Tribute of Minister of Communications Ms Faith Muthambi at the funeral of the late Mduduzi Tshabalala (Mandoza)
Programme Director
Members of the Tshabalala family
Members of the music fraternity
Fellow mourners
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
On this solemn occasion as a country gripped by grief and sorrow we are here to mourn the untimely demise of our beloved Mduduzi Tshabalala, affectionately known as Mandoza, Ndozin or MDZ, by his legions of adoring fans all across South Africa.
Programme Director, please allow me to digress a little before I go further on my speaking notes. I want to take everyone on a short journey back to the year 2000. As a big fan and great admirer of Mandoza I believe this year has great significance for this grave juncture both on the trajectory of Mandoza’s career and his meteoric rise to fame.
I am certain I speak for many of you present today that certain events that unfolded sixteen years ago back in February 2000 right across our borders in Mozambique still linger in our psyche.
I’m referring specifically to the day when the full force of a tropical Cyclone Eline hit the Mozambique coast near Beira, devastating hundreds of households and lives through a wave of floods. South Africa watched in disbelief as our brave men and women of the South African Air Force defied the odds and ventured with their helicopters to lead the dangerous search and rescue mission to evacuate people that were trapped in the floods.
Who can forget little Rosita Mabuiango's: the adorable little baby girl whose dramatic birth on a tree above the raging floods drew international attention to the havoc wreaked by the floods.
About the same time, as South Africa was still enjoying the fruits of its new found democracy, a young township lad from Zola, Soweto, to use a colloquial language, was hustling through the streets of Johannesburg in search of better opportunities.
Seeing him walking the dusty streets of Zola, notably regarded as one of the most dangerous areas of Soweto, few would have guessed that this young scrawny teenage boy would change the course of creative history in this country.
The 21st of December 2000 to be exact, marks a seminal moment in the history of South African music. It is the year that saw the birth of another equally frenetic cyclone in the release of Mandoza’s iconic multiplatinum album Zola 9 to 5.
Nkalankatha became a crossover hit and reached the top of the charts on both traditionally black and white radio stations and went on to help consolidate the nation building agenda of the great Nelson Mandela.
From a small dingy bar in Benoni to a corner shebeen in Langa, the song Nkalakatha became synonymous with the South African dance scene.
As recognition to its influence on South African music landscape, Nkalakatha went on to win numerous accolades including the South African Music Awards and the continental Kora All Africa Music Awards.
Programme Director, Kwaito music, a genre that Mandoza is duly credited with popularising has the reputation of being a bubble-gum fad that is short on content and constructive messaging. But true or not, the same cannot be said about Mandoza’s music.
Mandoza was a quintessential street poet who used his music as an effective vehicle to reach and encourage young South Africans not to rest on their laurels but to stand up and be counted.
His song, Uzoyithola Kanjani, which literally means: “How are you going to get it, if you don’t get up and got for it,” challenged young people of the day to achieve their goals to the best of their capabilities and resist the temptation to survive on handouts.
This song became a soundtrack for the so-called born-frees and signalled a burgeoning entrepreneurship culture that gripped the country fronted by ambitious young blacks go-getters who lived by the mantra, “sick and tired of being sick and tired”.
Mandoza’s music represented this young robust generation. They existed in a new era of young and upcoming South African artists who beat the odds of growing up tough and using music and the arts as an escape and conduit to share their hard-knock life stories and carve a new path through the arts.
Many of you present here will agree with me that Ndozin made an enormous civic contribution as a motivation force and nation building brand ambassador through his music.
He fearlessly challenged the false stereotypes that continue to be perpetuated about our black youths and our townships. With his unmistakable Zola “kasi taal” and fashion style, he made it cool to be from the township. He gave hope for disadvantaged youth across our townships. Indeed, Mandoza is living proof that “your past does not define your future’.
Programme Director, I would like to urge mourners present here today to please join me on this momentous occasion not just to mourn but as a time to also reflect on memories and joys that Mandoza gave us through his music.
I still have fond memories of my days as a young activist in the ANC Youth League way back then. Those were the days that were characterised by youthful cheerfulness and exuberance. Yet I cannot reminisce on those jovial moments with my fellow comrades without reflecting on Mandoza’s music.
As we commemorate Heritage Month, the SA government will ccontinue to honour the memories of our hero Mandoza’s life, through his music, his messages and his humour.
I want to take this opportunity to challenge my fellow South Africans to continue to unite in our quest to support our local music; by saying “NO” to piracy and robbing our local music musicians of their livelihood.
As government in general and the Department of Arts and Culture, we are proud to announce that through our flagship programmes such as the Young Artists Programme, our support for the creative industries is unwavering.
We recognise the role this industry continues to play in providing unprecedented opportunities for our young people. Through our initiatives, we have established a Debut Fund that allows young artists to publish their first book, produce their first play, cut their first album or partake in any other endeavours in the arts.
The fund will make quarterly awards, to a maximum value of R300 000, providing opportunities to develop new local content and for that all important “break” in their careers. Linked to the funding will be a mentorship programme to make sure that these aspirant artists have the best possible advice and guidance.
Indeed, a major focus of both the SABC and the Department of Arts and Culture during the year under review has been promoting local content across a variety of disciplines. Both have continued to work with partners in the music industry to implement joint programmes in support of our local music industry.
This is also in line with part of our efforts to assist our musicians to be responsible with their earnings.
As Government our wish is to impart knowledge and life skills to empower our artists to be self-sustaining and grow to be productive and responsible members of society beyond their day of fame. In a nutshell we wish to produce more Mandoza’s who would forever be remembered not just as an artistic trendsetter but also as a wonderful caring husband to his wife Mpho and a proud father to his three wonderful children.
We wish to see more Mandozas that in the event of unforeseen misfortunes such as this do not leave their loved once with unnecessary financial burdens.
In closing please allow me if you will, Programme Director to take off my Ministerial hat and address you as a mother. To Mpho I would like to say Sisi, stay strong and always cherish those beautiful memories you had with your husband and the kids.
What is done is done. No one can understand God's mysterious ways. And to your eldest son Tokollo I want to say, my boy, I know that your father is proud of you in the exemplary manner that you have conducted yourself this past few days.
Thanks for frank conversations with the public about your dad. In this short period, you have managed to enlighten us, Mandoza fans, about the other side of Mandoza many of us have been oblivious about. That he was a doting father and family man who put the interest of his wife and children above all else. Your father is smiling down on all of you today because he also knows that he made you proud.
To the entire Tshabalala family, I say take comfort in the Lord at all times. For Psalm Chapter 46:1 reminds us that: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble”.
I would also like to depart with this verse from Matthew Chapter 5:4: “Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted”.
RIP Ndozin. Long Live Nkalakatha.
I thank you.
