The White Zulu

He may have been born in the UK, but Johnny Clegg is as proudly South African as you get! Recently honoured by Queen Elizabeth II with the Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Clegg said that the award has re-energised his dreams and commitments to South Africa. Clegg, who’s affectionately referred to as ‘The White Zulu’ is a singer, songwriter and activist whose art helped to raise awareness about what was happening in South Africa during the Apartheid years. In 1969, Clegg formed the first prominent racially mixed South African band, Juluka. Because it was illegal for racially mixed bands to perform in South Africa during this time, their first album, Universal Men, received no air play on SABC, but became a massive word-of-mouth hit.

Click here to read more about the inimitable Johnny Clegg.

Photograph courtesy of africamediaonline.com.

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