Mafikizolo celebrates 20 years in the industry

South African duo Mafikizolo has teamed up with American singer Syleena Johnson for their new single, ‘Ndifunukwazi’.

The award-winning musicians are celebrating 20 years in the industry, and have a released an album titled ‘20’.

The 16-track offering also features artists such as Gemini Major, and Nigerian stars African Starboy Wizkid and Diva Yemi Alade.

The group, whose career began in 1997 with their debut self-titled album, shot to fame two years later when their single, ‘Lotto’, became a smash hit.

Read: Mafikizolo's Theo Kgosinkwe catch up with Bongani and Mags

While South Africans could not get enough of the song, Mafikizolo was not too fond of the track.

Lead vocalist Nhlanhla Nciza told IOL this week she “hated that song”, while Theo Ngosinkwe says it didn’t make sense that all they were going to sing was “eh-eh-eh, utsweri lotto”.

The song was a major success nonetheless, and helped Mafikizolo become a nationwide success.

The Afro-pop group started as a trio, but became a duo when Tebogo Benedict Madingoane died in 2004.

He was shot dead during a road rage incident in Soweto.

“We definitely miss him and would have loved for him to be here so we could enjoy all this success together,” Nhlanhla told Drum magazine earlier this year.

She added that if Tebogo was alive today she would tell him, “you were right Tebza – we are as big as you said we would be. You were right when you said we needed to work hard and keep pushing.”

Mafikizolo’s new album is available in music stores and iTunes from today (Friday, November 24). 

Carol Ofori and Ricky take you through 40 of the planet’s hottest songs in our weekly chart show, the Coca-Cola Top 40, on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm.