On Sunday, 17 July 2022, the Nando’s Basha in Casa at Maponya Mall featured an impressive line-up with performances by Khan Khalii, Muneyi, Langa Mavuso, and Nandoca Uhurus. Langa serenaded guests by performing his hit-songs Sunday Blues and Mvula. “At Nando’s, we run an internal talent search competition called Nandoca Uhurus, and we’ve discovered that not only do our people serve up the best PERi-PERi chicken, but we also have a wealth of creative talent in the Nando’s family,” says Kirsty Niehaus Marketing Manager: Internal Brand Experience and Creativity portfolio Manager at Nando’s. The event was open to the public and drew a significant crowd.  

“The idea behind #BashaInCasa is that Nando’s can provide an opportunity for emerging musical talent every month as a lead-up to the Basha Uhuru Freedom Festival happening in October,” says Niehaus. “We’re the biggest private collector of contemporary Southern African art in the world and we use our restaurants as a gallery to showcase visual arts, and now we’re looking to also use our restaurants as a stage to provide a platform for Mzansi’s hottest young musicians.”

This was only the second showcase and there’s more to come. Nando’s has piloted the #BashaInCasa programme at Nando’s Maponya Mall and hopes to roll it out to selected restaurants in other provinces later in the year. Nando’s is not just about the chicken, the brand is also people-centric and deeply passionate about showcasing creativity.

Through the various art, design, and music initiatives, the brand has shown consistent support from the creative community. With the staggering youth unemployment rate, it’s becoming even more imperative to give young people platforms and spaces where they can use their talents and start to monetise this.

“We’re thrilled to have done this again! Basha in Casa has allowed us to celebrate together as South Africans whilst offering a platform to young artists. We look forward to continuing to share this unique dining experience with our guests.” – Nontobeko Sibiya, Marketing Manager: Communications at Nandos.