I caught up with her at the 14th annual Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) last weekend. After 30 minutes of fielding questions from world media at the press briefing she is whisked to seventh floor of Cape Sun Hotel, where she sits through ESP Afrika's documentary interview for another 30 minutes. The rest of the media with confirmed bookings for one-on-one interview are queueing at the 10th floor. I am second in line following some TV crew that had been waiting inside. With just over an hour of answering questions, Mazwai, whom I have been warned is tough with the media, is a wonderful interviewee.
On Bongo Maffin getting back together, she reassures old kwaito group fans that they should not give up on their reunion. Mazwai reveals that they often talk about getting in the studio but they have not yet done that. Thandiswa was a member of a four-member kwaito group called Bongo Maffin, comprising Red (Thandiswa), Stoan, Apple Seed and Speedy. This is the group that brought the soundtracks of late 90s, hits like Thathis'gubu, Iphindela, Mari Ye Phepha, and The Way Kungakhona. Maybe the amazing reunion that Mafikizolo did at the Kippies Stage a night before Thandiswa performs there would be an inspiration for such a nostalgic reunion.
