Mabuse showing no signs of burning out
again. It really touched me.”
He has continuously produced spellbinding music that has captured the imagination of the nation. That is why President Cyril Ramaphosa saw fit to present him with an Order of Ikhamanga.
He says about his national order: “I regard this as the biggest honour and it feels special to be acknowledged when you are still alive. It is a privilege to join the likes of Sis Miriam [Makeba], Bra Hugh [Masekela] and other great musicians.”
He says it has motivated him to go back to the studio to produce more hits.
Mabuse’s music career is not complete without mentioning The Beaters, where it all began for him.
‘ ‘ It feels special to be acknowledged when you are still alive
His face lights up as he speaks about the group that was founded at Orlando West High School.
It was made up of Mabuse, Monty Ndimande, Selby Ntuli, Alec Khoali and Masike Mohape.
They pe rformed a fusion of funk, rock, soul and pop music.
“We were influenced by The Beatles, and considered ourselves an elite band,” says Mabuse. “We defined our sound as Soweto soul.”
Due to their crossover sound, The Beaters found themselves frequenting white clubs in and around Johannesburg.
They started receiving invitations to perform in different high schools in the country, and later went to Botswana, Zimbabwe and Lesotho universities. Mabuse says one of the greatest moments was when they performed in Botswana, where white people were dancing to their music.
The group released its debut, Soul Agogo.
In 1978, The Beaters went to Zimbabwe on a three-week tour that turned into a twomonth tour. It was during that time they composed one of their famous hits, Harare. The group later changed its name to Harari and became one of the most successful SA bands.
The group disbanded in 1980 after landing a recording deal with an American record company. Other members of Harari wanted him out.
He admits that he might have partly caused the split because of his overzealous management style. A group called Umoja was formed.
“I was a professional and I pushed for professionalism. I tried to teach them to be responsible. They felt like I was treating them like kids. I wanted the success for the group so badly.”