Albert Mazibuko, longtime member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo has died at 77
Long-serving member of the grammy-winning South African a cappella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Albert Mazibuko has died at the age of 77 on Monday 06 April 2026. His death marks an end of a profound chapter in the Sosuth African music world.
Mazibuko’s last moments
Mazibuko passed on Sunday 05 April 2026 Easter Sunday surrounded by love and warmth, his family’s presence. His passing was confirmed by the group’s manager, Xolani Majozi during the early hours of Monday after a short illness. While the specific cause of death has not been disclosed, the group’s statement indicated he had been battling an illness for a short period.
A life lived in harmony
Born on 1 June 1948, in Ladysmith (now uMnambithi) in kwaZulu-Natal, he was the second child of six and a cousin to the group’s founder the late Joseph Shabalala. Mazibuko formed his own isichathamiya choir at age nine.
In 1969, Shabalala invited Mazibuko to join Ladysmith Black Mambazo. He quickly became Shabalala’s “right-hand man,” a role that cemented his place in the group’s history. For 55 years, his distinctive tenor voice became an integral part of the group’s signature sound, which fused indigenous Zulu songs with the isicathamiya acapella tradition.
Fame and legacy
Ladysmith Black Mambazo rose to international fame after collaborating with Paul Simon on his landmark 1986 album, Graceland. Over their career, the group won five Grammy Awards. Their first win came with the 1987 album Shaka Zulu, which Mazibuko described as a tribute to Zulu courage and perfection.
Throughout the decades of apartheid, the group’s music served as a powerful message of peace, love, and harmony. Mazibuko was not only a performer but also the group’s historian and cultural custodian. Affectionately known as “the librarian,” he preserved the group’s rich history and passed on the traditions of isicathamiya to younger members.
