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Announcement
Mr. Ezra Nyaniso Ngcukana was laid to rest this last Saturday 21st August 2010 in Cape Town.
 
Eulogy read at the Newtown Memorial Service in Newtown - 16th August 2010.
Ezra Nyaniso “Pharoah” Ngcukana was born on 25th August 1954 into the Ngcukana jazz dynasty in Cape Town. Ezra like his father, Mbra Christopher “Colombus” Ngcukana was one of South Africa’s great jazz maestro.
Having grown up on music it was no surprise when at age 15 he had his first professional performance. on this he said, “When it came to my chance to play solo, i played the Pharoah Sanders’ squeaks, the Archie Shepp squeaks and all that, you know. They were scared, they looked at me, what is this kid doing? They can’t forget that”.
Ezra the political activist was expelled from University of Fort Hare in 1973. He did not despair and went on to attain a BSc degree with UNISA majoring in Mathematics. UCT, then a white-only campus is where he did his examination practicals. All this whilst working with various jazz groups and touring extensively nationwide. This was no mean feat for one so young. He further went on to work at BP as an executive, can you imagine that one?
A member of the Pan African Congress, he honoured the late Robert M Sobukwe in song in his debut album You Think You Know Me. This was also the name of the
“Ezra Anthem”.
Ezra, a wholly rounded musician worked with many groups in varied genres: Dashiki, Babsey Mlangeni, Dive inter alia. This displayed his versatility.
Where did Ezra find the time to serve his country in so many areas of need: teaching Mathematics to youth in his backyard; nurturing talent through his youth group the Little Giants.
To this I say, yet another library has been lost to our beloved land. His passion is lost to us forever.
Your sudden passing Jwarha is felt beyond your immediate family. We miss you already and will continue to regret the missed opportunities to have “sucked from the breast of your wisdom”.
“You have run the race! You have fought the fight! You have won the prize!
Lala ngoxolo Jwarha Mtika Mazaleni
Dear Friend 
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Why “Friends of the Cape”?
This name was chosen simply because it is inclusive of everyone
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Vision
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