Mzansi mourns the passing of Doc Shebeleza

“He was like my brother and pillar of strength,” says Kwaito legend Doc Shebeleza’s manager following the news of his passing.

The manager, Shakes Mavundla, says the legendary artist, born Victor Bogopane, died this morning at his home.

 

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A post shared by Doc Shebeleza (@therealdocshebeleza)

According to Mavundla, the 51-year-old’s passing comes as they were preparing for his second operation, which was planned for next week.

Last month, the Kwaito veteran’s family had appealed to the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, Gauteng Education MEC, Matome Chiloane, and South Africans to assist the legend with medical bills as he prepared for the lifesaving operation.

This comes as the music industry reels from the passing of 51-year-old singer and actress, Winnie Khumalo, who passed away on Tuesday.

Speaking to YNews, Mavundla reflected on his last conversation with Doc Shebeleza as well as his legacy.

McKenzie has hailed the music legend as a compassionate soul whose contributions to the country’s cultural heritage and community upliftment will not be forgotten.

“His influence extended beyond his own work, as illustrated by rapper Cassper Nyovest’s tribute song Doc Shebeleza, which celebrated his lifestyle and impact. Doc Shebeleza later collaborated with Cassper on the song ‘Monate So’, showcasing mutual respect and admiration between generations of artists,” says the Minister.

Following his retirement from the music industry, the 51-year-old dedicated himself to philanthropy. He founded the non-profit organisation AMAHA (African Musicians Against HIV/AIDS), which focused on social initiatives for the underprivileged.

“Through AMAHA, he contributed to building hundreds of homes for those in need, distributed wheelchairs, and worked tirelessly alongside other legendary artists to uplift communities. His passion for helping others remained central to his life’s work until his untimely passing Kwaito fans have flooded social media with tributes for the veteran who contributed to the sound in the 90s,” adds Minister McKenzie.

Social media users have also flooded social media with their tributes.

Cassper Nyovest managed to honor our legend while they are still alive , Doc Shebeleza and Tito Mboweni .#RipDocShebeleza pic.twitter.com/GzoRltX0Lk

— #NativeOfBelaBela (@tsheko2020) January 9, 2025

RIP Doc shebeleza 🙏🏽🕊️ he was a real Grootman. In 2014 I sampled gets getsa for my song Steve Kekana . He cleared the sample for me, without taking a percentage or charging me . That’s unheard off in the music industry! Condolences to his family pic.twitter.com/2S8SplUL2P

— 16V (@L_Tido) January 9, 2025

💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔 RIP Doc Shebeleza 😭😭😭😭😭😭 2025 can end, South Africans can’t cry everyday 😭😭💔💔💔💔💔 RIP Grootman 💔💔💔💔 Rest In Peace King 👑 pic.twitter.com/z8ckuK2ulp

— Monyane Lodge (@Monyane__Lodge) January 9, 2025

The EFF mourns the passing of Victor Bogopane, affectionately known as Doc Shebeleza, a trailblazer in the Kwaito music genre and a dedicated philanthropist.

His contribution to South African culture and society will forever be cherished. pic.twitter.com/wSkRW6ImpY

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) January 9, 2025