Cape Town – An 11-year-old Mpumalanga praise singer, Given Lubisi, was selected to praise President Jacob Zuma before he delivered the State of the Nation Address (SONA) before the joint sitting of Parliament in the National Assembly on Thursday evening.
“I felt an extraordinary excitement. But because I was looking forward to that time when I would be given such an opportunity given the fact that I praised the MECs (Members of the Executive Council) and the Mpumalanga Premier when he delivered the State of the Province Address in 2016 and I realised that I was ready for the national platform level,” said Lubisi, when asked how he feels about praising President Jacob Zuma.
He said he was not intimidated by the size of the audience he is going to face and has his father to thank for his confidence.
According to Mr Lubisi, he got the praise singing gift from God as he is unable to say he was taught by someone.
Lubisi was born in 2005 in Mpumalanga and is a grade 6 pupil at Schulzendal Primary School.
He developed the love of praise singing by imitating his father, Mr Eric Sifiso Lubisi, who is a praise singer himself.
This is not the first time he praised high-profile people at high-profile events.
He praised the Mpumalanga MEC for Education, Ms Reginah Mhaule, the Premier of Mpumalanga, Mr David Mabuza at the 2016 State of the Province Address and the Deputy Minister of Health at the World Environment Health Awareness in 2016.