11-month programme
Actors Incubation Mentorship Programme (AIM PRO)
Creative-arts development for 25 young people each year, covering the creative industry, entrepreneurship, acting, scene study, camera work and production.
KwaMashu Community Advancement Projects
K-CAP
KWAMASHU COMMUNITY
ADVANCEMENT PROJECTS
Transforming Lives Through the Arts
Empowering young people, building creative communities and shaping brighter futures.
30+years of community impact
25AIM PRO trainees annually
70+artists recruited by Disney's Lion King Musical
6–17age range in Alive Kids
Who we are
Art is not just expression — it is empowerment.
Kwa-Mashu Community Advancement Projects (K-CAP) is a dynamic non-profit organisation based in the heart of Kwa-Mashu township.
Established over 30 years ago, K-CAP has become a vital hub for creative education, cultural expression and youth empowerment. Through theatre, film, arts and digital media, K-CAP nurtures raw talent and provides young people with tools to build careers, tell their own stories and lead with confidence.
Beyond the arts, K-CAP supports its community holistically through initiatives such as a food garden and mentorship opportunities, reflecting a belief in dignity, self-reliance and shared progress.
Thousandsof young people trained in performing arts and media
EkhayaMulti-Arts Centre, a recognised cultural hub
Award-winningplays, performances and social-impact programmes
Vision
Leading social transformation through arts, culture & education.
To be a leading catalyst for social transformation through arts, culture, and education, empowering township communities to thrive, innovate, and shape their own futures.
Mission
Discover, Develop, Expose & Contribute.
K-CAP is committed to providing inclusive, high-quality training and development in the creative arts, equipping youth and emerging talent with skills, opportunities and platforms to express themselves, access employment and contribute to the social and economic growth of Kwa-Mashu and beyond.
Our programmes
Building skills, careers and creative confidence
Programmes from the K-CAP profile, spanning performance, youth development, animation, writing and intergenerational learning.
Ages 6–17
Alive Kids
A music, dance and drama programme mentoring school-going children and providing opportunities to showcase through the annual Alive Kids Festival.
10 artists
Performing Artists in Residence (PAIR)
Provides selected AIM PRO graduates with industry exposure and opportunities to grow through K-CAP productions and facilitation.
Monday–Friday
INQUBEKO Senior Citizens
Healthy wellness, physical fitness, singing, dancing, acting, storytelling and intergenerational sessions that connect elders and young people.
IAM-LAB
Imagination Animation Multimedia Lab
A community-based studio developing 2D and 3D animation skills, mentoring 25 young creatives annually and producing original short films.
NQF Level 7
Ekhaya Writers Lab
A MICT-SETA accredited scriptwriting skills programme developing professional writers and addressing the shortage of screenwriters in KZN.
What we do
Creative services & opportunities
Productions — musical & dramaDocumentariesPerforming Artists
Skills & LearnershipsArt & CraftGraphic Design
Video & Film ProductionEvents & FestivalsCultural Exchange Programmes
Industrial TheatreTourism Dance Exhibitions
Festivals & productions
A history of ambitious creative work
Community Arts Festivals
- 2003 — KZN African Film Festival (KAFF)
- 2003 — Isigcawu Theatre Festival
- 2008 — Ishashalazi Women Theatre Festival
- 2008 — Funda Festival (Schools Competition)
- 2013 — Afrika Motherland Festival (AMF)
- 2016 — Insika Festival of Men
- 2024 — Isicoco Theatre Champion of Champions
Selected acclaimed productions
We are Alive (1994–1996)Cry Not Child (1997)Our Voice Our Rights (1998–1999)
The Spear Is Born – Bayede Shaka (2000–2001 & 2006)Maskandi Fire (2003)
Jabulani SA Celebrate (2004)Just Don’t (2006–2008)Madame President (2009–2011)
Mendi – Disaster in The Sea (2010)Amambazo the Musical (2013)Johnny Makhathini Musical (2015)
Nandi the Musical (2018–2025)Clean Future (2025)
Our international footprint
Taking South African creative work to the world.
Over the last thirty years, K-CAP's Theatre Company has represented South African artistic work internationally through tours and exchanges including New York, the UK, Poland, the Bahamas, Paris & Nantes, Indonesia, Malaysia, Denmark, the US, Guangzhou, Milan and New Orleans.
The profile states that more than 70 performing artists have been recruited by Disney's The Lion King Musical.
New Orleans South Africa ConnectionLeeds — Soaring with DidiBremenChicagoKwa BulawayoNantesComoros
A life in motion
The legacy of K-CAP
A visual journey through decades of vision, creation and community upliftment.
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Notable alumni
Shaped by K-CAP, guided by Dr. Mhlongo
The profile highlights alumni with credits across South African television, theatre and international productions.
Samukele Mkhize
Brenda Mhlongo
Nompilo Maphumulo
Nombulelo Mhlongo
Ayanda Nzimande
Vuyelwa Tshona
Wiseman Mncube
Sibu Sithole
Lucky Simayile
Siduduzo Maphumulo
Bongi Duma
Siphesihle Cele
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Gallery
People. Stories. Performance.
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Testimonial
“I have never imagined myself performing for people in London especially because I am an ex-convict.”
— Lucky Simayile, as featured in the K-CAP profile
Events calendar
Keep the K-CAP community updated
View upcoming festivals, workshops, performances and community activities.
Resources
Downloads & useful documents
Download K-CAP forms, programmes, reports, policies, brochures and other resources.
Resources will appear here when they are added from the private admin panel.
Contact K-CAP
Empowering through Arts.
Uplifting through Action.
KwaMashu Community Advancement Projects