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Nkandla municipality honours popular maskandi musician Khuzani Mpungose

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Recognition just keeps rolling in for acclaimed maskandi musician, Khuzani “Idlamlenze” Mpungose from Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal.

The artist whose song titled “Ijele” won top honours in Ukhozi FM’s popular Song of the Year contest last year, was recently honoured by his home village.

Thirty-one-year-old maskandi music star Khuzani, as he is popularly known, came from humble beginnings to achieve fame.

He grew up herding cattle like all the other boys in this rural area.

Khuzani started his music career 10 years ago and worked with legends of the maskandi music genre.

Amongst the big names, who helped shape his talent, were the late Mgqumeni, Shwi Nomtekhala and Mtshengiseni “Indidane” Gcwensa.

His first solo album titled, Bahluleke Bonke, was released in 2011 and he has produced 10 albums since then.

He’s won big at the South African Traditional Music Awards (SATMA) and the South African Music Awards (SAMA).

Receiving his trophy and special guitar donated by the Nkandla Municipality, Mpungose says he feels honoured.

“I would like to say thank you to the municipality to honour me like this. It shows a high respect to me as young as I am. It is encouraging to me to work hard in order to help those trying to achieve what I have already achieved. This maskandi is our roots because we are singing with our language.”

Nkandla Mayor, Thamsanqa Ntuli, praised Mpungose for his inspiring music and for putting the rural town of Nkandla on the map.

“The decision for the municipality to honour Idlamlenze, Khuzani Mpungose is based on the fact that he is no longer an artist at the level of iNkandla. He is known in the whole country and even abroad. He is a role model in most of the emerging artists,” says mayor Ntuli.

The municipality also used the event to award study bursaries to 150 students.

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