WeeklySA_AdminTRIBUTE: A chance encounter over a Kevin Mahogany recording became a lifelong greeting between writer Oupa Ngwenya and jazz legend Fitzroy Ngcukana. As South Africa mourns the last of the legendary Ngcukana Brothers, this tribute remembers a gifted musician, Pan-Africanist and mentor whose music and humanity left an enduring imprint on generations…
By Oupa Ngwenya
Heard hard-to-receive news on Saturday evening. That Fitzroy “Bra Fitz” Ngcukana was no more. It immediately evoked memories of our night-prowling days with buddies around Jozi’s revelry hotspots.
I remembered the joint he ran in Yeoville. Jozi’s streetwise journalists. The tried-and-tested ones took me there. Len Maseko mostly.
I didn’t drive then. So, Maseko was my wayfaring shoulder to lean on and lead me to the temptations of the city’s Aquarian places.
Places where good company always toasted life. With friends, with hours to kill and hours to live.
As a host, Fitzroy Ngcukana always nodded to welcome each dropping by. Peace to his soul.
Eye contact. Music. No words needed. World competing with happy noise commanding the place. One night, he played Kevin Mahogany. One of my favourites. One of his too, I would soon find out.
I stood up. The ovation caught his eye. He left the deck, came to me, bent his big frame, and hugged me hard. A connection.
“Mfondini, do you know the artist I just played?”
“Yes. That’s why I stood.” Next time we met he asked for my email.
First, he never missed to ask: “Do you remember what you did when I played Mahogany?”
“A standing ovation,” I said. “Make it your email,” he laughed, the laughter of man content with himself.
From then, we never met or parted without the ‘standing ovation’ jibe warming our camaraderie.
It became our signature phrase. With him gone now, our connection has taken on a new meaning. Nostalgic, yet the sad news still fresh to sink in. It evokes deep sadness and a profound sense of loss to mark the passing of Bra Fitz, who transcended to the spiritual realm on the morning of June 26.
As the final surviving sibling of the legendary Ngcukana brothers, renowned for shaping the Cape Town jazz idiom, Ngcukana closes a chapter that marks the end of an extraordinary era in South African music history.
Born into Cape Town’s iconic jazz royalty in the historic township of Langa, Bra Fitz was destined for a life defined by rhythm, resilience, and purpose.
He was the proud son of the great patriarch Fezile Christopher “Mra” Ngcukana, from whom he inherited a rigorous musical discipline and a lifelong devotion to the arts.
As a master saxophonist, arranger, and vocalist, Bra Fitz seamlessly blended traditional African melodies with the improvisational spirit of jazz. Together with his late brothers—Duke, Ezra, Cyril, and Claude—he built a musical dynasty that anchored the unique Cape Jazz sound.
His artistic contributions captivated audiences worldwide and saw him share stages and collaborate with titans of the industry, including Abdullah Ibrahim and Hugh Masekela, both of whom have since gone the way of flesh, the former just fortnight ago.
Fitzroy’s music was never separate from politics. He was a staunch Pan-Africanist who dedicated his platform to the liberation struggle, famously serving as the Culture Secretary for the Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC). He used his resonant, soulful voice to advocate for cultural preservation, political identity, and social justice.
For his lifelong dedication to South Africa’s musical heritage, he was fittingly honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz festival. In 1991, he released an album of freedom songs entitled Isinyikanyika.
The PAC, the organisation to which Ngcukana devoted his life, has mourned his passing – as have scores of South African showbiz entities and personalities.
In his later years, and even during times of illness, his spirit remained unbroken as he continued to be a pillar of wisdom for younger generations of South African creatives. He leaves behind a rich archive of music and a towering cultural legacy that will continue to inspire the continent.
Fitzroy Ngcukana shared a special bond with the late Afropop icon Brenda Fassie dating back to their younger days in Langa township in Cape Town, where they were born and were connected by deep roots in the local arts scene. Their bond encompassed, not only shared township origins, but also a close artistic collaboration, and a role in nurturing Fassie’s legendary career.
The two famously collaborated on the memorable track Generations from her 1997 Papparazzi album. Ngcukana helped produce the song, which remains one of their celebrated shared ventures.
Ngcukana’s mentorship and support during Fassie’s challenging early years in the industry and fast-paced Joburg life were pivotal, helping her secure her financial legacy in the music business. In addition, the Ngcukana Brothers were famously known to act as older brother figures and advisors to Brenda, often helping keep her grounded during her tempestuous lapses.
While Fassie revolutionised African pop with hits like Weekend Special in the early 1980s, Ngcukana dedicated his life to teaching, preserving local jazz, and uplifting the country’s arts sector.
Ngcukana was a celebrated, regular performer at Niki’s Oasis Jazz Restaurant and close friends with Niki and Zuko Rwaxa, the owner-couple of the acclaimed jazz venue situated in downtown Joburg, opposite the Market Theatre.
In 2024, it was the same couple that stepped in to host a benefit concert at the eatery to raise funds for the ailing Ngcukana for his upkeep and medical expenses.
Hamba kahle, Bra Fitz.
Your melody will echo forever in the heart of Azania. Peace to your soul.
