JOHANNESBURG – Grammy award winner Zakes Bantwini, hip hop heavyweight Nasty C and kwaito legend Zola 7 are among the South African acts heading to the Malkerns Valley next weekend for the eighth edition of the Standard Bank Luju Food and Lifestyle Festival.
The festival takes place at House On Fire on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 August 2026, and for the first time in its history it runs as a full two day experience under its founding philosophy, A Return to the African Future. Organisers expect more than 10,000 festivalgoers from over 26 countries.
The 2026 edition was officially launched in South Africa on Tuesday at a stakeholder and media event held at Artistry in Sandown, Sandton. The launch was attended by Standard Bank South Africa, creative development partners, tourism stakeholders, artists, entrepreneurs and private sector representatives. 
Presented by the producers of MTN Bushfire, Luju is a two day programme of culinary demonstrations by celebrity chefs, connoisseur led premium wine and whiskey showcases, a regional fashion show and family friendly entertainment.
The South African contingent on the music programme is substantial. Bantwini and Zola 7 will be joined by trumpeter, composer and vocalist Mandisi Dyantyis, who returns with his acclaimed body of work, Intlambululo: Ukuhlambulula. Maskandi legend Shwi Mantombazane brings a performance rooted in generations of Zulu musical storytelling, while award winning duo Liquideep bring the soulful sound that has kept them among Southern Africa’s most enduring acts.
Amapiano hitmaker TMan Xpress also features, alongside folk country storyteller Wandile Mbambeni, Johannesburg based flautist, composer and vocalist Vuyo Viwe, and Thando Zide with her blend of African soul, jazz and contemporary R&B.
The Masekela Band, the touring ensemble drawn from the final 15 years of Hugh Masekela’s career, will perform a celebration of one of Africa’s most enduring musical legacies. Rock outfit WONDERboom, marking three decades this year, brings its loud and genre defying energy to the Luju stage. The Kyle Shepherd Trio will deliver a tribute to composer and pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, and Johannesburg DJ duo Circles and Squares will weave bossa nova, house, disco and broken beat into an eclectic set.
On the fashion side, Mzukisi Mbane of Imprint South Africa is the headlining designer leading the regional showcase on the Luju Fashion Runway, joined by Coco and J. Chef Mmabatho Molefe features in this year’s regional culinary demonstrations.
This year’s culinary programme draws on Nguni Foodways, exploring the indigenous food traditions, knowledge systems and cultural connections shared across Southern Africa. The fashion programme runs under the theme Kwasukasukela, or Once Upon a Time, inviting designers to work African storytelling into contemporary design.
The economic case for the festival is being made in numbers. In 2025, Luju generated E2.7 million in sales for 103 SME traders, 85 percent of them local businesses. Independent research puts the contribution of the wider House On Fire festival ecosystem at more than E121 million a year to the Eswatini economy, supporting over 2,300 jobs.
Organisers say the South African launch opens a new chapter in a creative relationship House On Fire has been building for more than a decade through its flagship festivals. Working with Standard Bank South Africa and other strategic partners, Luju aims to deepen its engagement with South Africa’s creative industries and open up market access and mobility opportunities for creatives, MSMEs and cultural entrepreneurs across the region.
The move also sits alongside Standard Bank’s arts and culture work across the continent, including its support for the Standard Bank Young Artist Awards.
Tickets and further information are available at www.lujufestival.com.
