Afro-jazz singer Phinda Mtya-Matlala, who is still mourning her slain husband, is ready to perform again.

Her husband Morgan Matlala was shot dead in January and a case of murder was opened by the police.

Speaking to Sowetan just before performing at Niki's Oasis in Newtown, Joburg, on Saturday, she revealed that it still "sounds like a horror movie" that her husband has died.

Mtya-Matlala was performing as part of the Africa Month celebrations that featured musicians from various countries at Niki's. The celebrations ended yesterday with a food and crafts exhibition.

Mtya-Matlala said she still called her husband's cellphone, just to hear his voice.

"I still cannot believe that my husband is gone. I still drive to a quiet place and call his phone sometimes. I will do that 11 times just to hear his voice," she said, crying.

The Eastern Cape-born singer said she took a three-month break and only returned to performing three weeks ago. Her first performance was in Eastern Cape and it turned out to be a nightmare, she said.

She broke down in the middle of the performance because memories of her husband came back to her.

"I went to the toilet to pull myself up. It came to my mind that if he was alive he would have wanted to see me performing. I will continue performing while honouring him," she said.

Matlala said what made her angrier was that no one had been arrested since his death. Despite her loss, she gave an entertaining performance that got revellers off their feet with her hit Tiki Tiki and her version of Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You.

bambalelep@sowetan.co.za