Mzwakhe Mbuli: The People's Poet

Mbuli was born in Sophiatown, Johannesburg in 1959. Later, when blacks were forcibly removed by the then government from Sophiatown (to create the white Triomf ["Triumph"]), he went to live with his seven brothers and sisters in Soweto.

During the Soweto uprisings in 1976, Mbuli, still at school, started writing poems on the oppression of blacks. He quickly gained recognition and was asked to perform at trade union meetings, cultural events and marriages.

For many people Mbuli became "their" poet - the People's Poet.

But now Mbuli had to continue writing "underground" because his work was banned by the Apartheid government.

Mbuli was taken into custody by the police because of comments against the government, but this only helped to build the struggle legend of the tall man who stood up time and again to shout out his poetry on freedom.

After 1990 Mbuli was able to start with a professional career and has since then released seven albums, with Change in Pain and Unbroken Spirit two of the best known. In April 1999 EMI released Mzwakhe Mbuli greatest hits: Born free but always in chains.

Golden moment

Mbuli's golden moment was probably when he was asked to read his poetry at the inauguration of Mandela as president in April 1994. He wrote Izigi (footsteps) especially for Mandela: "Comrade Mandela, you are like an Oak tree/ You have learnt to withstand any weather."
It was a serene time, for the first time Mbuli was able to freely say or what he wanted to say and sing what he wanted to sing. He had freedom.

Until 1996. "People's Poet survives assassination attempt," read the headlines.

Mbuli was at a friend's house in Leondale on the East Rand when nine shots were fired on his car. He survived, but said "no thanks" to police protection. "If I die, it won't be in shame."

Then, in 1997, came the news of his arrest on charges of bank robbery.

He and two other men allegedly robbed First National Bank in Waverley with two pistols and a hand grenade. They took money from the safe and drove away.

According to police they forced "a suspect vehicle" off the road in the suburb a little later and found all the money, three pistols and the grenade. The car belonged to Mbuli.

The court case, full of intrigue, followed.

At one point, Mbuli's attorneys asked for a black magistrate to hear the case so he could not be accused of racism.

Every time Mbuli appeared, he was supported by people like singer Brenda Fassie and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

Two more charges - relating to an armed robbery at a bank in Randburg and at a liquor store in Tzaneen - could not be proved.

The blue bag

Some of the important evidence included:


The police did not find Mbuli and his co-accused's finger prints in the bank nor on the weapons
Shikwambane and Masiso's finger prints were found in Mbuli's car
The only person able to identify Mbuli during an identity parade had seen a picture of him in a newspaper before the parade
A stack of R200 notes and a R50 note was found in Mbuli's trouser pockets when police searched him
A man testified that he saw how a blue bag was thrown across the wall behind the bank a day before the incident. Two men jumped the wall afterwards
A cashier at the bank was too shocked to activate the video recorder in the bank to take pictures of the robbery
Mbuli told former Gauteng MEC for safety and security Jessie Duarte a month before his arrest that some "South African leaders" are involved with drug smuggling. He apparently got the information from Swazi police during an anti-drug concert in the country
Shikwambane testified that they stopped at a garage in Waverley to get a bag containing information on the attempt on Mbuli's life. He took the bag, that contained the money, through the window thinking that it's content was pictures and documents. However, on April 23, 1999 magistrate FJ Poolman found that there was enough evidence to sentence Mbuli to 13 years in prison.
Shikwambane and Masiso were sentenced to 15 and 14 years imprisonment.


source: www.news24.com