Durban Living Legend – Penelope Jane Dunlop
Penelope Jane Dunlop also known as PJ Powers or Thandeka was born in 1960 in Durban. She has enjoyed a highly successful musical career in South Africa spanning more than 15 years, during which time she has been one of the few white entertainers who has crossed cultural barriers and been loved by both black and white audiences alike. P J Powers is well known for her anti-apartheid and activism, human rights advocacy and philanthropy.
P.J. Powers has recorded 15 albums and is well known for her UK chart hit World In Union (with Ladysmith Black Mambazo) in 1995. In 1988, PJ was banned from radio and TV for a year by the apartheid government for her performance at a charity concert for war orphans in Zimbabwe, together with Miriam Makeba and Harry Belafonte.
She was encouraged to continue her singing by Nelson Mandela, who sent her an encouraging letter from Victor Verster Prison in Cape Town. Powers has been extensively involved with the Reach For a Dream Foundation, as well as the Hamlet Foundation. In 2014 PJ Powers launched her book titled Here I am.