.
08:42Come together, save me. This is how to see the upper class or the grown-up classes.
08:47Yes.
08:47So, everybody, you can see the Gokno, Vice Gokno, everybody, the air school.
08:53David, where did you sign him from?
08:55I'm from Ecuador. I'm really excited.
08:57We also have carnival.
08:58Yes.
08:59So, you know, nice music, a lot of pollers, dancing, good food,
09:05and it's just a celebration of culture, diversity and life. I'm really excited.
09:12This is more than spectacle. It's identity in motion.
09:17The Aguda community fused Afro-Brazilian influence with West African tradition,
09:22creating something entirely their own.
09:25For our Afro-Brazilians in Nigeria, the carnival is not just celebration.
09:29It's remembrance, a living connection to ancestors who journeyed far
09:34and found their way home.
09:50Yet, beyond the colour and celebration, there's a quieter truth.
09:54Preserving this legacy in a rapidly changing Lagos is becoming harder with each passing year.
10:00As the time moves forward, the question lingers.
10:03Can a tradition survive when fewer people carried story,
10:06and even fewer have the means to sustain it?
10:10Lagos Fancy Carnival actually dates back to 1895,
10:14and that was when the very first carnival was held on Lagos Island.
10:17Wow.
10:18And it's a heritage that was brought back to Lagos by the Afro-Brazilian returnee.
10:24Wow.
10:24Okay.
10:25You know, Fancy and Afro-Brazilian culture heritage is a story of resilience,
10:31the story of those who came back.
10:33Yeah.
10:33And that's why that story has to be continually told.
10:36Absolutely.
10:37Now, what would you say to those that think that perhaps it runs the risk of becoming a
10:42museum piece?
10:42That is to say that maybe young people are not really interested or adapting with it.
10:47What would you say to those people?
10:49Okay, the fact that I would say that, look at all these young people here.
10:51There's young people everywhere.
10:52Look at all these young people.
10:53Yeah.
10:54But I think more than that, I think that if a cookie has been able to be continued
10:59from 1895, it shows that it is being handed down.
11:05Yeah.
11:05It is being continued.
11:07It is being curated.
11:08It is being cultivated.
11:09Yeah.
11:10And that has to be encouraged.
11:11It tells the story all the time.
11:13Absolutely.
11:14Absolutely.
11:14How important is it in 2026 that we keep these kind of traditions alive and that something like
11:19the Fancy Carnival is not forgotten about it and continues on growing?
11:23Okay, so apparently we've always had Fancy.
11:24I remember growing up seeing Fancy.
11:26So you know what we have now?
11:28It's for us to protect and guide our cultural values.
11:32Yeah.
11:32So our kids can know that yes, Fancy is indeed a place where you can actually learn about your
11:37cultural values and learn about the art and culture.
11:40What story are you trying to tell with your costume today?
11:43My wings are actually like for you to show and depict the fact that they've given us freedom.
11:47Yes.
11:48So freedom for you to thrive in the political field.
11:51So you know, my horse is actually depicting another one that we can actually grow.
11:55We don't have to be, we don't have to be rebellious.
11:58We just have to ensure that we do the right thing.
12:00And once we do the right thing, I'm sure that people will actually come on board.
12:04Once at risk of fading, the carnival is finding new life.
12:08As a younger generation steps forward, reclaiming it and reshaping what it means today.
12:14As the fancy carnival draws to a close, the vibes are still buzzing.
12:18The air is filled with sounds of samba and Afrobeat still echoes in our ears.
12:24Now it's been quite the celebration, I must say.
12:26I've learned a lot.
12:27I've eaten a whole lot of good food and my feet hurt from all the dancing.
12:30So it's time that I say goodbye.
12:32I'll catch you guys next time.
12:34A place can tell you a lot about the people who built it.
12:44This 450 meter promenade right here in nine yards was designed by the one and only landscape artist,
12:49Patrick Watson.
12:51So Patrick, we're literally standing on your work right now.
12:54Tell us, what do you want the people to feel when they walk here?
12:57No, it was going to be a garden center and it's related to a nursery.
13:04So I wanted to be domestic, you know, it didn't feel like a big shopping center.
13:09And then also, it's a collection of plants.
13:12It's one of every type of plants.
13:14So if you see them here, then you'll order them from the nursery.
13:17Because it's part of the nursery, you know.
13:19What was the idea behind having the art here as well?
13:21There's a gallery here and if there's art in the garden, then you can also buy it.
13:27And it's also a showroom for art.
13:29So it's like a land art.
13:31No, thank you very much, Patrick.
13:34Thank you very much.
13:36Roman, tell us, who walks through that door?
13:38What are the customers like?
13:39Everyone.
13:40We're a halal family-orientated restaurant and creative space.
13:43Our customers are everyone from young and old, creative to non-creative.
13:48Everybody's welcome.
13:49Everybody's family in our space.
13:50It is such a beautiful green space in the city.
13:55Tranquil, calm with a little bit of its own vibe.
13:57So does this feel like the Joburg you know?
13:59If not, tell us why.
14:01It does.
14:02It has a very Joburg vibe.
14:04Yeah.
14:04Very lively and artsy.
14:06I really like it.
14:08Okay.
14:08And how do you feel about the art that's showcased here?
14:12Is it a good reflection of the culture in Joburg?
14:14Oh, definitely.
14:15It's very unconventional in a way.
14:17Like very different, not to what I'm used to.
14:19So I was really enjoying seeing that.
14:21Joburg is back.
14:22It's taken a long time since COVID for Joburg to re-establish itself from a social point of view.
14:27Yeah.
14:27And then it's spaces like nine yards, which are spaces which are for the whole family.
14:31So you're going to come here during the day with the kids.
14:33You're going to come here for breakfast, for meetings.
14:35You're going to come and eat Wagyu Pogers at Zuni there, which is a world-class cuisine,
14:42but it's all happening in one beautiful space.
14:44So during the guided walk, we experienced outdoor amphitheater of sorts and seen the live performance
14:51there, a real good cultural experience in Rosebank.
15:03From corporate banking to runway, Rebecca Mwandunga is the Zambian designer that is using fashion to turn
15:09heritage into something you can wear.
15:13Ever sat at your desk and thought, this can't be my life?
15:17Rebecca Mwandunga did.
15:19And that moment flipped her whole story.
15:21She walked out of safe, swapping the banking office for a runway with her name on it.
15:27In my days of banking, I used to wear exciting colors, bright colors.
15:32So I would have clients asking me, are you a model? Are you a designer?
15:36That was when I realized my world and I was called to be a designer.
15:42She had the job everyone calls safe. Salary, security, a clear path.
15:48But her heart was somewhere between fabric rolls and sketchbooks.
15:52So she walked away, scared but determined.
15:55With stability, you know, at the month end, you're going to get the money.
15:59But chasing your dreams is like every day is you're living by faith and a miracle.
16:04Because no matter how you plan and say, I'm going to make money this week, sometimes it goes dry.
16:08And so the passion is what keeps you going.
16:13Fashion in Zambia is booming.
16:15The market is projected to hit around 90 million US dollars by 2025.
16:20But here's the catch.
16:22Most of that money flows straight to imported clothes and second hand racks, not to local designers.
16:28The fashion industry was never taken serious because they used to think fashion is for failures.
16:35Until now that they've seen that designers have come up, they're serious.
16:39We're having things like shows, awards, and people just want to wear something that is custom made.
16:45So usually our fabric, we get them from China.
16:49But maybe back to last year, the government is looking into a situation where mulumbushi textile,
16:55which was once in existence and just went down, they are revamping it.
17:01So every time Rebecca prices a dress, she's fighting cheap, fast fashion, tight margins, and supply headaches.
17:09Trying to prove that handcrafted, Zambia-made pieces are worth more than a quick bargain.
17:14So I had done my research and I have my target market because everybody, not everybody wears thrift clothes.
17:22Some don't want to do thrift clothes.
17:24For example, last year, August, I did a collection called Timeless Bloom, which I targeted our mothers.
17:32Making something vintage, but very fashionable to wear and exciting.
17:36Behind every clean runway look, hours of problem solving, stitching, fixing.
17:42But instead of giving up, Rebecca doubled down on craftsmanship, hats, bags, tailored silhouettes.
17:48And her work started landing on regional stages, from Windhook to Addis Ababa.
17:58So when I left the banking road for the fashion world, that was about 2020, 2021.
18:03And that was a time when there was COVID.
18:06At the same time, my mom had a stroke.
18:08After the COVID was managed, it was coming from a sick bed into the runways.
18:15Though I managed to go and feature on platforms like Catatua Fashion Week twice,
18:22I won the International Fashion Designers Award.
18:26And then last year, I managed to do the Ethiopia Addis Ababa at an event called Africa Celebrates.
18:34In African Union, and my collection as part of the collection was Threads of Union.
18:40Besides, the song behind the run here, I composed it, but here I did the song.
18:50And while she's building a cultural archive, her design's already making waves on national stages.
18:55Whatever Becky puts her hands to, it just somehow comes to life.
19:00A piece of cloth just suddenly takes shape.
19:03And once you put it on, it's almost like she sewed it onto your body.
19:08You know, it's a very perfect fit onto your body and it just makes you glow.
19:13Well, it did that for me when I wore her two dresses at the Ngoma Awards.
19:20And I was the talk of town.
19:23You know, it was beautiful to be in those dresses.
19:26It was one of those attires when you wear,
19:28you don't need anybody to tell you that you look good because you know.
19:33Women drive over 60% of Zambia's MMMEs.
19:37Creativity isn't just art.
19:39It's economic power.
19:40And Rebecca's using hers to open doors.
19:43So young, creative.
19:44In a world where they are stuck and yet they are creative, follow your dream.
19:49Had I been told this when I was a younger me, I think right now I would have done wonders,
19:54but it's never too late.
19:56So follow your passion.
19:58Do what you can do as you are doing what you are doing.
20:01If you've got a dream, start where you are.
20:04Learn, build, collaborate.
20:07As Rebecca Wondunga states, Africa's fashion story needs your chapter.
20:14It's serene, it's beautiful and made for switching off.
20:18And yes, today I'm talking about our dream home.
20:20My colleague, Pallisa Tembe, shakes into a Stellenbosch estate
20:23that you will definitely want to bookmark.
20:26Across Africa, incredible homes are raising the bar of modern design.
20:31This series gives you a front row seat to unapologetically stylish spaces.
20:37The kind you can't help but save, screenshot and dream about.
20:43Holidays are meant to be fun, right?
20:46Today, Pallisa Tembe steps inside a beautifully designed home where you can truly relax,
20:50put your feet up and enjoy a playful take on style.
20:54When it comes to the client brief, were they very specific and particular as to what they were
20:58looking for or did they give you free reign?
21:00The only briefing that I got from the client and he came to me with the suggestion is that we
21:08should make use of his photographs. Photographs I call actually artwork. It is unbelievable artwork
21:17that we've got against the wall. He's a keen photographer and we've used his photographs to
21:24suit the interior of the house and each room.
21:29What was your first step when it came to the design approach with this project?
21:33Comfort, Pallisa Tembe, comfort where one can feel at home.
21:38You taking off your shoes.
21:39Comforts I love different textures. As you can see, what I've done here is mix the different textures
21:48by means of velvets and cottons and linen and viscose in shades of grey and in shades of pink.
21:57That was the starting point and also that tends to see and pick what is going to happen in the
22:07other rooms.
22:08Fun throw pillows, cute Ottomans mixed in with the more formal pieces. It just works.
22:14What was your approach with the guiding room?
22:16The most important room in house is the dining room because you spend so much time around the table.
22:25Gorgeous, comfy chairs in soft shades of grey. Made for long conversations over fabulous food,
22:32second glasses and losing track of time.
22:35In the dining room we've got this magnificent custom-made French oak dining table and you can
22:44sit 10 people and you can have a look at the legs at the base of the table, how magnificent
22:51this table is.
22:52And it's such a conversation piece, the dining room where friends, family are getting together and enjoying life and enjoying
23:01dinner.
23:01Creating memories around meals and that's what it's all about. But I cannot ignore the beautiful chandelier, absolutely stunning.
23:10Yes, exactly. The chandelier, it's hand-picked by myself and the clients.
23:17And it is also a conversation piece. It adds a bit of drama. One needs to have drama in the
23:24room.
23:25And I think the chandelier is doing itself excellent in this regard.
23:29And with being able to celebrate the homeowner's photography with their pictures up on the walls,
23:34it kind of feels like an open family album.
23:38Exactly. That's very true.
23:41The clients' photography turns this house into a kind of personal gallery.
23:45These aren't just pictures, they're memories.
23:48Moments frozen in time and each wall tells a story.
23:52They add warmth, character and a sense of personality to the space.
24:00Oh, yes. Now, Christiane, this is a room I see myself kicking back and relaxing in.
24:05I'm glad you like it, Pali. I think it is gorgeous.
24:11This is the unofficial headquarters of Fun, the indoor-outdoor entertainment area.
24:17Casual dinner on one side, braai on the other, pool action in full view.
24:22If there's a party happening in this house, this is where it's at.
24:29Plus, it's right next to the kitchen, so easy access to those snacks and drinks.
24:38And if you think the downstairs is colourful, upstairs turns the dial right up.
24:43Christiane, moving upstairs, I'm already sensing a different vibe when it comes to the house.
24:48What was your design approach up here?
24:50The best is upstairs.
24:53Colour-wise, use colour in abundance.
24:56And the wallpaper pops into this room.
25:00It speaks for itself.
25:02It's one of my special bedrooms.
25:07Every bedroom has its own personality.
25:10Wrapped in beautiful wallpaper and touch-me textures that feel indulgent and inviting.
25:16If sleep had a dress code, this would be it.
25:21Designed to enjoyed.
25:22This is a luxury that doesn't ask you to tiptoe around.
25:26Isn't this what all holidays should feel like?
25:31From this new green corner in Johannesburg to the rhythm of Lagos, we hope you enjoyed the show.
25:35Check us out on our socials for more.
25:37As for myself, I'm going to explore the rest of this place.
25:40Till next time, goodbye.
26:10Copyright Australian Broadcasting Corporation
26:10By Dr Bryan
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