Funda Community College Rises Again! Soweto’ Beacon of Creative Hope Reborn

Thabo Motlhabi

“Historic Funda Community College relaunch spark fresh hope for Black township talent.”

What was once a beacon of hope for Black children and inspiring creativity in Soweto is stepping into a new chapter with renewed promises to nurture, restore community pride, and keep the dream of its founders alive.

The historic institution relaunched on Saturday, 10 October 2026. Held at College Hall, 8642 Immink Drive, Diepkloof Zone 6, Soweto. Bringing together community members, activists, veterans, and various stakeholders determined to revive its legacy.

For many, the occasion represented more than just a relaunch. It was a moment of remembering reconnecting and reclaiming a proud chapter of Soweto’s educational and creative history.

Born of Our Struggle, Built on Hope

Established in 1984, Funda Community College emerged in the aftermath of the June 17, 1976, Soweto student uprising, when the education crisis left many young people disconnected from formal schooling.

The institution was the brainchild of the late Professor Es’kia Mphahlele, the celebrated South African writer, educator, and scholar, who served as its first board chairperson.

His vision was to promote decolonized education and create opportunities for Black communities to learn, develop their talents, and shape their own futures.

Funda was part of a wider effort to ensure that education and creative expression remained accessible to young people whose potential was often neglected.

Now, decades later, the relaunch has reignited hopes that the institution can once again become a home for emerging artists, performers, and other township creatives.

Why Build a Place Like This?

Rector and Executive Director, Dr. Tshepo Mvulane Moloi, addressed an enthusiastic audience, reflecting on the circumstances that led to the establishment of Funda Community College and the importance of carrying its mission forward:

Why build a place like this? asked Dr. Moloi.

“In 1976 Soweto stood up. Business was shaken, and part of its answer was education—adult centers to make Black people mobile and employable. That’s how Funda Community College began in 1984. The land was given by the Urban Foundation and IBM. The cornerstone outside says, “1982. Jan Steyn and the Foundation.” Behind it were names like Oppenheimer and Rupert. I acknowledged that funding, with respect. But a place is not what its founders intend. A place is what its people make of it.”

Dr. Moloi further stated, “They asked Es’kia Mphahlele to chair it. Give people building, and they make a school. Give them Mphahlele, and they make a university of imagination.”

Mphahlele asked, “You say this is for the youth of June 16, 1976, but where are the artists and creatives?” The plans had none. Money was found—Rembrandt came to the party, and the art center was built. When the builders’ prehab was to be dismantled, Es’kia said, “Don’t.” In that prehab he housed the council for Black education and research, where Black scholars who had been interpreted for others could finally research and write themselves”.

Dr. Moloi explains further, “The hard years came. By 2008, Funda Community College reduced to that prehab. The library was emptied—one book left. But the people who stayed not for pay because they knew what this place was for.”

Dr. Moloi stated, “We didn’t gather to mourn. We gathered to relaunch. Our turnaround to 2031 rests on three promises.

First: art came home, and music, theater, and dance returned.

2nd: Heritage is the currency of the future.

3rd: less talk than talks, more talk that walks.

“Our work is to be worthy of that bill. Funda is not reopening.” It’s returning,” said Dr. Moloi.

His message was clear: the work of rebuilding Funda Community College must honor the sacrifices of the past while creating meaningful opportunities for the next generations.

The phrase “From the Tree Leaves to a Legacy of Creativity” serves as a thematic transition.

Activists and veterans, Lindumuzi Mngoma, took attendees down memory lanes, sharing the history of the early initiative that helped lay the foundation:

“According to Veteran, Es’kia Mphahlele, and his friends, extra education for Black children rethought education for Black children. In 1959, they started the Orlando Music Society, which offered music, poetry, drama, literature, and speech and dance. They were so creative that they used tree leaves and shrubs to decorate the stage for live performances. However, the apartheid regime acted against their success, and the music society was banned as shit-down. Its properties were seized. Fortunately, through influential people like ABC Mostepe, they were able to take those learners and continue teaching. Later, they hold negotiation during the introduction of Reconstruction to purchase the land here in Diepkloof Zone 6, Soweto, and that’s how this Funda Community College came into being.”

A Home for the Next Generations of Black Creatives

The relaunch brought renewed attention to Finda’s potential role in helping young people develop their artistic skills, building confidence, and turning their talent into sustainable livelihoods.

From music and performance, visual art, and other creative disciplines, the institution’s renewed mission speaks to generations seeking spaces where its abilities can be recognized and developed.

For the community, the challenge now is to turn the excitement of the relaunch into sustained action, partnerships, and opportunities for aspiring creatives.

History Came Alive Inside the College

The initiative also gave participants an opportunity to tour the college and reconnect with its outside heritage. Attendees viewed historical paintings and artwork, while a tour guide explained their significance. The experience offered a glimpse into the creatives’ traditions and cultural memories preserved within the institution.

This experience was particularly meaningful for those who have long regarded Funda Community College as an important part of Soweto’s cultural history. The tour was a reminder of what is at stake in preserving the institution for the future generations.

It’s walls carrying more than paintings. They represent the dreams, struggles, and determination of those who believed that Black children deserve spaces in which their talent could flourish.