Linda Ximba
The long-awaited documentary about the life of Ladysmith Black Mambazo founder Joseph Shabalala is at last ready to be screened.
Music is My life is one of the documentaries to premier at the Encounters South African International Documentary Festivals to take place in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Albert Mazibuko, the surviving member of the isicathamiya group, had mixed emotions when Scrolla.Africa caught up with him.
Mazibuko, said Mshengu, as the leader was popularly known, wanted to see the documentary before he died. The documentary took four years to be completed.
“But he passed away in 2020. While I am excited that finally it’s going to be out I am at the same time sad he’s no longer around to watch it,” Mazibuko said.
“I also contributed to the documentary because I had known Mshengu from the early 1960s when we left our Ladysmith village to seek greener pastures in Durban and Gauteng. Those watching the documentary will get to see the other side of Mshengu and I’m sure people will enjoy it,” said Mazibuko.
According to Mazibuko, also appearing on the documentary are Paul Simon and Dolly Parton, who both did many great hits with Black Mambazo. Stars from the United States like Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg and locally Sipho Sithole, also spent a great deal of time with Mshengu.
Music is My life has been chosen alongside Whispering Truth to Power, a doccie about former Public Protector Professor Thuli Madonsela among others and will be screened from 23 June to 3 July.
Image source: @NewFrame
