Paying tribute to jazz legends Louis and Mpumi Moholo
Image: Supplied
'NEVER FORGOTTEN'
There are some people you meet in life who leave a lasting impression—not because of their fame, but because of the spirit they carry. Louis Moholo and his wife Mpumi were such people. Gentle, principled, and full of life, they were more than musical legends. They were fellow South Africans in exile, friends of the struggle, and vessels of a sound that carried our country's deepest hopes and truths.
In January 1989, Amnesty International invited me to deliver one of the keynote addresses at a global conference of Doctors Against Torture, held at UNESCO in Paris. This was in recognition of the work I was doing at the time with detainees and political prisoners in South Africa.
As part of the discussions at that conference—and in a particularly meaningful meeting I had with the former First Lady of France, Madame Danielle Mitterrand—we explored how to isolate the then South African Medical Association from the World Medical Association. The purpose was clear: if the association refused to take a public stand against doctors who were either directly or indirectly involved in the torture of political prisoners, they could not be allowed to remain part of the global medical fraternity. The urgency was sharpened by the devastating deaths of many activists in detention at the hands of the apartheid state.
Following the conference in Paris, I travelled to London to engage with members of the ANC in exile. It was during this visit that I had the honour of being hosted by Louis and Mpumi in their flat in London. That evening left a deep impression on me. Their home was filled with warmth and generosity, the smell of Mpumi's cooking, and the unmistakable essence of artistry and resistance.
Mpumi was working as a nurse at the time, and despite her long hours, she welcomed us with incredible grace. Louis, with his sharp humour and deep musical insight, spoke passionately about jazz, about South Africa, about exile, and about the future. Their love for each other, for our country, was evident in every word and every shared memory.
What touched me most was how grounded they remained. They had endured the hardship of exile, but their hearts were still firmly rooted in South Africa. That night, we spoke about the struggle and the dream of freedom. None of us could have imagined that within a few short years, that dream would become reality.
I still have a vinyl record from Louis, inscribed with a personal message. It hangs framed in my office as a constant reminder that art and activism are inseparable. For them, music was never just performance—it was protest, memory, healing.
Over the years, we stayed in touch. There were discussions to honour Louis with a special performance at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival. Sadly, due to health reasons, that tribute never came to life. But his influence—his rhythm—never left us.
Through Survé Philanthropies, we later had the privilege of awarding both Louis and Mpumi the Imagination Award at a ceremony at the Artscape Theatre. It was a moment to recognise not only musical brilliance but also their courage, their journey, and their contribution to the soul of South Africa. They also received a stipend, an expression of our deep gratitude.
Mpumi passed away in 2021. Louis followed in June this year. With their passing, a unique and beautiful chapter in our country's story came to a close.
They lived through injustice and exile. But they never let go of their purpose. They loved this country. They gave us their rhythm. And they reminded us that struggle and beauty can coexist.
Today, as we mourn the loss of yet another jazz great, Feya Faku, we are reminded just how much we owe to the artists of that era—those who turned pain into melody, and memory into movement.
Louis and Mpumi, your rhythm lives on. Your spirit lives on. And you will never be forgotten.
* Dr Survé is the executive chairman of Independent Media and Sekunjalo.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of Independent Media or IOL.
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