Mzansi music legend, Jonas Gwangwa has passed away. The legendary Jazz musician and anti apartheid activist Ntate Jonas Gwangwa has passed away on Saturday. What a sad loss for South Africa.

Jonas Mosa Gwangwa was a South African Jazz musician, songwriter and producer. He has been an important figure in South African jazz for over 40 years. Gwangwa was born in Orlando East, Soweto. He first gained prominence playing trombone with The Jazz Epistles.

While paying tribute to Jonas Gwangwa, President Cyril Ramaphosa said that the country has lost a giant of our revolutionary cultural movement and our democratic creative industries has been called to rest. Ramaphosa described him as tthe trombone that boomed with boldness and bravery, and equally warmed our hearts with mellow melody has lost its life force.

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The Jazz Epistles, the first to feature Gwangwa as a composer and player, was also the first black ensemble in South Africa to record an LP.

The versatile musician was a significant figure in the arts and wears the hat of trombonist, vocalist and composer.

Gwangwa left South Africa in 1961 after touring abroad with the musical King Kong.

The mighty trombonist had released eight albums in South Africa since returning from 30 years of exile.

He returned to South Africa in 1991 and his music banned under the apartheid censorship machinery.

The acclaimed Gwangwa had been bestowed with a meritorious award from then-President Nelson Mandela in 1995, and received the Order of Ikhamanga in Gold in 2010.

A giant of our revolutionary cultural movement and our democratic creative industries has been called to rest; the trombone that boomed with boldness and bravery, and equally warmed our hearts with mellow melody has lost its life force.#RIPJonasGwangwa pic.twitter.com/hlg4PyKQl4

— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 #StaySafe (@CyrilRamaphosa) January 23, 2021