14-05-2025
Musician Sizwe Zako to be honoured at tribute event
South Africa is preparing to pay tribute to one of it's most celebrated musical pioneers Sizwe Zako.
A legacy event is set to take place on June 15 in Johannesburg. Renowned as 'the architect of South African gospel and jazz', Sizwe's career spans more than four decades, during which he has shaped the sound of African music and inspired generations of artists.
Speaking to TshisaLIVE, the Eastern Cape-born Sizwe said he's a self-taught pianist and producer, as his mother bought him a piano instead of Christmas clothes. 'I didn't ask for toys or clothes like other children that Christmas, I asked my mother for a piano. That was the beginning of everything.'
Sizwe has worked with some of the country's best-known artists including Rebecca Malope, Vuyo Mokoena, Israel Mosehla and Abigail Khubeka.
'I was once instrumental in unearthing talent through the Shell Road to Fame competition, helping launch the careers of beloved South African voices. This celebration is an honour not just for me but for many voices I have empowered, the youth I've mentored and the soul of a nation I've helped shape through sound.'
Sizwe will be formally honoured by Nelson Mandela University, where he will receive an honorary doctorate on May 23, a fitting recognition for a life dedicated to uplifting others through music.
