Local artist releases his debut album

Tembisa-based gospel artist, Themba Simelane, well-known by Mthimbana, has released his debut album titled Katalambano on September 24.

Simelane is a highly devoted and God fearing person who has seen the mighty touch of God in his life after he spent five years in jail following his arrest and was charged with robberies that he committed in the past.

He was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Simelane told The Tembisan that God has revealed himself in his life experiences and his album comes as an act of obedience as God has a plan for Mthimbana to revolutionalise the gospel music fraternity to bring people to Christ.

Simelani believes in simplicity and he lets the music do the talking. His sound ranges from RNB, hip-hop, House and Afro. He is the founder of Slendour Dot Com, a record label organisation.

Simelani also does motivational talks at local schools. Simelane comes from a very strong political background influenced by his late mother Zodwa Mofokeng. He has contributed largely in student movements in the early 80’s and 90’s. Simelane worked as a technician at Telkom SA and he led a programme called Rehab Programme which was geared to do maintenance as well as fixing lines and installations in Tembisa. That’s where he fell into a trap and started committing criminal activities in 2001. He was arrested after 8 years of being wanted by the law.

During his time of running from the law, Simelane became sober and that’s when he was introduced to God.

When he refrained from crime, Simelane opened his very first small business in Tembisa where he was distributing refusal plastic bags and employed over 20 people. Simelane was also a co-founder of Qubula Ikasi, an organisation that was fighting crime around Tembisa in 2004.

He also operated a spaza shop at Nxuweni Section where he was helping the community with groceries, public phones and photo printing.

In jail, Simelane learned to pray and focused on his studies. He completed both his marketing management certificate and BA in psychology in prison.

When Simelane got released on parole he formed a partnership with the SAPS under Social Crime Prevention Unit.

He continued with his motivational talks in churches and schools about criminal elements and drug abuse.

As time went by he remembered songs that he wrote and sang in the shower in prison.

He remembered the covenant which he made with God and felt that it was time to spread the word to reach those lost souls through his music, to touch people’s lives and draw them closer to God. Mthimbana’s album gives hope to those who have lost hope in life.

He recorded the album with the aim of showing people that all is possible if you have faith.

It consists of 14 tracks.

In the album, he featured up-coming artists such as MAF, Sgidi and Phumzile.

For more information about the album, contact Themba Simelane at 076 609 1883.