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One of Maskandi’s leading voices Inkosi Yamagcokama dies in horror crash
Maskandi music has been plunged into mourning following the death of popular artist Inkosi Yamagcokama, real name Sicebi Dlamini, who died in a horrific car accident in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, in the early hours of Sunday, August 9.
Dlamini was travelling to a performance when the vehicle he was in crashed at a traffic light opposite Melomed Hospital in Richards Bay. According to the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, the musician suffered severe injuries and died at the scene despite efforts by emergency personnel.
Three other people were in the vehicle. One of them, identified by the family as Gumu “Gupta” Mchunu, also died, while two other members of the team were taken to hospital for treatment. The Citizen reported that one of the injured crew members was in a critical but stable condition.
The accident is being investigated by the SAPS Accident Unit, with authorities yet to establish the circumstances that led to the crash.
KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma confirmed the devastating news, saying emergency teams had done everything possible to save the musician.
“The team from the Road Traffic Inspectorate [RTI] [and] Umhlathuze [municipality] traffic, working with the SAPS and other emergency rescue services, did everything in their power, but unfortunately Inkosi Yamagcokama succumbed to severe injuries and died at the scene of the accident,” Duma said, according to TimesLIVE.
Duma described the musician as far more than an entertainer, highlighting the cultural influence he had built through his music.
“Inkosi Yamagcokama has been an invaluable asset to the nation. He was a remarkable artist who carved for himself a niche in the hearts and minds of millions of Maskandi music lovers,” he said.
“He was admired for his humility and for putting Umsinga on the map. As we mourn with a deep sense of sadness his passing, we are confident that his legacy will inspire many aspiring Maskandi to improve this genre, which is growing in leaps and bounds,” Duma added.
His family and management also confirmed his death, asking the public and media to give the family privacy as they deal with the sudden loss.
“We are devastated by this unimaginable loss and our thoughts and prayers are also with the families of everyone affected by this tragedy,” the family said in a statement carried by The Citizen.
“At this time, the families and team are still coming to terms with what has happened and are beginning the difficult process of making the necessary arrangements. We therefore respectfully ask members of the public, supporters and the media to afford the families, friends and team privacy and compassion as we process this profound loss,” the statement continued.
For fans of Maskandi, Dlamini’s death represents the loss of a distinctive voice who had spent years carving out his own space in the genre. Born Sicebi Dlamini, he established himself as Inkosi Yamagcokama through a style that blended traditional Zulu storytelling with contemporary Maskandi sounds.
His music frequently drew on everyday experiences, relationships and observations, while remaining deeply connected to Zulu culture and identity. Spotify describes him as a torchbearer in the Maskandi genre, pointing to songs including “Dear Ex Yami”, “Vuka Sonwabe”, “Asenzele Bona” and “Ngixolele” among the works that helped establish his name.
His breakthrough body of work included the 2019 album Dear Diary, which featured songs such as “Impilo Iyisimanga”, “Osondonzima” and “Uzokhalela Bani”. Dlamini was not only a performer but also a songwriter and producer, with music credits showing his involvement in writing and producing some of his material.
His career continued to grow as he collaborated with artists across the South African music scene. His credits include collaborations and appearances alongside artists such as Big Zulu, Blaq Diamond, Aubrey Qwana, Nomfundo Moh, Mawhoo and others.
Dlamini’s work was also recognised within the Maskandi industry. In 2023, he was celebrated at the South African Traditional Music Awards after being named Best Maskandi Artist, an achievement that underlined his standing within the genre.
His discography continued into 2025, with National Anthem listed as his latest album and featuring 15 tracks. Songs from the project include “Abangani Bami”, “Kuyazenzakalela”, “Shandis”, “Uthand’olusha” and “Bengimthanda”.
The sudden death of the musician has therefore come at a time when his career was still active, with his music continuing to appear on new releases and collaborations. His passing has sparked an outpouring of grief from fans, fellow musicians and political figures, with tributes describing him as an important figure in the continued growth of Maskandi.
For a musician whose work helped carry the stories, sounds and identity of KwaZulu-Natal to audiences far beyond his home province, Inkosi Yamagcokama leaves behind a catalogue that will continue to speak for him long after his tragic final journey.
Economy
Vegetables disappear from South African plates when winter hits
As temperatures drop, breakfasts become toast instead of tomatoes, lunches lean towards bread and soup, and hearty dinners replace lighter meals. It’s an entirely human response to winter, but one that can leave vegetables falling further down the shopping list.
Every winter, South Africans naturally gravitate towards warm, comforting meals, but in the process, vegetables are often the first thing to disappear from the plate. Tenderstem® broccoli believes the solution isn’t convincing people to abandon comfort food but making it easier to build vegetables into the meals they’re already cooking. Convenience is the real fix: making the healthy choice the easy one. It is the thinking behind an approach that encourages South Africans to include quick-cooking vegetables such as Tenderstem® broccoli, which needs only a few minutes to prepare and can be added straight into meals already on the stove, rather than requiring a separate dish of their own.
Cold weather tends to draw us towards warm, filling foods, with bread, pasta and other carbohydrate-heavy favourites often becoming the easiest choice. The problem is not the comfort food. It is what gets pushed aside to make room for it.
The nutritional data reflects this pattern. According to South Africa’s National Nutrition Week, adults in this country already consume an average of around 230g of fruit and vegetables daily, which is just 58% of the internationally recommended 400g intake. That is the baseline in any season. In winter, when lighter meals feel less appealing and hot, filling food becomes the natural choice, vegetables can become even easier to overlook.
Diets low in fruit and vegetables are associated with a greater risk of non-communicable diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Winter also coincides with South Africa’s flu season, making a varied diet especially relevant. Vitamin C and folate both contribute to normal immune function and can be found in a range of fresh vegetables.
The answer does not require complicated dietary changes or extra time in the kitchen. It starts with building greens into the meals people are already eating.
Start the week differently
One practical way to improve winter nutrition is to remove the daily decision. A vegetable egg bake or frittata, prepared on a Sunday evening and portioned into the fridge, provides a filling breakfast containing protein, vegetables and fibre for several days. On a cold weekday morning, having something ready to reheat makes the nutritious choice the convenient one.
Brassica greens work particularly well in this format because they hold their texture when baked and release less water than softer vegetables such as courgette or spinach. Tenderstem® broccoli can be added whole, requires no trimming and is edible from floret to stem. Fold a generous handful into whisked eggs, add cheese if desired and bake at 180°C for 20 to 25 minutes. Once portioned, it can be reheated in minutes.
It also answers a familiar winter problem. Breakfast often defaults to buttered toast, cereal or a rusk when the weather is cold and time is short. Preparing a vegetable-based protein option in advance changes that routine without adding pressure to the morning.
Add to what you already cook
Quick-cooking green vegetables can be added to soups, curries and lentil dishes in the final few minutes of cooking, making them an easy part of familiar winter meals.
The key is to choose a vegetable that holds its texture, works with robust flavours and requires little preparation. Tenderstem® broccoli cooks in three to five minutes and can be used from floret to stem. Add it to a butter chicken or lamb curry shortly before serving, stir it through soup or place it in a roasting tray with the roast for the final ten minutes of cooking. Even a grilled cheese sandwich can make room for a few green stems.
Each option fits into a meal that is already being prepared, without requiring a separate dish or additional washing up. An 80g serving counts as one of your five-a-day and is high in vitamin C and folate, which contribute to normal immune function. It also provides fibre, potassium and vitamin B6. “People do not stop caring about nutrition in winter. They choose food that feels warm, filling and manageable. The easiest way to keep vegetables on the menu is to build them into those familiar meals rather than treating them as a separate side dish,” explains Elise Ruddle, Chef and Nutritionist, South African brand representative for Tenderstem®.
Winter eating does not need to become a contest between comfort and nutrition. The more realistic answer is to make vegetables part of the comfort food itself. When greens belong in the curry, soup, breakfast bake or toasted sandwich, eating them no longer depends on anyone feeling virtuous.
