Poisoned twice: The amazing story of Godknows Mdudula Ndebele

Mkhululi Ncube, [email protected]
GODKNOWS ‘Mdudula’ Ndebele is a Rhumba legend who has been making music for almost two decades. He is the leader of Malaba Shining Stars, a band that has released eight albums of soulful and original songs. But behind his success lies a tragic story of betrayal, suffering, and survival.
Mdudula was poisoned twice by his enemies, who wanted to end his life and his career. The first time was in 2009, when he was working in South Africa. The poison damaged his lungs so badly that he lost one of them, leaving him with only half of his breathing capacity. This made singing a painful and exhausting ordeal for him.
“I was poisoned at work in 2009 and it damaged my lungs and am only left with one, which makes breathing a challenge for me. As you know breathing plays a crucial part of singing, I have been forced to adjust and suspend live shows as I cannot sing for a long time. My spinal cord was also affected as they drained the poison,” he said.
The second time was in 2011, when he was poisoned again by a colleague. He suspected something was wrong with the food he was given, and fed it to a dog instead. The dog died the next day.
The poisoning took a toll on his health and his finances. He spent years in and out of hospitals, seeking treatment and relief.
“I was in and out of hospitals this side in South Africa were the incident happened and in 2021 they told me they could not assist me anymore. I then came back home and went to Brunapeg Mission Hospital where they managed to drain the poison. This has derailed my career and life because every year from 2016-2022, I was in hospital. Every year end we have thanks giving to God for sparing my life. But am better now although I have had to adjust things like carrying heavy loads or running. I was advised to buy breathing machines but I cannot afford them.”
Mdudula did not give up on his passion for music, despite the challenges he faced. He continued to record new songs, but with some changes. He said he now needs more time in the studio, and he has hired someone to help him with the backing vocals.

Godknows Mdudula Ndebele
“I would love to appreciate my fans and many Rhumba artists who have assisted me through this difficult period of my music journey. In the last album I dedicated a track to them for their assistance,” said Mdudula.
His latest album, Uthandana Wedwa, was released in October 2023. It features seven tracks of pure Rhumba magic, showcasing his talent and skill as a bass guitar player.
“I will continue singing but balancing it with my health needs. My appeal is for Rhumba fans to support me as I need them now more than ever before. On this album I was backed by Prosper Bafana and also assisted by Vincent Ngatsha Moyo and fans love what we did for them.”
@themkhust
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