The South African Communist Party (SACP) conveys its deepest condolences to the family of legendary broadcaster and Ukhozi FM station manager, Welcome “Bhodloza” Nzimande, who died this morning, Friday 15 January 2021.
The SACP also conveys its heartfelt condolences to his colleagues at Ukhozi FM, SABC and the entire media fraternity as well as all musicians and the entire music industry to which his contribution will continue to be revered for a very long time. Bhodloza, as he was affectionately known among the people, contributed in no small measure not only to the music industry, but to nation building.
Bhodloza’s contribution to national building is recorded in the minds of the people from when he joined Ukhozi FM in 1978 as an announcer, a role he played for 19 years and thereafter as the Station Manager for 13 years. His passion for indigenous music, particularly maskandi, led him to take it upon himself to promote the entire indigenous music industry. On both radio and television, he worked hard to uplift indigenous music, which was, for a long time, regarded as backward and to be kept only within the rural terrain. He went further and encouraged maskandi musicians to stop unnecessary competition among themselves.
In 1987 he worked with the leader of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Joseph Shabalala, among others, to form the South African Traditional Music Association (SATMA). This joint effort led to the formation of the SATMA Awards in 2005 of which he became a board member.
In memory of Bhodloza Nzimande, the SACP calls upon our government to expedite the implementation of all measures to uplift South African music and ensure that artists are protected from exploitation by monopoly capital, in particular. The conscious and deliberate inculcation of indigenous South African languages in the arts sector is an urgent task which must inspire young people. Artists, as well, must unite in the fight for their interests as well as to ensure the sovereign upliftment of the entire industry. They must, in addition, resist the temptation to be used as an entry point for imperialist ideas, which have no interest in developing the local industry.
ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY | SACP
EST. 1921 AS THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF SOUTH AFRICA | CPSA
Dr Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo
SACP Central Committee Member:
Media & Communications
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Hlengiwe Nkonyane
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