Miriam Makeba died this weekend after a performance in Italy. I remember the last time I saw her was at the original Klein Karoo Kunstefees, I was working for the Mail & Guardian, and she was being pelted with beer cans. I got into a spot of trouble after writing a scathing article about the festival – craftily titled “Beer Cans and Boer Wars” by my editor – repeatedly shortening the name of the festival to KKK and accusing them of racism. They later renamed it to the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees.

V calls it my Angry Young Man period, I wasn’t welcomed back the following year. I remember Ms. Makeba being pretty amazing and calm on the stage, and very gracious in accepting the festival organizers’ apologies in a press conference the next day. This is the last photo I took of her that evening at the festival.

www kleinkarookunstefees com,