F E AT U R E
M
afikizolo's catchy African
percussions will most likey
have us vigourously tapping
our feet to thier playful tunes .
It's not just the flavour of thier sound, but
one can account this to thier amazing
energy and presence.
The journey
Mafikizolo came together in the early
nineties, only finding their way into
the limelight in 1996 after releasing
their first album. The group started
with three members - Nhlanhla Nciza,
Theo Kgosinkwe and the late Tebogo
Madingoane. And immediately, it was
easy to identify who the group regarded as
a bench mark for thier sound. With tunes
resembling the old jazzy South African
icons such as the iconic Miriam Makeba.
Not only were they making music that
sounded like a 70's throwback, the duo
came complete with an uptown township
apparal. Top hats, snart shoes and elegant
styling. This immediately made them a
South African favourite across all black
identies. Mafikozolo's 'Whe Bhuti'
could be heard at township, rural and
surburban weddings, shebeens and family
gatherings. This reachability has helped
them propel into a stable commdity in the
music industry.
Having been in the industry for so long,
Mafikizolo have had their fair share
of challenging life experiences. This
includes the unexpected and tragic
passing of their fellow band member,
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Tebogo, who was gunned down after
a road rage incident. This was met by
another bump in the road, when in
December of 2009, Nhlanhla's daughter
was tragically killed in a car accident.
Overcoming the past
Nhlanhla and Theo, attribute their
staying power to the strengthened bond
made in childhood and regard the other
as family. With all the turmoil that lay
behind, the duo thought it was time to
revive the Mafikizolo brand. And after
such a long break in coalese, their latest
offering 'reuinted' hit the shelves.