LEGENDARY maskandi singer Vusi Ximba’s jokes used to leave fans in stitches. When he died in 2011 after a long battle with HIV, residents of his village in Ekupholeni, KwaSwayimane near Pietermaritzburg, in the KZN midlands, were devastated.
They had hope something would be done to keep his legacy alive. But his neighbours expressed shock and disappointment over the state of the house and the family’s poorliving conditions. Neighbours told the SunTeam they felt let down by the KZN government, uMshwathi Municipality and the Department of Arts and Culture. Neighbour Zimiphi Gumede said: “Ximba put this place on the map. He was famous and made an impact in showbiz. He shouldn’t have died like any ordinary person.”
He said after Vusi’s death there was nothing left to remember him by except his music. “His family is struggling. His wife survives through donations from neighbours. The houses are falling apart. It’s a sad situation.” Another neighbour, Bheki Khanyile (62), said children don’t believesomeone so famous could have lived in such a house. “Vusi was celebrated and loved by everyone. Previously, on Mandela Day celebrities came to paint the house as part of their 67 minutes initiative. It instilled hope, but that has since stopped.
It’s unfortunate that our fallen hero has been forgotten. Not even a single place has been named after him. His legacy died with him in 2011. “Government should do something about this.” Vusi’s wife Thembisile Nhlangulela told the SunTeam her husband’s death left her heartbroken. She becameemotional and asked the SunTeam to leave her house. Vusi, who died at age 72, sold over 100 000 copies for his 1992 hit Siyakudumisa.
Baba KaPotshoza was one of the fans’ favourites. Umshwathi Municipality spokesperson Sibusiso Mkhithi said the municipality couldn’t do anything about Vusi’s legacy without engaging his family. “People are not only worried about Vusi. Some say the late politician Harry Gwala was born in KwaSwayimane and nothing has been done to keep his legacy alive.
These things don’t happen overnight. “There are processes that need to be followed,” he said. The Southern African Music Rights Organisation acknowledged receipt of the email sent by the SunTeam regarding Vusi’s royalties payment. The organisation said it was in talks with relevant stakeholders before it could respond to Sunday Sun’s query. The KZN Department of Arts and Culture was not available for comment.
