media releases - Johny Mekoa to receive honorary doctorate in musicology

• His unprecedented commitment to the growth of music in South Africa;
• His role as a true community developer in removing the homeless youth of our country from the streets and giving them hope for the future;
• His passion, akin to the mission of Unisa, to be of service to humanity;
• His loyal ambassadorship for South African music abroad;
• His generosity in sharing his gift to produce fine music.

Johny Ramakgobotla Mekoa founded the PWV Music Academy in 1994. This was later called the Music Academy of Gauteng (MAG). With his wife, Matozi, he tirelessly raised funds to buy second-hand musical instruments for the school in Daveyton. His one goal was to produce musicians from the needy township kids.

The music school has grown in leaps and bounds and is world acclaimed today. It has relocated from the shacks of Daveyton to a R10-m structure in Cloverdene, including boarding facilities that accommodate 100 students, the majority of whom have no other place to stay.

Examinations are taken through the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in London. The school’s first 18-piece jazz orchestra performed in Chicago at an International Association of Jazz Education Conference where they were given an award for outstanding performance. Many successful young musicians who were formerly street kids, owe their success to Mr Mekoa’s Music Academy.

The recipient of numerous orders, decorations, medals and awards, Mr Mekoa attempted to study music at leading Johannesburg music schools when he finished his school and teacher’s training, were thwarted because he was black. At the age of 41 he unrolled for a Bachelor’s degree in music at the University of Natal. He completed it in 1990 as the first black graduate of that school. In 1991 he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to the Indiana University School of Music in the USA, where he completed a two-year Master’s degree in Jazz Education.