Durban — Veteran jazz musician and guitarist Muziwakhe “Madala” Kunene who was recently conferred with an honorary doctoral degree (Doctor of Music) from UKZN's College of Humanities, will be honoured with a concert.

The Dr Madala Kunene Honorary Concert will be held on September 29, at the Playhouse in honour of the recent doctorate.

Kunene said: “Have you ever been overwhelmed in such a way that you don’t know what to say, I am still in that state. I am proud of myself and yes it is still fresh. I have been in this music industry for over 50 years now and finally, UKZN sees the need to honour me this way,” said Dr Kunene.

He said he owed it all to his ancestors and the Lord for giving him the strength to be patient to bear the fruits of his hard work.

Kunene said he was looking forward to the concert as it will be his first time he’d be performing as a Doctor of Music.

“I think people always mention my music as Maskandi but I don't think so. It's the Zulu Blues music. People can come in their numbers, I promise to deliver their all-time favourites,” he said.

The concert will feature Kunene and Xolisa Dlamini. It will be directed by Edmund Mhlongo and the MC for the day will be Thando Nyameni.

The tickets are available at Webticket for R100 and the concert will start at 7pm.

Kunene was born in Cato Manor and then moved to KwaMashu, near Durban.

He started busking on Durban's beachfront at the age of 7, making his first guitar out of a cooking oil tin and using fish gut for the strings. He soon became a popular performer in the townships.

Kunene has had the privilege of sharing the stage with renowned artists like Doc Mthalane, Songamasu, Shor Phillips, Mankunku Ngozi, Busi Mhlongo, Sipho Gumede, Hugh Masekela, Syd Kitchen, Themba Mokoena, Mabi Thobejane Nabanye, Airto Moreira (Brazilian percussionist), Max Laesser (Swiss guitarist), Ali Faque (Mozambican vocalist), and Andreas Vollenweider.

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