By: Saneliso Mlambo
Legendary kwaito artist Sandile “Mapaputsi”Ngwenya, has died after shot illness.
Mapaputsi’s former manager Busisiwe Kunene confirmed his passing news on Thursday evening.
“He has passed on. We’ll issue a press statement and we’ll host a media briefing in due course,” she said.
Born in Soweto, Zola, Mapaputsi began his music career in 1998 under Ghetto Ruff. At the start of his career he was working the artists like TKZee and Chiskop.
In his glory days, he was best known for his 2001 album ‘Izinja’, which won him the Best Kwaito Artist and Best Kwaito Song at the Metro FM Awards in 2002 and the Best Kwaito Song and South African Music Award for Best Music Video in 2003.
He gave South African kwaito fans a list of best albums including Kleva, Last Man Standing, Groova more and Still Barking.
In 2009, he started his own record label called Izinja Production, where he signed a number of young new artists.
Mapaputsi made headlines in 2022 when he appeared on Mcg’s Podcast and Chill where he discussed his music career, Izinja hit song, his friendships with DJ Khabzela, Brenda Fassie, and Mandoza.