Afrikaner activist Ernst Roets has hilariously laid claim to a popular kwaito song – Nkalakatha by the late Mandoza – which he states is “boeremusiek.”
The crossover track – released in 2000 – has been colloquially referred to as one of South Africa’s “unofficial anthems.”
The song was written by the late hitmaker – real name Mduduzi Tshabalala – and producer Gabi Le Roux, and is translated from slang as meaning “Top dog”.
ERNST ROETS SAYS ‘NKALATHA’ IS ‘BOERMUSIEK’
On his X account, outspoken Afrikaner activist Ernst Roets shared a post that had South Africans talking.
But instead of politics, the former AfriForum deputy-head tweeted about a popular song.
He tweeted: “Nkalakatha is Boeremusiek. Prove me wrong.”
Roets is referring to the 2000 hit song by Mandoza, who tragically died from a brain tumour in 2016.
Interestingly, the song featuring Zulu slang is particularly a hit amongst white South Africans.
While Ernst Roets’ other tweets have been widely disputed as “disinformation”, many South Africans found truth in his post about the song. Others accused him of appropriating from black culture.
‘IT TAKES ONE SONG TO BRING US TOGETHER’
Mandoza’s Nkalakatha remains a steady feature on playlists at events across South Africa, particularly at weddings and rugby matches.
As Ernst Roets suggests, the bop was a go-to for many Afrikaners.
Over the years, the crossover track has been praised for uniting people of all races.
Producer Gabi Le Roux said of the hit: “It takes one song to bring us together. Nkalakatha was that song.”
However, Mandoza himself grew weary of the career-defining track.
He told IOL in 2011: “I can’t keep comparing everything I do with it. That was 11 years ago. Come on. People need to give me a break. You know it wasn’t supposed to be a hit. We were just messing about. There were better songs on the album.”
He added: “I’m so sick of that song, so sick of performing it…. Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful for its success, but I really don’t like performing it anymore.”
