President Cyril Ramaphosa giving Madala Kunene The Order of Ikhamanga. Picture: @PresidencyZA/Twitter
Musician Madala Kunene is pleased to have been bestowed The Order of Ikhamanga by President Cyril Ramaphosa ahead of a surgery to remove his prostate.
“Many artists have died without receiving this Order of Ikhamanga; it hurts when they remember you when you’re gone. So I’m very pleased with the award,” Kunene told The Citizen.
On Tuesday, Ramaphosa bestowed National Orders to 32 recipients, including Kunene, during a ceremony held at the Sefako M. Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse in Tshwane.
The Order of Ikhamanga is awarded to South African citizens who have excelled in the fields of arts, culture, literature, music, journalism, or sport. The awards are the highest honour that can be given in South Africa.
Kunene received The Order of Ikhamanga in Gold, alongside Dr Aggrey Klaaste and Ms Nontando ‘Noni’ Helen Jabavu. The two latter recipients received the Order posthumously.
“It’s wrong when people are honoured when they’re gone. You see this when their music is played the whole day on radio once they’re gone,” averred Kunene.
The veteran muso, who recently turned 73 years old, said he’s still waiting for the Presidency to gift him with a cow, to accompany The Order of Ikhamanga title.
“I’m still waiting for them to give me a cow, so I can celebrate with my family at home because they haven’t given me anything to accompany the Ikhamanga,” he said.
“They [Presidency] haven’t promised me anything. Since yesterday was a holiday, maybe they’ll say something in the coming days.”
Last month a BackaBuddy campaign was formed in Kunene’s name for surgery, which accumulated over a R100,000 in less than a week.
Kunene confirmed that he had received a date for his prostate surgery after funds were rapidly raised.
“I last performed on 27 December and I’m going to surgery on the 13 May, I’ll be able to work again around July after the surgery.”
The surgery is understood to cost R100,000 and at the time of writing, funds raised stood at 164,994.
Last month when Kunene spoke to The Citizen, he bemoaned the lack of support for artists.
“We [legends] don’t get hired anymore. They only book DJs, amapiano artists and the gqom guys. It’s very quiet on our side… I can’t even properly take care of myself,” Kunene said at the time.
Kunene has been in the music industry for at least 50 years creating African blues music that has touched listeners at home and abroad.
Last year, Kunene received an honorary doctorate from the University of KwaZulu-Natal for his contribution to the development of indigenous music and his contribution to the music of Africa and that of the world.
After Kunene’s return from hospital, Minister of Sport, Arts & Culture Zizi Kodwa promised to visit him, but had to reschedule due to other commitments.
But the Minister kept his promise days later, spending the day with Kunene on his birthday in April.
“He came and celebrated my day with me. I’ve been living here since 1998 and no premier, minister had visited me at my home. Nathi Mthethwa had promised to come around 2021 during Covid, but was help up. Zizi Kodwa is the first minister to come visit me at my home.”
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