Mandoza South African rap star dies at 38 after battle with cancer

South African Kwaito music star, Mduduzi Edmund Tshabalala popularly known as Mandoza, 38, is dead, multiple reports say.

He was said to have died on Sunday, September 18, two years after he was diagnosed with brain tumour.

According to EWN Reporter, Mandoza could not breath well and was rushed to the hospital, where he died in the company of his wife, Mpho.

He was 38 years old.

 Mandoza was behind such hits like 'Nkalakatha', 'Godoba' and 'Sgelekeqe'. News of his death has hit the South African music scene hard. Mandoza had been battling brain cancer for a year after he was diagnosed with brain cancer. 

 Born Mduduzi Edmund Tshabalala he was born in Soweto, in 1978. He went to prison for a 18 months at the age of 16 for car theft. After leaving prison he formed the music group Chiskop which became successful. 

 In 2000, Mandoza went solo and released the album Nkalakatha which went multi-platinum in South Africa. Due to his impact on South African music he was voted 77th in the top 100 great South Africans in 2004.