LOCAL

President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the national Heritage Day celebrations at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Saturday.

The event celebrates South Africa’s indigenous music and its immense contribution to sports, arts, culture and heritage. It will be preceded by a parade to be addressed by the President.

This year’s theme pays tribute to the 60th anniversary of the passing of singer and songwriter Solomon Linda.

Linda was born Solomon Ntsele, in 1909 near Pomeroy, in Msinga, Ladysmith. He later dropped the surname and used his clan name, Linda.

He is best known as the composer of the song “Mbube” which later became the popular music success “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and gave its name to the Mbube style of isicathamiya an acapella music.

The music composer of the world-famous song allegedly sold the rights to a record company for 10 shillings (R35).

Heritage Day | Singer and songwriter Solomon Popoli Linda remembered 60 years on: