Wednesday, 7 October 2026

Cabelo Mabalane said his album will arrive on 30 October, while a tribute single, “Magesh is Beethoven”, dedicated to TKZee bandmate Tokollo “Magesh” Tshabalala, drops on 14 October.

Mabalane reflected on turning 50, saying an 11-year musical hiatus helped him find an authentic voice shaped by being a husband, father, pastor and leader.

He said his community work has produced 13 libraries across South Africa, helping reassure him that pursuing the project was worthwhile despite doubts about where to focus his energy.

The interview revisited Mabalane’s difficult early years, when music felt like his only option after leaving school and he was unsure whether the gamble would work.

The team debated a colleague’s missing H&M jacket, eventually accepting that raising the issue two months later was too late, despite listeners proposing labels, proof of purchase and workplace reporting.