Ladysmith Black Mambazo suspends US tour due to coronavirus outbreak
By Staff Reporter 
Mar 15, 2020
Ladysmith Black Mambazo is coming back home in South Africa on Thursday, March 19 2020, due to their USA tour being suspended following the Covid-19 outbreak.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo were currently on their three months-US-tour which began in January 2020 which was scheduled to end on the March 23 2020. The legendary five-times-Grammy Award-winning group was still left with performances in Stoughton, Viroqua, Grayslake-Illinois, Chicago, Bloomington, Cincinnati-Ohio, Grand Rapids-Michigan, Buffalo-New York City and Viana-Virginia.
The group is set to land in Durban on Thursday, where upon arrival, they will go through the necessary coronavirus screening processes before being allowed to reunite with their families and or continue to participate in any South African public gatherings and or events.
The suspension of the group’s USA tour comes at the time when the group is having a string of events planned for the 2020 in celebration of their 60th anniversary. One of those events includes the 2nd annual Inanda Dam World Music Festival scheduled to take place at Inanda Dam on Sunday, March 22.
For now, this event is set to continue as planned until the group gets a different view from authorities about public gatherings in the country amid the Covid-19 outbreak.
Inanda Dam World Music Festival celebrates the legacy of the group’s founder, the late Professor Joseph Shabalala.
Other planned events to take place during the anniversary celebrations include Professor Joseph Shabalala Memorial Lecture to be held in the University of KwaZulu-Natal to coincide with Shabalala’s birthday in August, a cultural event in honour of Shabalala to be held in Ladysmith in September and the Isicathamiya Festival to be held at Standard Bank Arena in Johannesburg later in the year.
The tickets for Inanda World Music Festival are now available through Computicket at R250.
The star-studded line-up includes Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Unathi, Vusi Nova, AKA, Mondli Ngcobo, Malini, Colenso Abafana BeNkokhelo and Naima Kay.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo Mobile Academy hour will be held to launch and showcase the groups discovered through Ladysmith Black Mambazo national wide talent search held in 2019.
Such group include Di Teng Teng Happy Boys from Limpopo, Meduduetsane Basadi from Northern Cape, Afrika Mamas and Young Mbazo from KZN and Mohlakeng Accapelas from Free State.
The event will be hosted by Gagasi FM’s Zola Zee Loving and Khaya Dladla. The DJ’s will include Happy Gal, Sjerere, Kotini, Vumar and Sithelo.