By Jemima Beukes (NEW ERA) South African gospel songstress Juanita du Plessis is on tour through Namibia to introduce her new album Jy voltooi my (You complete me) to Namibian music lovers.
Her song, By Jesus se Voete (At Jesus’ feet) , has proven to a run-away hit in the southern town and is often used for consolation at memorial services and funerals.
The tour that kicked off in the Hermanus Van Gedenksaal in Rehoboth last night and will continue for the next two weeks taking her to Keetmanshoop, Stampriet, Walvis Bay, Otjiwarongo and Grootfontein. Du Plessis is not a stranger to Namibian music lovers and was in the country last September during the Hart Van Windhoek music festival where she performed next to South African musical giant, Theuns Jordaan.
According to Dennis van Rooyen, one of the committee members that made the Rehoboth performance possible, 1000 tickets were sold just in one month, but the interest is astonishing with a great number of people still looking for tickets to buy or for an option to pay at the door. Proceeds for the Rehoboth performance will be used to uplift community members, especially people living in the Block F suburb of the town. This suburb is where a number of elderly people live who takes care of their grandchildren without any significant assistance.
Juanita is billed as one of the brightest starts on the South African music scene and has won various awards during the course of her career, which started in 1998. Since then various albums and concert tours have followed, and today she is one of the most popular singers in the neighbouring country, having sold more than two million albums, making her the first Afrikaans singer to do so.
