After years of working abroad in Dubai and travelling extensively through Africa, Europe, and cities such as New York, media personality and entrepreneur Spitch Nzawumbi, fondly known as Mastandi, is bringing his vision of culture, connection, and African storytelling home to Cape Town.
Nzawumbi will host his first Mastandi Pan-African brunch experience at the V&A Waterfront on Sunday, May 24, combining African cuisine, music, and storytelling in what he describes as an experience rooted in soul and Ubuntu.
The concept was shaped by his travels and exposure to different cultures while living and working in Dubai. He said visits to places such as Ethiopia, Nigeria, Morocco, and beyond, highlighting both the richness of African identity and what he felt was missing in many international experiences.
“When I travel to a country, there are three things I want to explore- the culture, the music, and the food. When I went to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, it clicked for me. Africa is rich in culinary experiences and storytelling," he said.
Although Mastandi was conceptualised before his move to the UAE, Nzawumbi said living abroad helped refine the vision.
“In Dubai, brunch culture is huge. Every weekend, people gather and connect,” he said. “But I wanted to create something with soul, something rooted in who we are as Africans,” he said.
The event, taking place a day before Africa Day, will feature African-inspired dishes, music performances and storytelling sessions — elements Nzawumbi says were shaped by his childhood memories of sitting around a fire listening to his grandmother tell stories while food was shared among family.
“As Africans, we are storytellers. We create with our minds,” he said. “When I travelled overseas, I realised many places were beautiful, but they lacked warmth.”
He believes Cape Town, despite its social divisions, is the perfect city for a Pan-African experience because of its diversity and mix of cultures.
“Cape Town reminds me of Dubai because there are people here from everywhere,” he said. “There’s a great opportunity to bring people together.”
Nzawumbi also hinted at plans for the Mastandi brand, including a signature wine line developed in partnership with a Cape Town winery. He said the idea has been in the works since 2020/21 and forms part of his broader vision to grow Mastandi into a lifestyle brand rooted in African identity, food and hospitality.
More than entertainment, Nzawumbi hopes guests leave with a renewed sense of African identity and belonging.
“I want people to remember who they are culturally, spiritually and traditionally,” he said. “We have something special as Africans - warmth, community and soul and the world should come to us and experience that.”
Tickets can be purchased here.
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