Cost is a strange thing when it comes to traditional african instruments.
You may find a second rate instrument at a curio shop at the Waterfront for R 5,000 that looks pretty, but doesn't even work.
And will never be played by the tourist who buys it.
And which was sold by the maker for R 400 to buy food.
On another day you could find a contact in West Africa who'll find you one for very little.
I gave my drum teacher R 1,200 once to source me a balafon from Mali.
He ran into a pickle and had to use my money for plane trip home.
Two years later he went back and got me a djembe, balafon AND ngoni for my 1,200.
djembe -->
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djembe
balafon -->
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balafon
ngoni -->
http://www.spurlock.uiuc.edu/explorations/online/senufomusic/instruments/ngoni2.html
It's also the sort of thing that you can make yourself for very little - just need to figure out where to source those monster calabashes.
I think there are few pleasures as great as making music on an instrument you've made yourself.
