Musician’s story of triumph
Loss of a foot in car accident did not defeat Sivuyile Dingo, who has just released his first single
Sivuyile Dingo is living proof that every dark cloud has a silver lining.
Born in KwaDosi village less than 10km from Mthatha town, the 32-year-old muso had never considered becoming a recording artist until his right foot was amputated by doctors after he was involved in a tragic accident while driving on the busy R61 route between town and his home village.
He now goes by the stage name Mr Dingo and his first single, Mtshanam, is receiving major airplay on radio stations.
“On December 12 2021 I had an accident at the Efata bridge which completely changed my life,” he told the Dispatch this week.
“I was driving and was involved in a collision with a car behind me and another in the oncoming lane.
“It was bad.The car overturned and rolled under the Efata [School for the Blind and Deaf] bridge.
“I was trapped inside and they had to use the jaws of life to get me out of the wreckage.”
He said the people who witnessed the accident had been convinced he was dead and had been shocked when he came out alive.
He said God had spared his life on that day. But as soon as he was rushed to the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, doctors had to cut off half of his right foot, which had been badly damaged.
He was later taken to Bedford Hospital, where doctors removed the rest of his foot.
Dingo said he had spent three months in hospital, a period which he described as traumatic.
“I would sometimes wake up to see a dead patient on the next bed. Some were so sick that you’d swear they were going to fall down and die at any moment.”
After being discharged in late February this year, he had to come home and adjust to a new life — one of having to walk without a foot with the aid of crutches.
It was also during that time that he started thinking long and hard about how he was going to survive.
“I was not going to be able to hustle any more.”
He said that growing up he had never taken music seriously. It had just been a hobby.
In 2008, he joined the Rhema Umtata Christian Church’s worship team. He also sang in his school’s choir.
He said fellow worship members would praise him for his singing talents and some had suggested that he consider it as a career.
He finally decided to give it a try this year. He used some of his savings to buy himself a computer monitor, a microphone, speakers and sound card and keyboard and a mixer and turned his bedroom in KwaDosi into a music studio.
Several people who were already in the music business in Mthatha encouraged him to follow his dreams.
In July, he registered his own music label, Dingo Records, and released his hit Amapiano single last Friday.
The song is available on all digital platforms and has been played on stations including Umhlobo Wenene and Mthathabased Ingwane FM and UCR FM.
He said the song was about his 20-year-old nephew, with whom he lives.
“He knows I can’t do many things by myself, but likes to leave me alone and hang out with friends until late.
“I wanted him to hear that I don’t like it. “I am sure there are many people with nieces and nephews who also don’t listen,” he said with a chuckle.
He said even before finishing recording the song he had known it was going to be a hit.
He is planning to release another single in January or February.
This would hopeful enable him to drop an EP afterwards. He said his biggest wish was to help heal people through the messages contained in his music.
He would also love to collaborate with other top Amapiano artists in the country like Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa, Sir Trill and Young Stunna.
He said he wanted to show other people living with disabilities that anything was possible as long as they believed in themselves.
“Trust God and follow your dreams. There is nothing you cannot do if you put your trust in Him.”