Based: Cape Town
Pule Welch – Aliases: NRH Pule Welch, Pule kaJanolintshi, Gwaza Juse, “Pule Skhothane”
Comédien, Actor, Rapper, Linguist (Speaks 11 different languages incl French)
– Presenter of SABC1’s township documentary series ‘Mikasi Sukasi’,
– Original host of music request show, ‘Pls Call Me’ on Mzansi Magic Music,
– Appeared in hit Mzansi Magic Lokshin Bioskop TV film ‘Taxi Cheese Boy’ alongside Riky Rick,
– Supporting cast in SABC1 drama series ‘Tempy Pushas’,
– Sketch performer on TV comedy shows such as ‘LNN’ and ‘Bantu Hour’,
– Featured comedian in groundbreaking vernacular stand-up comedy DVD ‘Strictly Vernac’ (2009)
– Co-creator and performer in ‘Vernacular Spectacular’ theatrical comedy show at the Lyric Theatre Gold Reef City (2015)
– Host of major national events, like the unveiling of the Mandela statue at the Union Buildings, attended by president GJ Zuma, the annual South African Hip Hop Awards, and the 2015 South African Traditional Music Awards.
– Stand-up comedy performances in vernacular languages touring dozens of towns and cities in SA (all provinces), Botswana and Lesotho, particularly in townships and occasionally in rural areas
– Theatre performer with a degree in Dramatic Arts from Wits University (BADA Hons) and training at Helikos school of performing arts in Florence, Italy (Red Nose Clowning with Elizabeth Baron).
– Theatre plays (‘Ster City’, ‘Sans Doute’, ‘Quand Meme’) touring 19 different countries in Africa and 6 different cities in France, including at the Festival d’Avignon in 2013
– Rapper and producer in Meadowlands, Soweto based hip-hop group 3rd Wave with three independent releases and features on upcoming releases by the likes of Amu
– Collaboration as a rapper on jazz luminary, Marcus Wyatt’s Language 12 album ‘Maji Maji in the Land of Milk and Honey’ and with the band Bomshelter Beast that includes Siya Makuzeni and Pitch Black Afro.
-Beatmaker for 3rd Wave and other local hip-hop acts, using the Akai MPC2500 and Ensoniq ASR-10 samplers and vinyl records.
– Award winning linguist (LSSA Young Linguist of the Year 2011) with an Honours degree from Wits University specialising in phonology of African languages, currently completing a Masters by dissertation at the University of Cape Town entitled “The Secret Languages of South Africa”
– Co-director of isibheqe.org – a website devoted to the indigenous South African writing system which is a decolonial alternative literacy.
