Kabelo Mabalane, famously known as Bouga Luv, has long been a household name in South Africa’s music scene.
As a former member of the iconic Kwaito group TKZee, Mabalane was at the top of his game. However, behind the fame and success, he was facing a battle that nearly cost him his life—heroin addiction.
Mabalane has been open about his struggles with addiction, which began during the height of his career in the late '90s and early 2000s.
At the time, TKZee was one of the most celebrated groups in South Africa, dropping hit after hit. But his personal life was spiralling out of control as his drug use worsened.
In his memoir “I Ran for My Life: My Story”, Mabalane reflected on his dark past, sharing the hard lessons he learned during his time in rehab.
“I was at my lowest point, but hitting rock bottom was the catalyst for my change. It was the beginning of a long, painful journey towards recovery,” he wrote.
The turning point came 22 years ago when he made a brave decision to check himself into rehab. He admits that his addiction brought him to the brink of death, but his time in rehab marked the beginning of his recovery journey.
“Rehabilitation taught me that facing my demons was the only way to overcome them. It wasn’t easy, but it was necessary for my survival,” his memoir reads.
To mark his recovery milestone, Mabulane took to social media, recently, reminding his followers of the strength it took to stay clean.
He wrote: "My worst day clean is better than my best day high!"
Mabalane is married to Gail Nkoane Mabalane. The couple tied the knot in 2010. They have two children together.