Babsy Mlangeni Memorial Set for Soweto Theatre
The family of legendary musician Bernard “Babsy” Mlangeni has confirmed that his memorial service will be held at the Soweto Theatre on Thursday, 8 October, with his funeral following on Sunday, 11 October at South Park in the East Rand.
Mlangeni, who died on 1 October at 83 after a short illness, was born and raised in Orlando East, Soweto, and his family says returning him to the community where his journey began is a fitting tribute to his legacy.
“LET’S GIVE HIM BACK TO SOWETO”
His last-born daughter, Zenzi Mlangeni, explained the family’s decision to hold the memorial in Soweto.
“The reason that we’re moving back to Soweto is that this is where he was born and this is where his legacy is,” she said. “His music actually started, and it was birthed in Soweto. So we thought, let’s give him back to Soweto and to celebrate him, and to show him all the love, and give the Soweto community and his fans the respect that he was born in Soweto, in Orlando West”.
The family has also thanked fans and the wider community for their support and condolences during this difficult time.
A LEGACY THAT SPANNED SIX DECADES
Mlangeni, born in 1943, lost his sight at just three years old but refused to let disability define his life. He attended the Athlone School for the Blind in Cape Town, where he learned to play the guitar and began developing the musical language that would define his extraordinary career.
He became a founding member of The All-Rounders in 1962, and the group’s 1967 debut album, Coming Home, helped shape what became known as South African soul. As a solo artist, he became a household name with timeless hits including “Sala Emma”, “Bua Nnete”, “Botsotso”, and “Umadlembathini”.
His music crossed language and cultural boundaries, with recordings in isiZulu, Sesotho, and isiXhosa.
A LIFE HONOURED
Mlangeni’s contribution to South African music earned him a South African Music Awards Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 and another Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Arts and Culture Awards in 2025, where he received the Artist Living With Disability Award.
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie paid tribute, saying: “South Africa has lost a musical giant, a pioneer and a voice that became part of the soundtrack of our lives”.
Parliament also urged South Africans to celebrate that Mlangeni “lived among us,” describing him as a legend whose timeless music would live on through future generations .
