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TALENTED Ngobese MOURNED

FEMALE maskandi singer Bongekile Zenzile Ngobese, who died on Friday at the Helen Joseph Hospital after a short illness, was a talented individual.

FEMALE maskandi singer Bongekile Zenzile Ngobese, who died on Friday at the Helen Joseph Hospital after a short illness, was a talented individual.

Ngobese, who made a name for herself singing for award-winning female maskandi group Izingane Zoma was laid to rest on Wednesday (December 2) at her home in Ladysmith.

She was born on March 23 1971 in Nquthu, KwaZulu-Natal. Her parents moved to Ladysmith in 2001. Ngobese is one of the few women who took maskandi music to greater heights.

The singer and her sister Tholakele had a vision to promote the genre and prove that women can do it. Ngobese is among the few women, who sang maskandi when it was dominated by men. Despite the challenges that women in the music industry face, she never threw in the towel.

She was among the three who made Izingane Zoma famous with their beautiful voices.

Late last year the singer and her sister Tholakele left Izingane Zoma and formed their own group, Izintombi Zika Shwi. The two released an album titled Usizi.

In 1993 Ngobese came to Jozi to look for a job not knowing that her dream of becoming a singer would materialise one day.

It was not long before they were approached by talented producer Shobeni Khuzwayo and formed Izingane Zoma.

She was part of the group until December last year when they decided to do their own thing as the Ngobese sisters.

Tholakele said Ngobese's love for maskandi music started at a young age. She said they both grew up taking part in a number of traditional events in Nquthu.

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