Charles Molele
The glorious, gentle voice of Joseph Shabalala, founder of five-time Grammy Award-winning group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, is no more.
Shabalala died in a hospital in Pretoria, the country’s capital, on Tuesday morning at the age of 78.
Shabalala is widely known for founding and directing the world-famous South African isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, which came to Western fame for its work on Paul Simon’s Graceland album and in the 1990s Heinz beans adverts.
The South African Government confirmed Shabala’s death on Twitter, saying: “We would like to extend our condolences on the passing of Joseph Shabalala who was the founder of the group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Ulale ngoxolo Tata ugqatso lwakho ulufezile.”
Shabalala, who was born Bhekizizwe Joseph Shabalala, started Ladysmith Black Mambazo in 1959 and went on to win multiple awards with them.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo found global fame in 1986 with Paul Simon’s Graceland album.
This was during the cultural boycott, and the ANC and Artists Against Apartheid were outraged because Simon had not consulted with the liberation movement.
Dali Tambo, founder of Artists Against Apartheid and son of the late African National Congress (ANC) president Oliver Tambo, was livid.
He said later: “At that moment in time, it was not helpful. We were fighting for our land, for our identity. We had a job to do, and it was a serious job. And we saw Paul Simon coming as a threat because it was not sanctioned by the liberation movement.”
Since its first album in 1972, Ladysmith Black Mamabazo has released more than 25 LPs of secular and religious material in South Africa.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo has won five Grammy Awards.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his deep sadness at the passing of Shabalala.
In a statement, Ramaphosa said the passing of Shabalala was a ‘terribly sad moment for a nation and a world in whose ears the isicathamiya and mbube crafted by Ladysmith Black Mambazo will ring for generations to come.’
“Today the spirit of Joseph Shabalala is united with that of our great leader, Nelson Mandela, whose release from prison we are commemorating,” said Ramaphosa.
“Madiba was a loyal follower of Ladysmith Black Mambazo who had the distinction of being part of the cultural programme at the Nobel ceremony where our Founding President was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The inspirational leadership and passion of Joseph Shabalala ensured that Ladysmith Black Mambazo filled the hearts of humanity with their joyfulness, sadness and poignancy – from the villages and towns of their origins in KwaZulu-Natal, to the far corners of the earth.”
“The acclaim which has earned the group recognition and countless awards at home and abroad is evidence of the ability of Joseph Shabalala and his group were able to touch and unite people around the country and globally.”
Ramaphosa said Ladysmith Black Mambazo richly deserved the National Order of Ikhamanga which the choral group was awarded in October 2008.
The SA Communist Party also paid tribute to Shabalala, saying he remains one of the most respected pioneers of indigenous African music.
“He, together with his fellow colleagues in Ladysmith Black Mambazo, were able to show that the African peoples across the world need not jettison their language and indigenous music in order to change the world. Their music, isicathamiya, is today appreciated across the globe because of their efforts. His contribution to the South African music industry will continue to be cherished by many across the world,” the party said in a statement.
