Thabang Philip Tabane, 46, son of the late drummer, Dr Philip “Nchipi” Tabane and a master of spiritual drumming in his own right, has died.
Details surrounding his passing remain unclear.
However, his childhood friend and fellow musician, Mpho Given “Azah” Mphago, 45, confirmed that he died on Wednesday following a sudden illness in December.
“Our hearts are truly broken,” Mphago said.
Remembered as a talented musician in his own right
“We were childhood friends, and he was simply a great musician — the very last generation of Malombo. And we literally learned this road together from our days at primary school.”
Thabang was more than a drummer — he was the vessel of an ancient sound. A spiritual improviser who sought to reconcile tradition with the modern world.
His music was deeply rooted in the rhythms of the Ndebele, Bapedi, and VhaVenda spiritual healers. It carried forward the essence of his father’s work while forging its own unique path.
“He was a gifted musician and an ‘improvisionalist’ who wanted to understand the world through music,” Mphago said.
“His entire life was spent reconciling the contemporary world, which is a bit exploitative, with what the music taught him.”
Pulled into the world of music at an early age
From the age of eight, Thabang was pulled into the world of musical inspiration.
He later toured the world, playing alongside his father’s Malombo band and collaborating with some of South Africa’s greatest musicians.
His 2018 debut solo album, Matjale, was a testament to his ambition. It was filled with brisk tempos, nimble basslines, and intricate polyrhythms that pulsed with the energy of a man determined to honour his roots while pushing their boundaries.
Yet, despite his mastery, Thabang often struggled with the reality of his art’s mass reception.
“Together, we had many conversations about the lack of appreciation for black-conscious music, or what we called roots music,” Mphago said.
“It is an unfortunate loss, not just for Mamelodi, but for the continent. Because his musical ability represented something greater than himself.”
Shunned mainstream platforms for his music
Like his late father, who died in 2018, Thabang refused to commercialise his music for mainstream approval.
His drums were not meant to entertain; they were a language, a philosophy, a protest against dilution.
In a world that demanded he replicate his father’s sound, he dared to evolve it. He kept it alive for a generation that often failed to understand its depth.
“At the heart of our enquiries, we never reached a conclusion on what should be done to get people to understand this kind of music,” Mphago admitted.
“He was feeling overwhelmed. And he left with a lingering question that perhaps the next band of musicians who are in tune with jazz sounds will eventually answer.”
Thabang leaves behind his mother, three siblings, his wife, and children whose number could not immediately be verified.
Profound loss to SA music
His passing is not just a personal loss to his family. It is but a profound loss to South African music — another voice of pure African expression now silenced.
“This is not the end,” Mphago said.
“Let the drums pound, let the rhythms echo him in the distance. We are only vessels, and the drum is at the centre. Every living being has a drum rhythm in their heart. We will continue to celebrate the talent that is Thabang Tabane.”
Mamelodi weeps, not just for the man but for the silence he leaves behind.
His drums may no longer sound, but their echoes will live on in the soil, in the wind, and in the spirit of malombo.
