South Africa throws a grand farewell for White Zulu

All caliber of South African musicians came together in a moving performance to celebrate the life of and legacy of music icon Johnny Clegg during an emotional farewell service held in Sandton, South Africa on Friday.

“Whenever I saw Johnny Clegg I saw myself. I saw our culture, I saw an African culture. I saw an African in him,” said Nathi Mthethwa, South African Arts and Culture Minister. Ten days after Clegg lost his four-year-long battle with pancreatic cancer, his famous tunes that were internationally acclaimed came alive in a moving concert attended by public officials,dignitaries and thousands of fans.

“In 2017, my dad and I wrote a song together. It’s a song about the things in life that you can’t replace – to my dad that was his family,“said Jesse Clegg, Johnny Clegg’s son
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The 66 year old artist, popularly known as White Zulu, is fondly remembered for his anti-aparteid lyrics and his involvement with black musicians which often saw him arrested during Apartheid. It was to thisend that John Kani delivered his moving eulogy.

Clegg was laid to rest in a private ceremony the following day after his passing. But to his beloved South Africans he will forever be a national treasure.