Vusi Mahlasela

Regions: South Africa

Issues: Freedom of opinion & expression, Indigenous peoples

Vusi Mahlasela is an award winning guitarist, percussionist, composer, arranger, band leader and performer, as well as an activist for human rights. Mahlasela's sound is a unique combination of world, soul, blues and folk, and his albums include "Guiding Star" and "The Voice".

During Apartheid, Mahlasela used poetry and music to speak out against the goverment, and now serves as an ambassador to Nelson Mandela's 46664 Foundation, which is a campaign to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS.

Vusi Mahlasela is also the founder of the Vusi Mahlasela Music Development Foundation, a charitable cultural music organization based in Pretoria, South Africa. The VMMDF is committed to promoting and preserving indigenous African cultural music in its diversity. The foundation strives to achieve this goal through their range of modern music development programs.