UKUXHASHAZWA nokudliwa kwamandla akhe ebuka kwenze indlovukazi yomdanso nomculo wesipantsula, uMercy Pakela, yabuyela esikoleni isineminyaka ewu-57.
UMercy, waduma kakhulu ngeminyaka yo-1980 no-1990, ngamanoni ayethi Ayashis' Amateki, Mama Ndiyalila, I Will Hold On nelithi Careless Doctor. Owayeyisihlabani se-Orlando Pirates, uBashin Mahlangu waze wabizwa ngo-Ayashis' Amateki ngenxa yengoma kaMercy.
UMercy uthe ufunda eWits University lapho enza khona izifundo zeCultural Policy Management ngoba ufuna ukubamba iqhaza uma kubekwa imigomo futhi kushaywa nemithetho.
"Ngifuna ukuzihlomisa ngolwazi ukuze ngikwazi ukusayina izivumelwano. Lolu lwazi luzongenza ngikwazi ukusiza labantwana abeza ngemuva kwethu. Ngifuna ukwabelana ngolwazi nangamava nabaculi abasafufusa abafunda eWits ukuze baphume esikoleni sebehlomile. Akudlalwa emculweni."
Uthe abaculi kufanele bazi ukuthi akukhona kwamama wakho emculweni, ngakho kukuwe ukuzinakekela.
"Ungashisa izikhotha ezinkundleni zokuxhumana okwamanje. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uphatheke kabi uma sekuduma omusha."
Uthe yena uxhashaziwe futhi wavalwa emculweni ngenxa yokuthi ubekhala ngokuxhashazwa.
"Uma abantu abanjengoZahara beze bashona bekhala ngokuxhashazwa, singonamba bani thina."
Uthe yingakho enqume ukuyofunda ngoba umkhuba wokuxhashazwa kwamaciko awusoze waphela.
Unxuse abaculi abaseza ngemuva ukuba baqinise emfundweni ukuze bangaphoseki esiseleni abaculi abadala abakhalakatheke kuso.
"Umculo uyibhizinisi. Yingakho kumqoka kakhulu ukuba bafunde. Babuyele ezikoleni. Kuningi abangakufunda esikoleni ngoba umculo ubanzi. Uma mina ngimngaka ngibuyele esikoleni, bona bangahlulwa yini."
Udonse abaculi bakuleli ukuba bafunde ukuze bakwazi ukuzisungulela izingoma zabo, bayeke ukufudumeza ezabantu abangabazi.
"Ngiyithandile into eyenziwe nguDJ Maphorisa ngengoma kaKamazu. Uyithathe wayibeka kwelinye izinga. Kanjalo noMasterKG wenze okufanayo ngengoma yeDalom Kids (ethi Keneilwe)."
Uthe naye angakujabulela ukwenziwa kabusha kwezingoma zakhe kodwa kufanele kuqalwe kuye futhi abandakanywe ekwenziweni kwayo.
UMercy uthe wazalelwa eGqeberha kodwa wangena emculweni eseneminyaka ewu-16. Waqala wasebenza noMargaret Mcingana, Ebony, Patience Africa, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Olive Masinga, Isabel Maseko weDark City Sisters noNombuso Mabaso weHot Soul Singers.
Uthe ukudansa isipantsula wakufundiswa wumculi kamaskandi, Ihhashi Elimhlophe. "Ihhashi Elimhlophe umajayivane wangempela," kugcizelela uMercy.