The all-male contemporary group Mohlakeng Acapellas is celebrating the milestone of releasing its first complete album containing songs recorded after a decade of formation. The group’s debut album is titled The Sedge Motho o kgonwa ke sa hae.
The Sotho part is an idiom that means begging is tiresome, it is better to strive to be self-sufficient, when loosely translated. The group released the long-awaited album in December. It is a compilation of new songs and singles recorded over the years.
Jimmy Mokoena, group member, said the album was the culmination of a collaboration with South Africa’s Grammy award winning group, the Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
“We recorded the album under Mambazo Music and Gallo Records. On the album we have songs like ‘Wa Tshepahala’, a hymn written by Mohlakeng Acapellas, and a favourite song called ‘Nomthandazo’. ”
Mokoena said the collaboration was the highlight of their musical journey, and the benefit of the collaboration had enabled them to fine tune their music graft.
The group was founded in 2010. Mokoena said the formation of the group had been inspired by performances at events that promoted the 2010 Fifa men’s Football World Cup staged in South Africa.
They started with seven members, who had all completed their studies at the Motheo Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College Bloemfontein campus.
