Choir lauds car guard’s talent
A pivotal moment for a car guard at i'langa Mall, Senzo Simelane (27) was when he joined the Laudate Choir.
MBOMBELA – The 27-year-old, who has been a car guard at i’langa Mall for a year, listened to the choir’s performance during the Loffees together with Jo Black.
“I waited for two hours for them to finish. I walked straight up to a choir member, Ma’am Elsabe (Malan) and asked her what the chances were of joining them. She asked me if I can read notes, to which I replied, ‘Yes, I can’. She said that I would have to come for an audition first.
“I was so nervous when I saw there were no other black people. But Elsabe introduced me to the team and everyone made me feel very welcome.
“I did the audition, whereafter Elsabe went outside the room and only came back 10 minutes later. I stressed! She invited me to spend the practice session and I am so glad to finally be part of the team with the beautiful voices.”
Simelane comes from a musical family. His mom has a lovely voice, he said, and his aunt was the conductor at Schoemansdal Youth Choir.
Growing up in Swaziland, the 27-year-old dropped out of school at the age of 17 due to financial issues.
He then moved to South Africa to stay with his Aunt Neineleni in Nkomazi, where he completed school at Lugebhuta High School.
As he grew up, he had to choose between football and his love of music, but he found his calling in choir.
“My former Afrikaans teacher and conductor of the senior choir at Lugebhuta, Joe Mokoena, inspired me to follow my heart. He took me under his wing – he is like a father to me.
“I enjoy his company as we have the same interest in life – music.”
After school, Simelane went back to his birth country, but returned to South Africa where he worked as a youth facilitator at his former high school.
“In order for me to have kept the job, I had to get a work permit, but I didn’t earn enough to get a permit so unfortunately I lost my job.”
Last year he joined Ehlanzeni College senior choir. Music comes very naturally to him, singing a solo at this year’s Songs of Praise.
“Ma’am Elsabe and the choir members have been so good to me. They bought me my first-ever black trousers, shoes and a red scarf (which is part of the dress code). I now sing with pride.”
When asking Simelane what his plans for the future are, he said, “I want to go further with my music. I would love to learn how to play the piano and to write my own music”.
