Legendary musician and Burnout hit-maker, Sipho "Hotstix" Mabuse, will receive a national order for his contribution to the music industry.
Mabuse will be honoured alongside Lillian Dube, Neil Tovey, Hashim Amla, Advocate Nakedi Ribane, Thami Mnyele, retired deputy justice Dikgang Moseneke, Sibongile Mkhabela and Mary Fitzgerald, among others. Dube, Mabuse, Tovey and Amla will receive an order of Ikhamanga in silver.
They will be awarded the
national orders on April 28 at the Union Buildings by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Mabuse said it was both an
honour and a privilege for the country to honour him, especially when he was still alive.
"I truly feel special that I am among the few people who have been acknowledged by the country. I am honoured that someone nominated me and it came this early," he said.
Mabuse said the award has ignited something in him and that he was thinking of going back to the studio.
"The national order propels me to continue singing because musicians do not retire. They die on the field like soldiers.
"I will continue to do what I do. At the moment I am also busy writing a memoir so that people who don't know me can understand me better."
According to the Presidency, national orders are the highest awards the country bestows on citizens and eminent foreign nationals who have contributed to the advancement of democracy and who have made a significant impact on improving the lives of South Africans.