Sylvia Mdunyelwa, a jazz icon from Langa, has passed away. Starting her career in the 1970s with the Victor Ntoni sextet, Sylvia went on to become one of the great singers in South Africa. She performed alongside icons such as Winston Mankunku Ngozi, Merton Barrow, Duke Ngcukana, Ezra Ngcukana, and others.
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After attending a six-month music and theatre course in Canada in 1990, Sylvia travelled across the globe. She was a member of the Fine Music Radio management and hosted her own show, the Voice of Jazz on umHlobo Wenene. She also did voice-overs, advertisements and acting.
In 2017, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport honoured Sylvia with a Cultural Affairs Award for her outstanding contribution to Women in Cultural Affairs. ‘Sylvia will be remembered for her powerful voice and charismatic stage presence.
‘Her legacy will live on not only through her music but also through the impact she made on the South African music industry and the lives of many artists such as Fancy Galata, Lungiswa Plaatjies and many more from Langa and beyond,’ says Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Anroux Marais.
‘She remained involved in her community of Langa, advocating for the optimal utilization of local spaces such as Gugasithebe by local artists and community. She was a true icon who paved the way for others and who continued to give back to her community.’
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Picture: Sylvia Mdunyelwa / Facebook