It’s an incredibly sad day for the local music industry as musician Steve Kekana has died.
Xolani Majozi, the star’s manager confirmed that Steve passed away on Thursday morning at the age of 63.
“Yes it’s true, Ntate Steve Kekana is no more. He died in the early hours of this morning and we are waiting for more details from the family,” Majozi said. “I spoke to his wife and she confirmed that he’s no more. He was fine the last time I spoke to him. I spoke to him last week over the phone and we were having an event around him but had to cancel due to the latest lockdown regulations.”
For years, Kekana’s falsetto wafted and glided beautifully over his melodic compositions and gave generations soundtracks of their youth. His name became synonymous with Afro-pop/soul thanks to tracks like Abuti Thabiso about a wayward breadwinner who abandoned his family and Kodua Ea Maseru, a touching tribute to the citizens of Lesotho following the killing of several Basotho at a concert.
His most famous song, the groovy and infectious break up hit, Take Your Love with the late Nana Coyote Motijoane, cemented his place in the music pecking order and remains a South African classic.
His collaborations, particularly Feel So Strong with PJ Powers and the wedding anthem Sebabatso with Nana Coyote enriched the South African songbook. His influences ranged from pop and R&B to mbaqanga, jazz and gospel. He has released over 40 albums in 40 years and was decorated with more than 70 gold disc awards.
Kekana was born in Zebediela, Limpopo on 4 August 1958. He lost his eye sight as a young boy and went to a school for the visually impaired in Polokwane. He belonged to music bands by the time he was a teenager. Sowetan reported that when his first song titled Mamsy hit the airwaves in 1978, teenagers from his village of Sekgophokgophong in Zebediela ran out of their school to jive to it in the neighbouring shebeen. But it was his breakout hit, Raising My Family, which reached Europe and made him an international star.
Kekana conquered his visual disability and inspired many when he completed his law studies and was admitted as an advocate. He also taught labour law at UNISA between 2011 and 2013.
Rest in peace, Steve. We will miss you.
