Meet General MD Shirinda, a proud polygamist who has six wives and 49 children! He says his big family is the pillar of his strength in his daily life. A traditional healer and star Xitsonga musician, Shirinda (71) stays at Makhasa Village, outside Malamulele.

Shirinda, who has been a traditional healer since he was 12 years old, supports his big family through traditional healing and he says he has never made a fortune through music, although he is regarded as a legend of Xitsonga traditional music. He says he inherited his traditional healing powers from his father, Xirinda, who died many years ago. "I am the seventh candidate in my family tree’s traditional healing line."

A responsible father, Shirinda says of his children: "Some of my children are teachers, police officers, doctors and engineers. I make sure that I encourage them to take education seriously because it is the only weapon for success."

Shirinda says he has no problem in supporting his big family because he is a responsible parent. He says a bakery vehicle comes to his home to deliver bread three times a week. "We use 18 loaves for breakfast each day. I also make sure that the bread is smeared with butter and the tea has creamer on a daily basis." He added that an 80kg bag of maize meal only lasts for four days.

He says he loves all his wives equally and treats all the children the same. "No one gets preferential treatment, because each of them is the same through my eyes. I also treat my children with love and affection because they are my gift from God. They also adore me because they know that I love them dearly."

Asked if he does not have difficulties in remembering the names of all his children, he quickly says: "How can I forget them, because I am the one who gave them names? I know all of them as they know me."

When Mirror arrived at Shirinda’s place, his children were watching TV in an open space, because they cannot all fit in the dining room of his mansion. "My big family is the pride of my life and I cannot live without them. This is a blessing from God and I have to take care of them with love and integrity," said the legendary musician, who scooped the Best Xitsonga Album Category in the recent SAMA Awards.