SWANSONG: South African pop icon Brenda Fassie, 39, died at Johannesburg's Sunninghill hospital on Sunday. (City Press, File)
Brenda a Pan African 'griot'
10/05/2004 10:02 - (SA)
Pretoria - Brenda Fassie was not only a South African singer, but a Pan African 'griot', presidential spokesperson Bheki Khumalo said on Sunday night.
He was responding to the news of her death.
Khumalo said Fassie had the political urge that underlaid such protest classics as "Black President and Good Black Woman".
She thrived "despite harsh apartheid conditions".
Dominant politicians of her time lacked the insight for her genius. It was a blind man, Goloyi Lebona, who spotted her talent and brought her to Johannesburg.
Other talents may have lagged and lapsed but Brenda Fassie never failed to produce fine music. Wherever her voice reached it made souls rise in bliss, he said.
"We salute the sister from Langa, who lives on in her timeless song."
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