Gospel artist and former member of Spirit of Praise, Thabang Maduna has turned his back on drugs, reunited with his family and is no longer homeless. The 33-year-old recovering addict from Ekurhuleni led a destructive lifestyle, which he attributes to the physical and emotional abuse he suffered at the hands of his father.In 2002, aged 13 he decided to pack and run to the streets of Joburg.
LIFE AT THE HANDS OF ABUSER
Thabang explains that his father was an angry man; he would assault him and his siblings as if his intentions were to kill them. "After he would assault me, I would seek medical attention and this was affecting me emotionally to a point that I failed grade eight. Then one day he went to the taxi rank. He didn't know where to go but, " I knew I was not going back to that hell hole.' He took a taxi from Tsakane to Joburg. Later in the day, one of the homeless teenagers living on the streets of Joburg ,named Vusi, approached him and offered to accommodate him in one of the abandoned buildings.Because he was new in the streets Vusi offered to protect him and fend for him in exchange for Thabang being a bodyguard to his girlfriend. "All I had to do was make sure that no one came in contact with her and that she was safe while Vusi was away.' Unfortunately a year later Vusi died, after being attacked by a mob, and now he had to start fending for himself.
SINGING AT THE TAXI RANK
He decided to use his singing talent at the taxi ranks. "I started singing at a very young age at church and by the time I turned 13 I was already making money from singing. People loved my music and would donate enough cash for me to survive the cold streets.' In 2010 he was arrested and sentenced to 11 years for robbery and served five years of the sentence.He explains that prison life was not too hard for him because he had learned the ropes of survival while living on the streets. He was released on parole in 2015. "I promised myself to give life another try and my voice is the only tool I am blessed with. I decided to go back to the streets of Joburg to start building my singing career,' he adds.
DRUGS RUINED HIS LIFE
Thabang adds that he didn't want to ask for help from other musicians in the industry because he feared being rejected. Then one day while singing at the taxi rank ,audiences encouraged him to audition for Spirit ofP raise.He auditioned and managed to get a seat in the group with a two-year contract.He felt that his life was now taking shape and he was starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.But all this came crashing down when they gospel group didn't renew his contract. "I was back home, unemployed and didn't have any prospects of improving my life; I sunk into a deep depression and found myself doing drugs.' Thabang decided to go back to the streets of Joburg where he would sing at taxi ranks to raise money to feed his addiction.
CLEANING UP HIS ACT
When he was invited back to the group a year later, he didn't make the cut because he was already hooked on drugs. In 2019, the singer decided to go to rehab to clean his act and he has been clean since and pursuing his singing career. In 2020 he was nominated in the MAMA (Mzansi Arts &Media Awards) in the best upcoming gospel artist category. He recently released his new single titled, Kholo Lwami. "My voice is the instrument that I was given to heal the broken souls, I use it in the streets of Joburg, prison and rehab to inspire hope,' he concludes.
