Sheer Publishing mourns the loss of Aurelia Msimang, an arts activist, singer and the ‘Mother of Yeoville’ who passed on the 28th of December after suffering a stroke. Aurelia signed with Sheer Publishing back in 2009 and is missed by all Sheer Publishing staff.
“Mama Aura was a super amazing Woman, good songwriter and good business woman, who kept us on our toes to make sure all her intellectual property was professionally taken care of. We learnt a lot from her experience as a client and as a Mother she was. We as the music industry really lost a legend, one of the few to come from that era of your Mariam Makeba and so on. Her evergreen music will live on for decades to come. We will miss her amazing advices in regards to life in general. She’d always say ‘ohh Karabo Ngwanaka (My Child) I love how you laugh out loud’. Our last engagement was at Moshito 2015 where she introduced her son for the first time to us, as he apparently lives overseas. May your soul rest in peace Mama Aura, we will forever cherish your love and support,” remembers Karabo Motijoane, General Manager of Sheer Publishing.
“Singer, songwriter, arts activist and Yeoville community enthusiast Aura Grace Msimang, who has died at the age of 68, was an unsung musical hero and a passionate proponent of pan-Africanism and the potential of young people to effect societal change. Msimang, also known as Aura Lewis, died in Johannesburg on December 28 after suffering a stroke. London’s Daily Telegraph, in its obituary, praised her as “a South African singer who made an important contribution to Jamaican reggae, performing on some of the greatest roots records of the late 1970s; her work with Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry helped reggae to forge a visceral connection with the African motherland” – Timeslive.co.za (http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/opinion/2016/01/17/Obituary-Aurelia-Msimang-arts-activist-singer-and-Mother-of-Yeoville)