Johnny Clegg Passes Away at 66

Celebrated South African musician and anthropologist, Johnny Clegg, has passed away at the age of 66, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

According to a statement released by his longtime manager and friend, Roddy Quinn, Clegg succumbed to his illness – with which he was diagnosed in 2015 – and passed away at his family home in Johannesburg on Tuesday afternoon, 16 July.

Quinn paid tribute to the “Scatterlings of Africa” hitmaker: “[Clegg] leaves deep footprints in the hearts of every person that considers him/herself [sic] to be an African. He showed us what it was to assimilate to and embrace other cultures without losing your identity … in many of us, he awakened awareness.”

Famous for using isiZulu folk music in his repertoire, Clegg rose to prominence at the age of 17 after forming an inter-racial band, Juluka, with Sipho Mchunu.

Sixteen years later, at the height of Apartheid, he partnered with Dudu Zulu to form another band called Savuka.

Clegg is survived by his wife of 31 years, Jenny, and his two sons, Jaron and Jesse.

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