While other families were busy celebrating Mother’s Day last Sunday, the Chavalala family at Green Farm outside Malamulele in Limpopo was plunged into deep mourning.

This follows the death of legendary Xitsonga traditional musician and well-known gender activist Khatisa Chavalala (79). She passed away after being in and out of hospital since last year. She died at the Malamulele Hospital on Sunday evening.

Legendary musician General MD Shirinda said the death of Chavalala had left the whole music fraternity in a state of shock, “We are very saddened by her death. It came so suddenly, when her contribution was needed. She was a torch-bearer in her type music, and she will never be replaced by anybody,” he said. Shirinda added Green Farm will never be the same without her. She was like a mother to the whole village. He said he was worried that she never got the recognition she deserved for her contribution in the arts. “She deserved national orders, but she died without being recognized and this is bad for our artists,” he said.

Her son in law, Elias Mabunda, confirmed her death. "It is true that we have lost one of the greatest Xitsonga singers of all time," said Mabunda, who said the family was making funeral arrangements.

She had been an outstanding artist since the early seventies, when she composed her sizzling hit, Nqambi ya wansati yi nga deleriwi (I must not be looked down upon because I am a woman artist).

"When I performed in shows at places like Jabulani Amphitheatre, women were still in the kitchen and were not easy to find in showbiz," she said in an interview before her death.

Five years ago, the Limpopo Department of Sport, Art and Culture conferred on her a Living Legend award in recognition of her achievements. She was also honoured by Munghana Lonene FM and she also received the Mapungubwe award. She has been a constant performer at the Greater Giyani show and the Mapungubwe show.

She was also a star performer at august occasions, including the inauguration of the statue of warrior king Nghunghunyani at the Giyani Tourism centre, which was officially opened by former Limpopo premier Sello Moloto.

Mr Mbangiseni Masia, a spokesperson of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture in Limpopo, hailed her as one of the legends of Xitsonga traditional music who, despite being exploited by the industry for so many years, had continued soldiering on.