Thandiswa Mazwai remembers iconic encounter with Michael Jackson and Nelson Mandela

Thandiswa Mazwai standing between Michael Jackson and Nelson Mandela. Picture: Instagram/Screenshot

Thandiswa Mazwai standing between Michael Jackson and Nelson Mandela. Picture: Instagram/Screenshot

Published Sep 2, 2024

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Thandiswa Mazwai took a recent trip down memory lane, reflecting on the moment she met the King of Pop, Michael Jackson during one of his visits to South Africa.

In the video shared on her Instagram, the singer recalled the surreal experience of standing next to Michael Jackson, describing it as a dream come true.

In the video, Mazwai is seen standing between Jackson and Mandela as they posed for a photograph.

She captioned the post: “What a life I’ve lived. 🌸 Look how they both had their arms around me.”

Mazwai also took to X to write: “I forgot it was MJ’s bday yesterday..:) look how they both had their arms around me. 🥰”

@Hloni_L1 commented: “Yhooo If I were you I could have used this as screen wallpaper on everything in my house that had tech.

“Make everyone that comes to my house watch this moment and make them worship this clip 😭😭😭 It would have been a cult I tell you 😂.”

@Kgalisto commented: “Yesses surrounded by two greatest humans to have ever live 👑”

@marcia_breeze also commented: “A legend amongst legends.”

— Ms. Moyana (@marcia_breeze) August 29, 2024

Earlier this month, Mazwai had to set the record straight, after social activist Anele Mda used her hit song, “Nizalwa Ngobani?”, in an email sent to the Miss South Africa organisation.

Mda called for the beauty pageant to be exclusively for South African women, a move that stirred controversy. Mazwai, however, was quick to respond, asking for her song to be removed from Mda’s message.

“I do not write songs to be used for hate. My songs are to foster change and encourage more love and justice in the world. Nizalwa Ngobani? calls out the names of African heroes like Nkrumah for a reason—African unity,” she said in her response.

She further cautioned against mob justice and emphasised the distinction between xenophobia and Afrophobia.

Additionally, Mazwai asked followers to unfollow them if they believed Pan-Africanism justified criminal activity, associated foreigners exclusively with black people from Africa, or assumed that black nationality equates to criminality.