Edward Tsumele

Edward Tsumele

New Tsonga artist Nyiko Marhoya Chauke should be celebrating the success of his debut album Matsonga Machangana.

But this appears not to be the case because the musician now fears for his life.

Chauke, whose CD is frequently played on radio, with Jozi FM listeners in particular having fallen in love with his Xitsonga disco- tinged album, is now watching his back.

Chauke claims he is being followed wherever he goes.

"This happened after the launch of one of our artists, Nurse Matlala, who is signed to Mgwagwaile Productions, a company I co-own with DJ Mkonwana of Jozi FM, on March 24," he said.

"On the next Sunday, I was followed in Soweto by a Mazda car.

"The car had two occupants who never said a word besides waving at me.

"At first I thought it was one of my fans," Chauke said, "but when they continued to follow my car from Diepkloof Zone 3 to Orlando and Naledi, I got worried. If I changed direction, they did the same, and that got me worried me," he told Sowetan yesterday.

But the musician has not yet opened a case with the police because he did not record the registration number of the car.

"I have hired a private investigator, and whoever is behind this should know that the net will soon be closing in on them, and they will soon be friends of a jail, whether they are men or women.

"If they are prepared to see blood we are also prepared to see blood," the artist warned.

Chauke is not just a musician but also has a full time job at the South African Revenue Service.

Chauke maintains that this sordid episode in his life has nothing to do with his job as an auditor in the tax collection department.