MULTI-AWARD-WINNING jazz legend Sylvia Ncediwe Mdunyelwa (74) has died.
She drew her last breath in Cape Town in the early hours of Friday, 25 August.
Affectionately known as Mama Kaap, the family said her death came after a long illness. Family spokesman Banzi Tema said Mdunyelwa dedicated her life to the creative and music industry, and she helped to develop young people in kasis and created opportunities for them.
"She was celebrated on global stages around the world and leaves an indelible mark in society. She passed away peacefully in the early hours of the morning of 25 August after a long illness," said Banzi in a statement.
Mdunyelwa's hit songs include Abazali, The Nearness of You, and That's All. Between the early 1970s and 1980s, Mdunyelwa sang with the likes of Winston Mankunku, Merton Barrow and top saxophonist Ezra Ngcukana, among other artists.
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Mdunyelwa won numerous awards for her work as an artist, and was honoured in 2017 by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport with a Cultural Affairs Award for her outstanding contribution to Women in Cultural Affairs.
The Western Cape minister of cultural affairs and sport, Anroux Marais, said: “Sylvia will be remembered for her powerful voice and charismatic stage presence. Her legacy will live on not only through her music, but also through the impact she made in the South African music industry and the lives of many artists such as Fancy Galata, Lungiswa Plaatjies and many more from Langa and beyond.
“She remained involved in her community of Langa, advocating for the optimal utilisation of local spaces such as Gugasithebe by local artists and community. She was a true icon who paved the way for others, and who continued to give back to her community.”
The SunTeam last interviewed Mdunyelwa in 2021 during the Covid-19 lockdown. At the time she said she was unable go around for concerts. She, instead, she used the opportunity to go around schools and on streets of her kasi to identify talent in kids as well as mentoring them.
