President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that the late Joseph Shabalala will be nominated for the Order of Ikhamanga in Gold. The Order of Ikhamanga recognises South African citizens who have excelled in the fields of arts, culture, literature, music, journalism and sport.
Shabalala died on 11 February at the age of 78 at the Life Eugene Marais Hospital in Pretoria. He founded multi-award winning group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
The group received airplay on Ukhozi FM (then Radio Zulu), which led to a recording contract with Gallo Records in 1970.
The group achieved international fame when they collaborated with Paul Simon on his Graceland album in 1986.
Shabalala led the group to five Grammy Awards among other awards. He was laid to rest on Saturday.
Mourners are gathered to pay tribute to the late founder and leader of isicathamiya music group- Ladysmith Black Mambazo in song and dance at the Ladysmith Indoor Sports Centre in KwaZulu-Natal.#RIPJosephShabalala pic.twitter.com/8Tw8oFp1Po
— PresidencyZA (@PresidencyZA) February 22, 2020
When these guys (Amabutho) are at your Funeral or Traditional Ceremony, you must know you are highly respected ?? its a Zulu thing #RIPJosephShabalala pic.twitter.com/qMFuto4QWY
— Nqoah (@nqoh18116052) February 22, 2020
“When you are angry drink water, but don’t swallow it, because when u have a mouth full of water, u can’t say anything in anger” – Joseph Shabalala ????❤️❤️
What his son said loosely translated in english. Wise words indeed#RIPJosephShabalala pic.twitter.com/S8rg98KoBH
— Bontle Maloka (@BontleMaloka) February 22, 2020
Ramaphosa says that if there is anyone who deserves the honour, it is Shabalala.
“Our nation gave Ladysmith Black Mambazo recognition an honour in 2008 when they received a national order Inkamanga in silver. This, they received as a group. I’m going to be nominating uBab’uShabalala himself to be awarded the national Order of Inkamanga in Gold posthumously. If there is anyone who deserves richly, it is uBab’uJoseph Shabalala.”
In the video below, President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers the eulogy at Joseph Shabalala’s funeral: