Award-winning South African Afro-pop singer Bulelwa Mkutukana known by her stage name Zahara has died aged 35.
South Africa’s sports, arts and culture minister, Zizi Kodwa, announced her death, saying: “My deepest condolences to the Mkutukana family and the South African music industry. Government has been with the family for some time now. Zahara and her guitar made an incredible and lasting impact in South African music.”
Last month, her manager, Oyama Dyosiba, confirmed she had been hospitalised “following complaints about physical pains”. She had suffered liver disease after problems with alcoholism, confirmed by Dyosiba in 2019.
Her sister Nomonde said that year doctors had told her, “if [Zahara] continues drinking, she is going to die … We are making sure that there is always someone around her to monitor her so that she doesn’t start drinking again”.
Who was Zahara?
Born Bulelwa Mkutukana in 1987, Zahara was self-taught on guitar and broke through in 2011 with her debut album, Loliwe, a commercial hit that also won album of the year at the South African music awards.
She performed the title track for Nelson Mandela at his home before his death in 2013, and later wrote a tribute song with the lyrics: “Hero of heroes / There’s none like him.” That song, like the rest of her discography, was sung in a blend of Xhosa and English.
Her second album, Phendula, opened with a collaboration with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, while the country-influenced follow-up, Country Girl, went three times platinum. She signed with a major label, Warner Music, for her fourth album, Mgodi, following a dispute with previous label TS Records.
She also campaigned against violence against women, which she described in 2020 as a “pandemic” in South Africa. She said she was a survivor of an attack from a man who pepper-sprayed her in his car.
“[Men] feel like they are entitled to women, like women are theirs,” she told the BBC. “Men in South Africa, all they care about is them.”
Zahara husband: Was singer Zahara married?
singer Zahara has never been married, but she has been engaged three times. Her current fiance is Mpho Xaba, an engineer who proposed to her in March 2023.
Singer Zahara announced that she was engaged to her partner Mpho Xaba via a tweet on Saturday 11 March. The pair have reportedly been together for six months and met through a mutual friend.
“I said yes💍👸🏼👑💃🏽,” she wrote.
Mpho Xaba
Xaba is believed to be an engineer. Xaba reportedly proposed to the singer with a customised ring worth R10 000.
Zahara told Zimoja that her fiance is supportive, kind and generous. She also revealed that Xaba got her assistant – known as Lisa to help him with the proposal. Xaba and Lisa had the singer believe there was an emergency and she was “tricked” into a fake interview.
“Lisa told me I needed to hurry home for an emergency. When I arrived in the lounge, I saw these big balloons written ‘Marry me.’ I said yes. I love him. He is supportive, kind, and generous,” she said to the publication.
According to Tshisa Live, the singer was engaged to Umhlobo Wenene FM radio presenter Amaza Nstshnga in 2017. The pair were together for almost five years.
In 2019, Zahara was reportedly engaged to Ian Sibiya. However, their relationship did not last long.
In a since-deleted tweet, the singer said “when other men [were] busy doing load shedding in my life, I found myself a generator”.
Zahara Children: Did Zahara have kids?
No, Zahara does not have any biological children of her own at the time of her death.
In an official statement shared on the singer’s official pages, the family confirmed Zahara, real name Bulelwa Mkutukana, died on Monday evening surrounded by family and loved ones.
It did not disclose the cause of her death. Zimoja, quoting sources, said the singer was allegedly in intensive care and in need of a liver transplant
“She was a pure light, and an even purer heart, in this world. A beacon of hope, a gift and a blessing to us and countless people around the world. A legendary figure in the world of music, Zahara remarkably touched millions of people’s lives with her extraordinary gift and passion for music. She leaves behind an indelible mark on the music industry and a legacy that will forever resonate in our hearts and souls,” read the statement.
“A life so beautifully lived deserves to be beautifully remembered. May we remember Zahara not with sorrow, but with stories of healing, joy, kindness and inspiration she brought to us through her life and her music. May she rest in eternal peace, and may her melodies continue to echo in our hearts forever.”
Hopefully, this article was able to provide you with all the necessary information about South African singer Zahara husband .
Source: www.www.atinkanews.net
Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn’t look right, contact us!
