Meet Kutlwano Yika, a busker bringing rhythm to South African streets

CapeTalk's Lester Kiewit speaks to musician Kutlwano Yika.

Listen below: 

Kutlwano Yika is a musician who turned the streets of Johannesburg into his stage using a laptop, amplifier, a microphone, and the power of social media.

Yika started sharing his busking talent on TikTok and went viral many times.

He explains how his journey to busking started...

"COVID changed my life... having a following was through the power of TikTok... the laws don't stop you from doing this, it's something unique..."

- Kutlwano Yika

Apart from audiences who love Yika's talent online, there's also an audience of motorists.

"I wish I could tell you what I see, different audiences, different smiles..."

- Kutlwano Yika

However, busking in Johannesburg seems to be a different experience from busking in Cape Town.

Yika recently posted about Cape Town’s bylaws being overly strict when it comes to public performances, citing 'noise' as the primary concern at popular intersections. He says the City should be more vibrant when it comes to buskers. 

"I went viral in Cape Town on my first day of performing here, so the reception here was very positive... Obviously, you don't want to be a nuisance by showing up at the same spot all the time. What people like is that they need you to be what gets people to busy interactions or that street."

- Kutlwano Yika

"What I like about busking is, if it's good, people will come to you... People can support us digitally."

- Kutlwano Yika

Show Yika some love by supporting and following his journey online.

Scroll up to the audio player for more.