14 November 2006

A significant piece of the soul of the nation has been lost with the passing on of premier African artist, vocalist, band leader, cultural activist, visionary and performer Jabu Khanyile who died of  cancer at the age of 49.

Over the last 30 years, Africans have battled to deal concretely with the definition of their identity and the expression of the indigenous culture because of the peculiar complexity of living under the twin oppressive systems of colonialism and apartheid.

The emergence of Jabu Khanyile as the voice and face of super-star-studded Afro-fusion band, “Bayete”, marked a turning point in the early 1980s. He was widely acknowledged as a visionary cultural activist and leader who dealt perceptively with the challenge, using his unique voice as a tool to boost self-love and for the affirmation of African music, language, and fashion to lift the spirits of his people.

He directly addressed the status of African culture, politics and history at a time when it was taboo to do so. Khanyile became a pioneer because he trod an uncharted path when he transformed his life and career to be one of the few active links between our past heritage and culture and the contemporary highly industrialized world that Africans now live in.

Significantly, his musical career began soon after the student uprisings of June 1976 during which he was shot in the arm.Since that time, and culminating in the launch of “Bayete”, he became a highly politicized, conscious and committed artist and a living repository of the language, tradition, music, creative and intellectual heritage of African people.

In many ways, Khanyile epitomized a true African artist. The nation is poorer because he passed on while nurturing an African identity, building a uniting spirit of our new nation and contributing towards its psychological, cultural and political transformation which is still ‘ a work in progress.’

In the late 1980s, Khanyile’s striking re-arrangements of original African hits such as “Mbube” and “Mbombela” were directly responsible for heightening cultural and political self-consciousness and the use of arts and culture as a ‘weapon of the struggle.’ Indeed, with hindsight they laid the groundwork for the African Rebirth agenda that Khanyile had defined for himself as an artist.

When he embarked on his solo project during the tumultuous decade of early 1990s  with the release of the album, “The Prince”, he established himself as one of the most culturally committed and authoritative voices on African self-definition, pride and cultural identity. Khanyile’s music, especially the lyrics, espoused self-love, unity and pride. The words encouraged social cohesion and nurtured a spirit of national unity during a very violent period.

Khanyile’s music was rooted in the historical antecedents of the political resistance while simultaneously providing an uplifting psychological message that affirmed African culture.

Significantly, one of Khanyile’s last performances was in Germany during the World Cup ‘cultural manifestation’ staged by the Department of Arts & Culture in July 2006. He deliberately chose to participate in that manifestation so as to use an international platform to highlight and celebrate African achievement and self-determination and to give wider exposure to the power of African music and culture.

The Ministry of Arts & Culture expresses its heartfelt appreciation for the life and work of one of the most important musicians to have helped the people of this nation and the continent to understand themselves and their condition better.

Our hearts go out to his family, relatives, friends. We trust that they will  draw strength from the millions throughout the world who mourn this sad loss with them.

May his soul rest in peace.

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For further information call Sandile Memela, Spokesperson in the Ministry of Arts & Culture at 082 800 3750 or Premi Appalraju, Media Liaison Officer at 082 375 2939

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