Geluksdal musician Themba Masemula is calling on South Africans to return to their cultural roots, embrace love and restore humanity through his latest EP, ‘Amasiko’.

Inspired by the ongoing scourge of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), the killing of women and the rape of young girls, Masemula told the African Reporter that he felt compelled to use his music to encourage society to reflect on what has gone wrong and find ways to rebuild a culture of love and mutual respect.

He said the album was born out of his frustration with the violence and suffering that continue to make headlines.

“The project was inspired after I was seeing things that are happening around us, like GBV, the killing of our sisters and the rape of young girls.

“I said to myself, if we can go back to our roots, our culture and humanity, these things would not happen because we belong to loving one another. This world would be a beautiful place,” said Masemula.

Through the EP, he hopes to remind listeners of the values that once shaped communities, including respect for elders, caring for one another and teaching children the importance of good morals from an early age.

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Known as Themba M, he shared that the project’s central message is a call for people to revive their sense of humanity and work together to rebuild the nation.

“My message is one: let us go back to our roots. Let us revive our souls with love and love each other to build our nation again.”

He explained that the title track, Amasiko, reflects on how previous generations listened to and respected their parents and grandparents.

Masemula said the song asks why society seems to have moved away from those values and challenges people to consider what they can do to restore them.

He believes everyone still alive has a responsibility to rebuild society, particularly parents and caregivers, who play a role in passing cultural values on to younger generations.

“It is a lost generation. It takes all of us who are still alive to teach our children in our homes what we were taught,” he said.

For Masemula, the project also allows the country to engage in honest introspection and examine the social problems affecting communities.

He hopes the songs will encourage listeners to reflect on their actions and relationships with others, while recognising that restoring respect and compassion begins at home.

The project also features Sbusiso Mngomezulu, with whom Masemula previously performed in their group, Canaries. The pair collaborated on Ukudlalwa Nguy’we, an Afro-soul ballad.

Beyond the message behind the music, Masemula said his journey has taught him valuable lessons about the industry’s discipline and business side.

Despite the challenges, Masemula has no plans to abandon music. He intends to continue recording while also creating opportunities for emerging artists through his company, Themba M Records.

He hopes to use the company to record new artists and help grow the local music industry. Ultimately, Masemula believes a return to cultural values could help address some of the country’s challenges.

“If we go back to our roots, to our amasiko, our nation will be a better place. But if we run away from our roots, we will be ruled by other nations, and our ancestors will turn their backs on us,” concluded Masemula.