While Sibusiso John Gcabashe sits in prison for allegedly impersonating late KwaZulu-Natal maskandi artist Khulekani "Mgqumeni" Khumalo, an album apparently released by him is selling like hot cakes.
The CD, Senadlimali YamaNthungwa, seems to be an exact copy of the album Ishumi Lamadoda by the maskandi group Amambula.
The fake 12-track album - with a picture of Gcabashe on the cover - is being sold on the streets of Johannesburg.
The name of the fake album is ironic, meaning: "You have embezzled the money for the Mntungwas (a clan name for Khumalo)".
Siphiwe Maphumulo, the owner of Cool Sport Productions in Melville, Johannesburg, said the company released a 12-track album by Amambula in October.
"The group's lead singer is such a talented artist and sings almost like the late Mgqumeni. The album has been doing well until recently, when people stopped buying it.
"I then heard that Gcabashe had released an album, which was flying like hot cakes on the streets of Johannesburg," said Maphumulo.
He said he was shocked when someone brought him a copy of Gcabashe's CD.
"I was left speechless because it was the same group (Amambula) we recorded. But the CD cover has a picture of Gcabashe - the one that was taken when he made his first public appearance and was splashed throughout the media. And the inside picture was of him wearing his hat and a traditional headband," said Maphumulo.
He then went to the streets to investigate himself.
"Ten copies were sold in front of me in the space of minutes. This CD costs only R10. Although the music is by Amambula group, its name and title are attracting people because of the hype created by this man," he said.
"It's better when these people dump original CDs because while they were selling it cheap, at least it is the original artist with original music. But when they take an original CD and put on a picture of Gcabashe, it is something else altogether."
Gcabashe made national headlines in February when he claimed to be a "resurrected" Mgqumeni.
He was arrested and will appear on charges of fraud and perjury on April 13.
Mgqumeni died in 2009 on his way to see a traditional healer. His burial in January 2010 in Mpofana, a rural area in Nquthu, was attended by politicians, radio personalities and scores of fans.
Fake Maskandi CD is hot
While Sibusiso John Gcabashe sits in prison for allegedly impersonating late KwaZulu-Natal maskandi artist Khulekani "Mgqumeni" Khumalo, an album apparently released by him is selling like hot cakes.
The CD, Senadlimali YamaNthungwa, seems to be an exact copy of the album Ishumi Lamadoda by the maskandi group Amambula.
The fake 12-track album - with a picture of Gcabashe on the cover - is being sold on the streets of Johannesburg.
The name of the fake album is ironic, meaning: "You have embezzled the money for the Mntungwas (a clan name for Khumalo)".
Siphiwe Maphumulo, the owner of Cool Sport Productions in Melville, Johannesburg, said the company released a 12-track album by Amambula in October.
"The group's lead singer is such a talented artist and sings almost like the late Mgqumeni. The album has been doing well until recently, when people stopped buying it.
"I then heard that Gcabashe had released an album, which was flying like hot cakes on the streets of Johannesburg," said Maphumulo.
He said he was shocked when someone brought him a copy of Gcabashe's CD.
"I was left speechless because it was the same group (Amambula) we recorded. But the CD cover has a picture of Gcabashe - the one that was taken when he made his first public appearance and was splashed throughout the media. And the inside picture was of him wearing his hat and a traditional headband," said Maphumulo.
He then went to the streets to investigate himself.
"Ten copies were sold in front of me in the space of minutes. This CD costs only R10. Although the music is by Amambula group, its name and title are attracting people because of the hype created by this man," he said.
"It's better when these people dump original CDs because while they were selling it cheap, at least it is the original artist with original music. But when they take an original CD and put on a picture of Gcabashe, it is something else altogether."
Gcabashe made national headlines in February when he claimed to be a "resurrected" Mgqumeni.
He was arrested and will appear on charges of fraud and perjury on April 13.
Mgqumeni died in 2009 on his way to see a traditional healer. His burial in January 2010 in Mpofana, a rural area in Nquthu, was attended by politicians, radio personalities and scores of fans.
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