The Executive Mayor has bid farewell to 63-year old songstress Sibongile Khumalo, who was laid to rest at Heroes’ Acre at the West Park Cemetery at the weekend. She died a week ago after suffering a stroke.
Khumalo’s funeral service was held at the historic Market Theatre in Newtown, an arts and culture precinct where the deceased songbird spent the heydays of her decorated career performing on stage alongside peers in the entertainment industry.
Cllr Geoff Makhubo says Khumalo’s music, which transcends almost three decades, will continue to heal the nation and immortalise her in the history books.
“Mme Sibongile Khumalo was much more than a songbird. She was a musical pioneer with a mellifluous voice,” says Makhubo.
The Executive Mayor attended the musician’s funeral accompanied by the Speaker of Council, Cllr Nonceba Molwele.
“The arts fraternity has truly lost an icon. Our country is surely poorer without her,” says the Mayor.
Family spokesperson, Siya Khumalo told SABC News they’ll miss the singer’s warm personality. “We have lost someone special, someone, with a beautiful soul. The love she had for everyone was something beautiful to witness.”
Violinist, Tshepo Mngoma, also spoke to SABC News, noting that his mother’s legacy will live on in her children and grandchildren. “This beautiful flower has been plucked from this planet but her memory will live on through us.”
According to the Presidency, Khumalo began her musical journey aged (8) eight under the tutelage of respected pianist Emily Motsieloa. Guided by her famous father, the legendary Khabi Mngoma, who was a classical musician, activist and a professor of music at the University of Zululand, Khumalo studied violin, singing, drama and dance.
A doyenne of arts and culture, she was revered for being a prolific songbird and music teacher with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from the University of Zululand and an honours degree in the History of Music from Wits University. She was also a renowned cognoscente of classical jazz, opera and indigenous South African music and enjoyed an internationally acclaimed career spanning over 28 years.
“In the true spirit of activism of her era, she understood that her learning needed to impact and uplift her community,” says Makhubo.
The songstress’ melodic voice and music resonated with and dazzled audiences from all walks of life and she’s been described by colleagues, friends and fans alike as an iconic home-grown mezzo-soprano soloist – South Africa’s first lady of song – with innate musicality and supreme vocal quality.
Khumalo is not just lauded for her plenitude musical talent, she is also hailed for inspiring the creation of a melange of melodious sounds by South African musicians, producers and composers across different genres. She has worked with a myriad of artists, including Hugh Masekela, Jack Dejohnette, Jerome Harris and a host of other local and international acts.
She held several accolades under her belt, with some of her most notable ones recognising her as a musician of substance. Khumalo was awarded the Presidency’s Order of Ikhamanga in Silver for excellent contribution to the development of South African arts and culture in the musical fields of jazz and opera.
She also won four South African Music Awards (SAMA) and three FNB Vita Awards for her opera and concert work. She had an honorary licentiate in music from the University of South Africa and had expanded her career to encompass producing and directing, which was the impetus for the creation of her record label in 2007.
“As a daughter of Joburg, she made the City great,” says the Mayor.