South African singer Sibongile Khumalo (1957-2021) was born into a dynasty of musicians. Her grandfather was a maskandi artist. This is a popular form derived from indigenous Zulu music created by migrant labourers, mostly accompanied by an acoustic guitar. Her father, Khabi Mngoma, was a classical musician, a community builder in Soweto and, ultimately, a music professor at the University of Zululand.
Undoubtedly, it was her mother, Grace Mngoma, who bestowed her with her warm mezzo-soprano/alto voice. In numeroussources, including writer and activist Es’kia Mpahlele’s memoir
Down Second Avenue, Grace is mentioned as an alto soloist in productions of Handel’s