Lessons from Mandoza
International kwaito hero will be remembered
No one is ever ready for death regardless of how expected it is. Even though it finally caught up with the legendry Kwaito star Mandoza, indeed he was a brave lion that looked it in the eye as the minister of arts and culture Nathi Mthethwa described him at his memorial service.
Thousands of people all over the world mourned the death of superstar Mandoza whose real name was Mduduzi Tshabalala, when the news of his passing from cancer spread like a wildfire on Sunday afternoon last week. Those close to him said the Nkalakatha musician has definitely left behind a legacy and had valuable life lessons. tjil spoke to Namibian artist Ees who collaborated with Mandoza on the hit track Ayoba and he had nothing but graceful words to remember his friend by. Ees recalls his first encounter with the fallen star and said he was touched at how talented and open-minded he was. “I still remember the day he came into the studio we recorded our Song Ayoba. It was quite magical - as he had a certain energy to him - I got to know the Mandoza behind the artist - and that was an even more loving person. Ees also recalled how excited Mandoza was when they won NAMA best collaboration and music video as he made a call from SA which was a very special moment that he will cherish forever.
Mandoza was a mentor to many and one of the lessons he taught his fans was not to see people by their skin colour but their hearts. President Jacob Zuma described him as a pioneer whose music appealed to a cross-section of people, young and old, and was known to have achieved the unique crossover culturally to be enjoyed by both black and white people. His bodyguard Smorden, who referred to him as a brother, said he would remember him by his Christian values. “Mandoza was a Christian who always prayed before each performance regardless of what people say about him. That is something he should be remembered for,” he said. Another example led by Mandoza was the lovely role he played as a husband and a father. In an interview recently, his son Tokollo Tshabalala said that his father was a proud man and he was happy that he died proud.
“Every time he’d tell me that he never got the chance to spend time with his dad‚ so all he ever wanted was to raise his children‚” he said. Ees said a lesson that he left for the music industry was his freedom to express himself. “He used a lot of vocal energy on songs and placed them on a killer beat. He was always open to change,” he said.
Mandoza will be laid to rest today at Westpark Cemetery after a funeral service at Grace Bible Church in Soweto from 0800.
Thousands of people all over the world mourned the death of superstar Mandoza whose real name was Mduduzi Tshabalala, when the news of his passing from cancer spread like a wildfire on Sunday afternoon last week. Those close to him said the Nkalakatha musician has definitely left behind a legacy and had valuable life lessons. tjil spoke to Namibian artist Ees who collaborated with Mandoza on the hit track Ayoba and he had nothing but graceful words to remember his friend by. Ees recalls his first encounter with the fallen star and said he was touched at how talented and open-minded he was. “I still remember the day he came into the studio we recorded our Song Ayoba. It was quite magical - as he had a certain energy to him - I got to know the Mandoza behind the artist - and that was an even more loving person. Ees also recalled how excited Mandoza was when they won NAMA best collaboration and music video as he made a call from SA which was a very special moment that he will cherish forever.
Mandoza was a mentor to many and one of the lessons he taught his fans was not to see people by their skin colour but their hearts. President Jacob Zuma described him as a pioneer whose music appealed to a cross-section of people, young and old, and was known to have achieved the unique crossover culturally to be enjoyed by both black and white people. His bodyguard Smorden, who referred to him as a brother, said he would remember him by his Christian values. “Mandoza was a Christian who always prayed before each performance regardless of what people say about him. That is something he should be remembered for,” he said. Another example led by Mandoza was the lovely role he played as a husband and a father. In an interview recently, his son Tokollo Tshabalala said that his father was a proud man and he was happy that he died proud.
“Every time he’d tell me that he never got the chance to spend time with his dad‚ so all he ever wanted was to raise his children‚” he said. Ees said a lesson that he left for the music industry was his freedom to express himself. “He used a lot of vocal energy on songs and placed them on a killer beat. He was always open to change,” he said.
Mandoza will be laid to rest today at Westpark Cemetery after a funeral service at Grace Bible Church in Soweto from 0800.
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