The year is 2011 and South Africans are dancing and singing along to music by a 24-year-old Eastern Cape-born singer and a 23-year-old Johannesburg-born rapper. These two artist would go on to become household names in their own right and win multiple awards for their chart-topping music.2011: NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
The 11th Metro FM music awards in 2011 saw Bulelwa “Zahara” Mkutukana going pound for pound with rap superstar AKA – real name Kiernan Jarryd Forbes.

 
The hotly-contested awards ceremony resulted in the two stars walking away with three gongs each. Zahara scooped the Best Female Album, Hit Single of the Year for Le Ngoma featuring DJ Sbu, and Song of the Year for Loliwe.

On the other hand, AKA won best Newcomer, Best Hip-hop Album and Best-produced Album for his debut project Altar Ego.

2012: SAMAS2012: SAMAS
A year later and the pair were again the stars of yet another awards event – the South African Music Awards (Samas). This time, however, Zahara dominated with a staggering eight awards to AKA’s two trophies.

Zahara won in the Best Smooth Urban Music Album, Special Award: Best Selling Album and Album of the Year categories. She was also named Newcomer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year and scooped up the Best Collaboration award for Incwad’ Encane featuring Georgy.

AKA also shone on the night as he won Best Street Urban Music Album Award for Alter Ego as well as Best Male Artist of the Year; becoming the second hip-hop act to do so since the late HHP (Hip-Hop Pantsula).

In his 2023 song titled Last Time – which is found on his posthumous album, Mass Country – AKA makes mention of these iconic moments.

“Sacrificed my reputation, drew lines in the sand
So the next generation don’t have to bow their head
Went head to head with Zahara,” he raps in the song.

2023: RIP AKA AND ZAHARA
Eleven years later, in 2023, both AKA and Zahara bow out of the music industry and the world.

AKA, also known as the Supa Mega, was brutally shot and killed outside a Durban restaurant on 10 February – the case is still under investigation.

Ten months later, Zahara lost her battle to an undisclosed illness on 11 December at a private hospital in Johannesburg.

Her family said in a statement on Tuesday that it would like for the musician to be remembered for healing the nation through her inspirational music.

“A life so beautifully lived deserves to be beautifully remembered. May we remember Zahara not with sorrow, but with the healing, joy, kindness, and inspiration she brought to us through her life and her music.

Troubled Orlando Pirates midfielder Thembinkosi Lorch is topping trends after he showed off his new tattoo. Undoubtedly, he loves tattoos and is not shy about showing them off.

Over the years, he has wowed many with his tattoos. Lorch took to Instagram to show off his new lion tattoo. The now-viral photos have since thrust him into top trends.

LORCH SHOWS OFF NEW TATTOO
Despite being one of the tatted players in South Africa, Lorch has added a new back tattoo. The star took to Instagram stories to show off his tattoo, and Mzansi has since given a nod. The new tattoo comes barely a few weeks after he got two new tattoos.

Orlando Pirates
Orlando Pirates star Thembinkosi Lorch. Images: Instagram @thembinkosi_lorch_3
Thembinkosi Lorch got a tattoo on his back, a huge lion face. The photos of the tattoos have gained thousands of comments and reactions since they were dropped on the internet.

 

Several footballers have the famous lion tattoo, including Atletico Madrid star Memphis Depay.

A few weeks ago, he got two tattoos. He was tatted on his thigh and one on the neck just behind the ears. On his neck, he got the famous three holy crosses. However, little is known about the one he got on the thigh.

ORLANDO PIRATES RETURN
Lorch will return to the team’s setup on Saturday, 16 December, per the club’s statement in November. He was suspended from all club activities in the backdrop of his court woes.

However, the rumour mill has it that the club may not bring him back so soon after his return from suspension with a view of protecting him from possible fan abuse.

South African singer Lira – real name Lerato Moipone Molapo paid tribute to the late award-winning Afro-pop star Bulelwa Mkutukana who is best known as Zahara as seen in her Instagram post shared on Wednesday, 13 December – this comes after a family statement confirmed she passed away on Monday.

 

 

 

Zahara passed away on 11 December at 36. Weeks before her death, a family statement confirmed that she had been admitted to hospital after experiencing physical pains. “We mourn the passing of Zahara. It is with heavy hearts and deepest sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved daughter, sister, and friend, Zahara… She was a pure light, and an even purer heart, in this world… a gift, and a blessing to us and countless people around the world,” the statement read.

The beloved musician was hospitalised, reportedly with liver complications, BBC reported. In the past, she has also opened up about her battle with alcohol addiction, the publication added. In a post, Lira shared a heartfelt story about the late Loliwe hitmaker.

“She [Zahara] called me about two months ago – she’s never called me before – she said my stroke scared her. She thanked me for impacting her – she sang my songs to me. She was so sweet. I never thought that she’d be gone so soon. I went through denial when I first heard,” Lira said.

“Ooh Bulelwa. It is what it is. You had an iconic voice! You had a unique way of telling stories through music! The South African music industry thanks you!!! You’ve found peace now – I hope God’s love envelops you and your family. Till we meet again,” she added.

We should keep him in prayers. He paid lobola for her 2 weeks ago😭😭👉👉
Tributes were paid on Tuesday to award-winning South African singer Zahara, whose debut album made her an overnight pop sensation, after her death at the age of 36.

ALSO READ | ‘You healed so many souls’: Black Coffee’s Zahara tribute left fans in tears

South Africa’s arts minister and Zahara’s record company announced her death late on Monday in a Johannesburg hospital where she was first admitted last month.

Born Bulelwa Mkutukana to a family in a village near East London, Zahara became known for her trademark guitar and giant Afro hairstyle.

Zahara sang in choirs as a child and taught herself guitar. Her voice drew comparisons to Tracy Chapman, Joan Armatrading and India Arie.

 

 

 

 

She burst into the music scene in 2011, with her debut album Loliwe selling out in 72 hours.

Zahara was billed alongside Hugh Masekela, James Ingram and Lauryn Hill at Africa’s biggest jazz festival in 2012.

She released five albums and won 17 South African Music Awards, the country’s top accolade, in all.

In a 2012 interview with AFP Zahara told how she had sang for South Africa’s anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela at his home.

“That was emotional for me. I remember I cried when I started singing to the finish and I even messed up my song,” she recalled.

Sports, arts and culture minister Zizi Kodwa wrote on X, the former Twitter, that she was “very saddened” by the death of the singer.

Kenny Kunene and his wife Nonkululeko Mhlanga have welcomed their little bundle of joy into the world. Congratulatory messages flooded his timeline after he took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a video of him and his family arriving home with their newborn son covered in Versace blankets.

 

 

 

In the post, the Johannesburg transport MMC and businessman expressed his gratitude.