Veteran kwaito phenomenon Doc Shebeleza, real name Victor Bogopane, has died. The news of Doc Shebeleza’s death was confirmed by his manager, Shakes Mavundla, on Thursday.
“Doc Shebeleza passed away on Thursday morning around 10.30am, after being discharged from hospital on Monday,” said Mavundla.
Battled ill health over the past few months
The kwaito legend had been admitted in the Intensive Care Unit at a Johannesburg private hospital and underwent a successful surgery.
In December, the 51-year-old’s mother had pleaded with the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie and Gauteng MEC for Education, Arts, Sports, Culture, and Recreation Matome Chiloane, to help the artist raise funds for his next lifesaving operation scheduled for February next year (this year).
The funds were meant to be used to buy Doc Shebeleza’s much-needed and essential medication to treat his life-threatening disease.
Early life
Doc Shebeleza was born in 1973 in Soweto, where he began making music from an early age. He grew up in a family that valued cultural expression, and was introduced to music styles ranging from kwaito to traditional South African music.
Doc Shebeleza was inspired by the late Brenda Fassie and Mandoza, one of the pioneers of the kwaito genre.
In 1995 he released his first album Shebeleza featuring the hit Ghets Ghetsa. This was followed by S’kumfete, which featured a hit with the same name.
After that, he released three more albums titled Tiger (1997), Ebumnandini (2000), and Jiva Yoyo (2001).
Inspiration to young artists
When the kwaito star decided to stop making music, he decided to channel his focus to other projects he had a passion for. He got involved in building houses for poor people since leaving music.
He featured rapper Cassper Nyovest on his last song recorded since the beginning of his kwaito career, Monate So.
His profile was also elevated when Cassper Nyovest released his award-winning hit song Doc Shebeleza in 2014. Doc Shebeleza was the second official single from Cassper Nyovest’s debut LP Tsholofelo. The song was described as “a tribute to South African Kwaito veteran, Doc Shebeleza”.
Awards
The kwaito legend also won Mzansi Kwaito and House Music Awards 2018 Lifetime Award
Earlier this week, another legendary singer and actress, Winnie Khumalo, died at the age of 51. Khumalo died on Tuesday at her home after a short illness.
In November 2024, Khumalo was briefly admitted into a Johannesburg hospital after suffering from shortness of breath, which she later learnt was asthma. She said she was unaware that she suffered from asthma until an attack over that weekend.
Also Read: Please help me save my son Doc Shebeleza’s mother
