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By Lebone Rodah Mosima
The Mpumalanga government has officially opened the Lucky Dube Secondary School of Performing Arts, the province’s first no-fee public secondary school dedicated to performing arts, in Ermelo, Msukaligwa Local Municipality.
The institution is named in honour of the late South African reggae legend, who was born in Ermelo. Dube was shot and killed by three gunmen in 2007 while dropping off one of his children in the Rosettenville suburb of Johannesburg.
Speaking at the official handover on Monday, Mpumalanga Education MEC Lindi Masina said the school marked a significant milestone in expanding access to specialised arts education while investing in the future of young people.
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Masina said the institution honours Dube’s legacy as one of South Africa’s most celebrated international musicians.
“We gather in Ermelo, the birthplace of an international icon whose voice carried the hopes of ordinary people across continents and whose music became a powerful instrument for justice, unity, peace and human dignity,” she said.
She said the school reflected government’s commitment to ensuring every child, regardless of background, has access to quality education and opportunities to develop their talents.
“This magnificent institution stands as tangible evidence that democracy continues to transform lives through education. It demonstrates the commitment of the Mpumalanga Provincial Government to building a society in which every child, regardless of background or circumstance, is afforded an equal opportunity to realise their God-given potential,” Masina said.
She described the school as both an educational and economic development initiative that would contribute to youth empowerment while supporting South Africa’s goals of inclusive economic growth and job creation.
“This school is therefore an economic and youth empowerment development project,” she said.
Masina thanked the Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport, led by MEC Thulasizwe Thomo, for delivering what she described as a world-class institution.
“You have built a stage upon which generations of dreams will perform,” she said.
The Education Department, she said, would continue investing in specialised music equipment, recording studios, performance venues, dance facilities, creative technologies, learning resources and industry partnerships to ensure learners receive world-class training.
“We commit ourselves to ensuring that this institution becomes one of the finest Schools of Performing Arts in South Africa,” she said.
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Masina also thanked the Dube family for supporting the project.
“His name no longer belongs only to history; it belongs to the future. It belongs to every learner who will discover a hidden talent inside these classrooms. It belongs to every child who will dare to dream beyond their circumstances,” she said.
As the province’s first no-fee public performing arts school, the institution will provide specialised training in music, dance, drama and other creative disciplines.
Masina said learners would be equipped for careers as composers, producers, actors, dancers, choreographers, directors, sound engineers, stage technicians and creative entrepreneurs.
Reflecting on Dube’s legacy, she said his journey from Ermelo to international success demonstrated that talent could flourish regardless of one’s background.
“From this school shall emerge many more voices. Perhaps the next international recording artist, the next award-winning actor,” she said.
“It is for this reason that this day is about much more than infrastructure; it is about possibility.”
She said the school would help nurture a new generation of artists capable of representing Mpumalanga, South Africa and the continent on the global stage.
“Happy Birthday, posthumous Lucky Dube. May your legacy continue to inspire us to educate with purpose, to create with courage, and to serve with humility,” Masina said.
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