mobanmarketJohannesburg: Legendary South African singer Johnny Clegg, who blended Zulu rhythms with Western styles and defied apartheid segregation laws, died on Tuesday after a long battle with cancer.
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“Johnny passed away with his family this afternoon,” manager Roddy Quinn said. “We are devastated.”
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Clegg succumbed to pancreatic cancer at the age of 66 at his home in Johannesburg, more than four years after he was diagnosed.
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“Johnny leaves deep footprints in the hearts of every person that considers himself or herself to be an African,” Quinn said.
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“He showed us what it was to assimilate to and embrace other cultures without losing your identity.”
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“In many of us, he awakened awareness.”
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Nicknamed the “White Zulu”, Clegg mastered the language, culture and high kicks of Zulu dance, forming multi-racial bands in defiance of the segregationist laws of the apartheid-era government which censored his work.
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Among his famous tracks was “Asimbonaga”, Zulu for “We have not seen him”, released in 1987 following the declaration of the first state of emergency by the apartheid government.
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The song paid tribute to Nelson Mandela – then in jail – and was outlawed because any reference to the anti-apartheid leader was illegal.
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It became an international anthem for the struggle against apartheid and for modern South Africa.
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‘Torchbearer’ of freedom struggle’
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Clegg was diagnosed with cancer in 2015 but continued to tour and perform around the world.
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He performed for the last time in October last year in Mauritius.
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The South African government and fellow musicians paid tribute to Clegg as a musician and an activist.
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“A towering giant has fallen with the passing of legendary Singer-songwriter & Anthropologist Johnny Clegg,” Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa posted on Twitter.
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“Our hearts are sore & as he famously sang in Asimbonanga ‘oh the sea is cold & the sky is grey’ as we contend with the loss of a torchbearer of our struggle for freedom.”
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The South African government account tweeted that Clegg “has left deep footprints in our hearts”.
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Veteran singer and old friend Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse told SABC that “this is probably one of the most sad days for this country to have lost someone like Johnny Clegg.
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“Johnny was in the forefront of everything that was going right for this country,” he said.
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“Johnny could have been one of the most privileged people as most white people were – but he chose to take a different direction and join in highlighting the atrocities of apartheid through his music and joined with many people involved in liberation struggle.
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“Johnny took it upon himself to sing and write about Nelson Mandela when not many white people would have done that.
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“His contribution was immense in profiling South Africa as a pariah state. Today we are a different country because of what people like Johnny have done.”
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Apartheid arrests
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The Soweto Gospel Choir said it was “devastated at the passing of Johnny Clegg. An music icon and a true South African. We shall miss him with all our hearts”.
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Clegg was born on in 1953 in Lancashire, Britain and moved to Johannesburg with his mother when he was six years old.
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His exposure to Zulu migrant workers during adolescence introduced him to their culture and music, and his involvement with black musicians often saw him arrested during apartheid.
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At the age of 17, together with Sipho Mchunu, he formed their first band called Juluka.
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In 1986 at the height of apartheid he partnered with Dudu Zulu to form his second inter-racial band, Savuka.
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Clegg also recorded several solo albums and enjoyed huge international success selling out concerts wherever he performed.
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He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Jenny and their two sons Jesse and Jaron.
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