A bitter war over a hit song has erupted between two giants of the South African music scene, pitting celebrated gospel artist Senzo Khumalo against maskandi superstar Khuzani Mpungose. Khumalo has publicly accused Mpungose of brazenly stealing the melody, composition, and lyrics from his 2020 gospel track, ‘Nisheshe Nangihlelela’, for a new song on Mpungose’s latest album.
The disputed track, ‘Nisheshe Nangijaja’ featuring Luve Dubazane, appears as the seventh song on Mpungose’s 21-track album ‘Inhlanhla Izanebhadi’, released on Friday, 21st November. Khumalo, a respected composer who has written for artists like Dumi Mkokstad and Thinah Zungu, states the similarity was instantly recognisable.
“At Just 30 Seconds, I Knew It Was My Song”
Khumalo told Sunday World that his initial disbelief quickly turned to disappointment. He claims that Mpungose made only minor lyrical adjustments to disguise the theft.
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“At just 30 seconds into listening to the song, I could tell it was my song,” Khumalo stated. “The melody, the lyrics, and in certain parts that he makes changes. But the song is almost exactly the same. What irks him the most are the slight lyrics adjustments that Khuzani made to make it seem as though it was his own.”
The composer expressed his frustration at what he sees as a blatant disregard for the established protocols of the music industry, suggesting the maskandi star may be ignorant of music rights.
“All He Needed To Do Was Make A Call”
Khumalo emphasised that he is no stranger to other artists wanting to reinterpret his work, but he insists there is a correct and legal way to do so. He contrasted Mpungose’s actions with the professional conduct of other artists.
“These things happen when a person is not very knowledgeable about the music business and music rights. They tend to think they can do as they please with people’s creative work,” Khumalo said. “But I have written for many known and unknown artists. That is how I make a living, through composing for others, and I know how it is done. All he needed to do was make a call and ask to re-do the song, and we do the paperwork. And I would get credited where necessary.”
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He provided a clear example of how it should be handled, noting, “Thinah Zungu asked that he re-do one of my songs in 2017, and I granted him permission. We did the paperwork, and he credited me for writing and arrangement. It’s easy to work with each other as artists. What makes Khuzani think he cannot do the same?”
Legal Counsel Sought as Mpungose Remains Silent
Khumalo revealed that he has had casual encounters with Mpungose in the past, including at a funeral and a sports ground, and is convinced the maskandi artist was familiar with his original work. “I know he listens to my music because I have seen him play it on a Facebook live,” he claimed.
Despite this, Khumalo felt it was not his responsibility to initiate contact after the song’s release. “He can’t take the song and then make it my responsibility to call him,” he argued. While describing himself as conflict-averse, Khumalo is determined to pursue the matter to protect his rights and set a precedent for other artists.
“I am still consulting with my legal team for the best suitable way forward,” Khumalo confirmed. “I just hope it will not drag on. The problem is that Khuzani doesn’t understand the consequences and thinks there are people ganging up on him. It’s a serious case. I was hoping he would understand and reach out, but I just hope the record label would understand. There is proof, no one is trying to bring him down. I am a big fan, but I will not allow anyone to take my craft and claim it as their own.”
When approached for comment, Khuzani Mpungose’s management and publicity team stated that the artist refused to “entertain” the negativity and had no interest in responding to the allegations.