A NEW DAWN FOR SHOTA AND PHUMEZA MDABE

Individually, they have carved successful careers in the entertainment industry. Together, Shota and Phumeza Mdabe are a power-house couple and parents of four. We chat with them about making music again after navigating their toughest hurdles.

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We meet at the lush Shepstone Gardens in Johannesburg's northern suburbs. In between coffee and chit-chat, Shota (43) and Phumeza (32) are playing dress-up and getting ready for our shoot. If their chemistry is anything to go by, theirs is a match made in heaven.

The Ndabes are among Mzansi’s favourite couples. Phumeza is a multitalented singer, presenter and actress and Mnqobi – better known as Shota – is a celebrated producer and musician who also has impressive vocal abilities. They have each established their own strong brands and have built up solid fan bases, all while building a happy home.

‘My wife is amazing, smart, loving, down to earth and a very strong woman,’ smiles Shota. ‘I appreciate the fact that she built a warm, strong family for us.’ The couple met in 2007 and are proud parents to Sbu (15), Khumo (12), Mpho (11) and Mpilo (6).



THEIR GREATEST TEST
‘He’s a committed father and husband and always puts his family first,’ says Phumeza about her husband of six years. ‘He always stays positive, even through the worst situations, and always knows how to find the bright side of anything.’ A characteristic they needed when Mpilo lost both his eyes after being diagnosed with stage 4 bilateral retinoblastoma (a rare form of eye cancer) in 2014 when he was just 16 months old. The tragedy motivated the couple to take a step back from the limelight to concentrate on him and their family.

‘Now we would like to celebrate life, love and everything in between.'

NEW COLLABORATION
Now, five years later, with the trials and tribulations behind them, they are ready for a fresh start and have decided to come back with the release of a single, simply titled, ‘Injabulo’, which means happiness.

‘We decided we should do a collaboration because that’s how we met – through music,’ says Phumeza. ‘This song marks a new chapter in our lives and one of our toughest times as a family. We are grateful to God for life lessons, and now we would like to celebrate life, love and everything in between.'

They both laugh when asked what it was like working on the project together. ‘It was interesting,’ smiles Shota. ‘It took us back to when we first met.’ Phumeza was signed to Universal Music SA, who had approached Shota to produce her album. And as they say, the rest is history. ‘It was great working together on this one as well,’ says Phumeza.

Their return to the entertainment industry has been slow, but sure and steady. Shota recently released a house track titled 'TsaRona'. 'It's definitely one meant to get you moving on the dance floor this festive season,' he says. Phumeza, on the other hand, made her small-screen return in May on SABC 3's Isidingo as the confident detective Anele Grootboom – a daily challenge she says she tackles gratefully.



THE SCHOOL OF LIFE
They still vividly recall the fateful day that altered the course of life as they knew it. As they sat in the waiting room in anticipation of Mpilo’s test results, nothing prepared them for what came next. ‘We thought the worst-case scenario would be that he’d have to wear glasses,’ recalls Phumeza, ‘but when the doctor uttered the words ‘cancer’ and ‘stage 4’, we were speechless. It felt like we were all of a sudden in a deep, black hole. It was horrible.’

The turbulent times ahead meant changing their lifestyle drastically. The couple decided to cut down on work to spend more time with Mpilo. Over time the bills piled up and they were forced to scale down which meant selling their luxury vehicles. ‘A lot changed, but everyone adjusted, which was amazing,’ says Phumeza.

‘Seeing him lose his right eye, and then the left eye – and at some point not being sure if he was going to make it or not – was the hardest,’ recalls Phumeza.

‘It was a tough period. One that taught us so much,’ says Shota, ‘we always say we went through the school of life. God literally took us from our first year right through to our masters.’ They believe Mpilo strengthened them as a couple. ‘He taught us to be selfless, patient, kinder, wiser and humbler,’ explains Shota. ‘If it weren’t for him, it would have taken us many lifetimes to grasp lessons that came with going through what we did.’



The couple also drew strength from their little fighter. 'He never made us feel like we had a sick child. Through it all, he wanted to carry on with life as normal.' Their faces light up as they recall his strength and courage on treatment days. During chemotherapy, Mpilo would go around the hospital with the drip in his arm. 'He would be playing, stop to vomit the next minute and be back playing the next,' remembers Shota. 'We realised that if we sat in pity and misery, we would be slowing him down.' 'Yes, he was going through a lot,' says Phumeza, 'but he carried on with life as normal.' But they did become more aware of even the most innocent-sounding cough, they admit. 'We learned how quickly life can throw a spanner in the works and bring everything to a complete stop,' says Phumeza. 'It's important to show your loved ones how much you appreciate them regularly,' agrees Shota, 'to live each day with gratitude and go after what you love.'

TOUCHING OTHER LIVES
Following Mpilo’s blindness, the Gauteng-based family found there was a lack of special-needs schools in the area. They also struggled to buy Mpilo’s prosthetic eyes, as each cost around 25 000 and needed to be replaced every year until he stops growing. The hurdles they faced prompted them to start the Mpilo Foundation for Blind Children. ‘We started thinking about other children and families who found themselves in the same situation, in even worse environments,’ says Phumeza. The ultimate goal is for the foundation to build a school for visually impaired children and slowly spread across South Africa. But for now, The Mpilo Foundation pays school fees for underprivileged visually impaired children through the Foundation’s Help Me Learn Fund. There is also the Eye Care Fund, which helps children who require funds for life-changing eye surgeries or prosthetic eyes.

NEVER GO TO BED ANGRY
With all their new projects, a foundation and a family to run, we ask how they keep the spark alive. ‘We enjoy switching our phones off and watching movies together,’ says Phumeza. ‘We work together on some projects, so we can bring play to work when needed,’ she laughs.

‘We also enjoy being at home with the kids and don’t really go out a lot, so that helps.’ Shota cannot stress enough the importance of talking to your partner. ‘Communication is key,’ he says. ‘It’s important always to express yourself and not assume what the other person is feeling, but rather ask. Also, never go to bed not having resolved an issue.’

PROJECT 2020
There is never a dull moment in the Mdabe household. With the festive season upon us, the couple plans to spend more time at home with the kids. Their family time is filled with laughter, food and time in the pool.

‘We usually open presents in the morning, then have family over and cook up a feast,’ Phumeza says about Christmas Day.

Asked what they have up their sleeves for the coming year, they say more work, but they remain tight-lipped about details. One thing remains clear – they do not plan to slow down anytime soon.

If you would like to contribute and help the Mpilo Foundation to touch more lives, visit their website at mpilofoundation.co.za for information on how to help or donate.

KEEP UP WITH them ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: @PhumezaMdabe
Facebook: Phumeza Mdabe, Shota Mdabe
Instagram: @phumezamdabe, @shota_afroraw

By KOKETSO MASHIKA