Sixty-six years after his death, Solomon Linda has received yet another prestigious national honour.
The grave of the composer behind the globally renowned song Mbube has been declared a National Heritage Site.
His resting place at Doornkop Cemetery in Soweto will proudly bear a badge of honour, serving as a symbol of justice and remembrance.
He is already a recipient of the Order of Ikhamanga in Gold in recognition of his contribution to music.
This declaration coincides with celebrations at Gallo Music, the record label Linda signed with alongside the Evening Birds, as it marks its centenary.
Linda was one of South Africa’s most iconic yet wronged artists. He recorded Mbube with the Evening Birds in the late 1930s. The song would go on to become one of the most enduring and far-reaching compositions from South Africa.
Mbube was widely covered internationally, including as Wimoweh by The Weavers and The Lion Sleeps Tonight by The Tokens. Despite its success, Linda lived and died in poverty, denied the financial rewards of his talent as others claimed royalties and failed to acknowledge him as the true composer.
He sold his song for 10 shillings and never received a single royalty until his death in 1962.
While Gallo’s history with Solomon Linda is complicated, the record company was a catalyst in the eventual resolution of the matter.
In its declaration, the South African Heritage Resources Agency affirmed that the grave of Solomon Linda was of pivotal cultural significance to South Africa. It symbolised the broader impact of colonialism, particularly its systematic theft and exploitation of African cultural heritage without recognition or restitution.
“Justice, though long delayed, has begun to find its way to Linda’s descendants, who are now receiving the royalties that should always have been theirs. The declaration of his grave as a National Heritage Site ensures that the world will never again be permitted to forget,” read the statement.
Antos Stella, CEO of Gallo Music, commented: “The story of the man who lies in Grave No. 4875 at Doornkop Cemetery is not simply one of tragedy. It is one of sacrifice, and a lesson that has fundamentally shaped how the recorded music industry conducts itself. Gallo Music has learned from this history and recalibrated how it operates. The world was a very different place then, and there was no framework for fair and honest dealings, leaving artists deeply vulnerable to exploitation.
“Things are different now in no small part because of Solomon Linda, and others like him. The industry knows better. It must be just, fair, and equitable. We celebrate this honour with his family and with the industry, and the timing could not be more fitting. As Gallo marks 100 years, we are reflecting on a legacy of sounds that defined a century and honouring every voice that made it possible.”
- Gallo Music is owned by Lebashe Investment Group’s Arena Holdings, which is home to Sowetan, Business Day and Sunday Times, among other media divisions.
Sowetan
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