IZINGWAZI zomculo wombhaqanga, i-Soul Brothers, ziwuphethe kabuhlungu u-2024 emuva kokushiywa emhlabeni ngelinye ilungu lazo.
Leli qembu ligqemeke udume lwengozi ngokushona komfuthi we-horn, uNdaba July Mhlabane (73).
Ngokusho kwesitatimende se-Soul Brothers, uMhlabane ngomunye wamalungu abeseneminyaka eyibambile insimbi ishisa kuleli qembu.
"UJuly, owazalelwa eBarberton ngo-1951, wajoyina ibhendi ngo-1992 futhi wafutha i-saxophone ngokubambisana nezinkakha ezinjengoThomas Phale, Javas Magubane, Boy Mpungose noLemmy Special Mabaso."
Abe-Soul Brothers bachaze uMhlabane njengelungu leqembu ebelizihlonipha, lisihlonipha isikhathi futhi nanoma yini abeyenza ubengagcini icala kuyo.
Sesiphetha isitatimende, sithe umufi ubesebonisiwe ngokufa kwakhe njengoba ebesecije abanye abafuthi be-saxophone ngokuthi sidlalwa kanjani isigqi sombhaqanga.
"Sizomkhumbula kakhulu ngenxa yokumamatheka kwakhe, inhliziyo emnene namagama abekhonze ukuwasho athi 'Uyaphi Lapho, Uzobuya Nobani'."
Abaningi bazomkhumbula uMhlabane kwi-Soul Brothers Brass Band eyayidlala amanoni e-Soul Brothers ngezinsimbi kuphela.
Indodana kamufi, uSoletfu Mhlabane, ikuqinisekisile ukuhamba emhlabeni kukayise esibhedlela phambi kwezingane nabanye abazukulu.
USoletfu uthe umndeni ukhathazeke kakhulu ngaleli qhawe futhi wathi umufi uzofihlwa namhlanje ngoLwesibili emuva kwenkonzo yomngcwabo ezobanjelwa kwakhe, e-Arcadia, ePitoli.
Kwenzeka lokhu nje ekuqaleni kwalo nyaka i-Soul Brothers ishiywe emhlabeni ngumdlali wesigingci sebhesi, uScelo Ndlela (65) emuva kokuxinwa wukugula.
Ngo-2022 kwashona umdlali we-lead guitar, uMaxwell China "Mafuthenkukhu" Mngadi, obebuye asebenze noMbongeni Ngema neHhashi Elimhlophe.
Lezi zihlabani zilandele ezithendeni zamanye amalungu aleli qembu angasekho okubalwa kuwo uZenzele Mchunu, David "Mdavu" Masondo, Tuza Mthethwa, Mpompi Sosibo noThemba American Zulu.
Khonamanjalo leli qembu lisazikhotha amenxeba ngokushona komunye wabalandeli be-Soul Brothers, uMbhekiseni "Bhejane" Biyela, obeyiMeya yaseNkandla.
Ngesikhathi i-Soul Brothers igubha ukuqeda iminyaka ewu-48 eMbizo Hall eMpangeni maphakathi kwale nyanga, uBiyela ubekhona kanti usezovalelisa.