Gospel show not short on red-hot

But more celebs spotted lapping up Tannie Evita and the rest of her gang

Easter time is about family, food, gospel and fun - elements that featured strongly at this week's events.

But the city of Jozi lacked celebrities - maybe they were with their families at the coast. The only event that piqued my interest was the launch of the Joyous Celebration 16 tour at the South African State Theatre in Pretoria on Thursday evening.

This popular, well-travelled gospel choir has been around for 16 years. Time truly does fly!

Sponsors MTN turned the whole place yellow, with a yellow carpet at the entrance. But hardly anyone used the main entrance, because the guests were coming up from the parking levels.

Despite this, and a late start, the organisers pulled out all the stops to ensure VIP guests were pampered.

I did not peer too closely at what people were wearing, because gospel lovers are not renowned for their fashion sense. Instead, I let myself be swept up by the electrifying performance. Almost everyone in the packed theatre sang along, clapping and swaying to the rhythm, feeling the Holy Spirit.

Generations actress Nambitha Mpumlwana, a staunch Joyous Celebration fan, was in high spirits, having her picture taken with fans in the VIP area. She was with her 15-year-old son, Vangile, who wanted to be in every picture that was taken of his mom.

The ever-bubbly Sophie Ndaba-Harrington, another Generations actress, was there with her quiet hubby, Pastor Keith. She looked great in a tight-fitting blue dress with a stylish red bag which matched her shoes, and an outstanding bling bracelet.

And, lo and behold, Uyanda Mbuli was also there. I was meeting her at a second party in as many weeks! The girl knows her social calendar. She was with her older sister, Khosi Nyezi.

At last week's launch party of SA Fashion Week, Mbuli was in torn jeans and Red Bottoms. And this time round she had - torn jeans and Red Bottoms. Maybe she doesn't want to mess with a winning formula.

The impressive menu featured lamb goulash, roast beef, fish 'n chips, beef and chicken chipolata mini-dogs and chicken wings.

Heaven!

On the same evening, my colleagues Monica Laganparsad and Candice Bailey attended the opening night of satirist Pieter-Dirk Uys's show Adapt or Fly at the Joburg Theatre.

Uys traces the kaleidoscope of South Africa's political landscape as he impersonates everyone from Pik Botha to Mrs Pieterson on the Cape Flats.

Now nearly 70, with over 30 years in the industry, Uys can still pull a star-studded crowd to his opening night.

Among them was actress Fiona Ramsay, the most blinged-out audience member in a dazzling silver evening jacket. She tells me she's studying for an MA at the University of the Witwatersrand. "You're never too old. In fact, you're much better, scoring 90% in tests," she boasted.

Carolyn Steyn, a staunch Uys fan and ex-wife of insurance billionaire Douw Steyn, was stunning in knee-high black boots and a black pencil skirt.

Lovely Scandal! actress Masasa Mbangeni showed off her lovely legs in a flimsy floral-print mini vintage dress with green platform heels.

"I never wear such high shoes," she confessed. "I usually wear pumps, but I though it was special occasion, so why not?"

Also spotted were former Carte Blanche journalist Ruda Landman; Market Theatre head Malcolm Purkey; Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra CEO Shadrack Bokaba and his wife Buhle; and Nando's former marketing manager, Sylvester Chauke.

Chauke is now at MTV. I hear he only spends one day a week there and the rest of his time at DNA Brand Architects, which helps young people across Africa develop branding and marketing ideas.