Official 2026 release photograph: Ubumina - EP — Apple Music
Mzukulu makes maskandi, the Zulu guitar tradition, from inside its heartland. Born Dumisani Sfanele Zulu in Ulundi in rural KwaZulu-Natal, he launched his career in 2018 with the album Vukani and the hit 'MakaBahle', and has remained independent, building an audience without major-label backing.
The following has become measurable. He has sold out Durban's Playhouse Theatre, and his album Ng'funa intozami, released in October 2025 through Baqazile Entertainment, runs seventeen tracks of undiluted maskandi. Recognition arrived in the same season: 'Ubu Ghost Bami', featuring Intombi Yaselundi, is nominated for Best Maskandi at the 2026 Metro FM Music Awards, a newly introduced category, and 2026 also brought his first South African Music Award nomination, which he calls proof that perseverance pays off.
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SAMA32’s shortlist shows a South African music industry no longer defined by one centre. From Durban Gqom to Maskandi, Amapiano, Jazz, Gospel and regional scenes, the country’s sound is spreading power across many hubs.
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