Bulelwa Mkutukana, also known as Zahara, was a singer, songwriter and activist. She is known for weaving lyrics and melodies beautifully
Her passing in her mid-30s has made headlines, especially after her family raised questions about her death
Zahara’s passing officially announced by SA government
Zahara tragically passed away on December 11, 2023, at the age of 35. Most recently, there were unverified rumours about the real cause of death. So far, Zahara’s family has stated that the state of the health before her death remains confidential. Read their post below:
The announcement of her death was made by South Africa’s Culture Minister, Zizi Kodwa. He expressed his condolences on X to her family and acknowledged Zahara’s profound and lasting impact on South African music, saying,
“I am very saddened by the passing of Zahara. My deepest condolences to the Mkutukana family and the South African music industry. Government has been with the family for some time now. Zahara and her guitar made an incredible and lasting impact in South African music.”
Zahara made big impact on Afro-soul
Zahara was born Bulelwa Mkutukana on November 9, 1987, in East London but she credits South Africa as her inspiration. It didn’t take her long to discover what her passion was and pursued it with a sensitive focus that didn’t easily come by. She taught herself how to play the guitar and spent a large proportion of her career cleverly blending isiXhosa and English in her songs.
She had an ear for soft catchy tunes and wrote her lyrics thoughtfully. Her album Loliwe brought her success and won accolades, including the Album of the Year at the South African Music Awards.
Zahara used influence for charity
Beyond her musical achievements, she was an advocate for social causes, particularly addressing violence against women in South Africa. In interviews and public statements, she shared her own experiences of overcoming challenges, including incidents of violence.
Zahara also used her platform to raise awareness about these issues, aiming to provide comfort and healing to those facing similar struggles.