Dorothy Masuku

Dorothy Masuku (3 September 1935 – 23 February 2019) was a celebrated singer, songwriter and cultural figure whose music became deeply intertwined with the political and social struggles of Southern Africa. Born in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Masuku moved to South Africa at the age of 12 when her parents migrated south in search of better opportunities. Despite her parents’ hopes that she would pursue formal education, Masuku left school at the age of 16 to follow her passion for music — a decision that would define the rest of her life.

She rose to prominence in the early 1950s after abandoning her studies at a Catholic boarding school in Johannesburg to join Philemon Magotsi’s Ink Spots in Durban at just 15 years old. Her distinctive voice, songwriting talent and charismatic presence quickly made her a household name across the continent. Over the years, she reflected frankly on the challenges artists faced in South Africa, particularly the lack of financial recognition. In later interviews, she noted that international audiences often valued African heritage musicians more than their home industry.

Masuku’s career unfolded alongside the rise of politically conscious music in South Africa. Several of her songs criticised apartheid leaders and colonial power structures, resulting in censorship and surveillance. In 1961, the Apartheid Special Branch reportedly seized and destroyed the master recordings of one of her politically charged songs following the release of her composition referencing Patrice Lumumba. Her music — like that of her peers Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela — affirmed the idea that artists rooted in heritage traditions often had the deepest and most enduring global impact.

Forced into exile, Masuku spent many years abroad and even worked as a flight attendant for 15 years while continuing to perform and compose. She returned to Zimbabwe after independence in 1980, and later resettled in Johannesburg in 1992 as apartheid began to fall. Her later career benefited from renewed recognition, including archival work by Gallo Records. In her acknowledgements to music historian Rob Allingham, she wrote movingly: “If it wasn’t for you, I would’ve been buried alive.”

Dorothy Masuku passed away in Johannesburg on 23 February 2019. She is remembered not only as a gifted performer, but as an artist who carried African musical heritage forward with courage, grace and conviction.

Source: 

History My CD project

Image  - Gallo Music Publishers