The New Dawn Store
Individual
Theatre / St Andrew's Hall

The struggle is inherited. The New Dawn Store is the battlefield for this blistering political drama, set entirely in the cramped stockroom and brightly-lit cashier aisle of a South African supermarket.

Revolution, a fiery political activist, rallies his broken comrades for a minimum wage strike. But when his best friend, Zwelethu, discovers a crushing personal betrayal—concerning his girlfriend, a pregnancy, and Revolution's dark secret—the political revolution implodes.

A devastating exploration of exploitation, guilt, and the price of a life in the 'New Dawn' era, culminating in a fatal confrontation that asks: Is the personal always political?

Production Credits

Writer & Director

Patric Sbusiso Bhakaqana

 

Stage Manager

Sikholiwe Genge

 

Cast

Sigqibo Kutase – Revolution

Bantu Dama – Zwelethu

Somikazi Makhaluza – Azania

Phil Cowie – Bertjies

Tina Ngeno – Levozanne

About the Artists

Patric Sbusiso Bhakaqana is an award-winning South African theatre maker, director, and arts facilitator with over 15 years of experience in performance, education, and community-based creative practice. His work centres on protest theatre, oral storytelling, and socially engaged narratives that reflect contemporary South African realities.
 
He is the writer and director of The New Dawn Store, presented at the Mandela Bay Arts Festival (2024), and has led multiple productions across community and institutional platforms. Bhakaqana currently works as a Drama Facilitator at Masifunde Learner Development, where he develops young performers through applied theatre methodologies.
 
He holds an Associate of Trinity College London (ATCL) in Speech and Drama and is currently completing an NQF Level 5 qualification in Film and Television Production at The Media Workshop, expanding his practice into screen-based storytelling. His work also includes contributions to award-winning radio drama on Ithini Na Le Nto? on Umhlobo Wenene FM.
  • Venue: St Andrew's Hall
  • Location: St Andrew's College
  • Ticket price: ZAR 120.00
  • Programme type: The Fringe
  • Genre: Theatre
  • Duration: 60 minutes
  • Ages: 14+
    • Strong Language
    • Academic or Professional Content
    • Adult Themes
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June 28, 2026 18:00 - 19:00