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Mkhululi Ncube, Showbiz Reporter
AFTER a long sabbatical, Ndolwane Super Sounds (Amangwe Production) leader Charles Ndebele is back with a scorcher of a single titled Unyawo Alulampumulo/Amakwerekwere.

He released his last album, Umhlola four years ago and says the single is a foretaste of his forthcoming album.

The song mirrors the xenophobic attacks and bad treatment that Zimbabweans continue to face in South Africa where they are called by the derogatory term Amakwerekwere.

In the song, Ndebele features the hot Dubia Masters duo of Tumelo Dube and Alfred Sibanda.

With his many years of experience, Ndebele’s songwriting skills are in no doubt in the single with the combination with young Dubia Masters giving it a “modern” flavour and a good sound.

The song that is largely sung in iSiNdebele is mixed with Kalanga and Tswana.

It starts on a beautiful reggae beat, a beat that for years, has been associated with tackling issues such as racism.

“My compositions are based on what I see, feel and sometimes on visions that I get at night.

All my songs are based on real-life issues and this has made them timeless.

Even during years when I don’t record, I don’t stop writing songs,” he said.

He said name-calling is a societal problem that has to be tackled and for him, it can only be through music.

“Everywhere, people are called names depending on where they come from, the language they speak, or the tribe they belong to.

So anyone can relate to this song,” he said.

Ndebele said despite the single being well received by fans, the financial benefits for him are low even via online stores.

He said this is the reason why he has not been as active in music as he is focusing more on projects that have better financial returns.

“This is the reason why I’m not producing music like I used to.

As I’ve always said, I’m doing music for fun now rather than business because there’s no money.

But that doesn’t mean that when I go to the studio, I take the same attitude with me, no, I give my all just like when I started,” said the Selimathunzi composer.

— @themkhust.