Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa has confirmed on Twitter on Saturday night that Legendary Jazz Musician Dorothy Masuka has passed away at the age of 83.
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“A baobab tree has fallen with the passing of a one of a kind Musician, the legendary Mama Dorothy Masuka. Her music was the soundtrack of some of our most joyful moments & the light of our souls during our darkest hours. Lala ngoxolo Mama wethu (sic),” – Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa wrote.
Dorothy Masuka was a Zimbabwe-born South African jazz singer. She was born in Bulawayo.
Masuka’s music was popular in South Africa throughout the 1950s, but when her songs became more serious, the government began questioning her. Her song “Dr. Malan,” mentioning difficult laws, was banned and in 1961 she sang a song for Patrice Lumumba, which led to her exile.
The governing African National Congress said Dorothy Masuka was a revolutionary who used her music to spread the message of liberation from the apartheid regime.
”We dip our banners in remembrance of this giant whose music transcended generations and inspired many during the height of apartheid. Born in Zimbabwe and launched her professional music career in South Africa, her travels to Malawi, Tanzania, the United Kingdom, and Zambia made her a true citizen of the world, deeply committed to the struggles to liberate the peoples of Africa,” the ANC said in a statement.
”She was a South African patriot who loved the country and her people dearly. There is no doubt that she occupied a special place in the hearts of South Africans across generations and her music continues to inspire the nation.”
Image Courtesy: musicinafrica.net