Forty years of fire: Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse ignites Cape Town Jazz Fest

A sea of people moved in perfect unison, locked into the rhythmic glide of the popular “Electric-slide”. The dance is known affectionately across South Africa as the “Step”, “Codesa” or “Bus”. The vibrant crowd are dancing to Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse’s timeless anthem, Burn Out. Even in 2026, this early 80s crossover hit remains a force of nature, pulling fans of all generations into a synchronised sway at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF).

“When I looked at the audience, it almost looked like they’re mesmerised,” Mabuse says. “Probably some of them, you know. I’m just grateful that the music that I made in the past, a lot of the people who were there remembered that music. The performance was in a way different because I didn’t think that the people still, you know, appreciated the music that I did many years ago. And I was like, wow! I was humbled by the response. When I saw the people dance, I was like, wow, this is amazing.”

With over four decades in the industry, the veteran musician reminded festival goers exactly why his legacy remains untouchable, delivering a high-energy set that didn’t just open the festival, but ignited it.

Mabuse puts his performance into perspective by noting that a single hour on stage is actually the culmination of 56 years of dedication. He insists that his set is not merely the result of recent rehearsals, but a refined product of decades of practice.

The musician remains adamant that the reason he can still perform at such a high level is not due to skill alone, but is a direct testament to his faith

“It’s God’s gift. This whole thing that I’m doing doesn’t belong to me. It comes through me.  When the moment arrives, then it’s only the spirituality, the power that says, go out there and do what we’ve brought you here for. That’s where I get the energy from. And of course, I also get the energy from the audience. If the audience, you know, generates that great energy, I embrace it and I give it back”.

Despite his frequent appearances at the festival, Mabuse and his band aren’t immune to the unique pressure that comes with being the opening act.

“Well, you know, opening a show of that magnitude is quite a challenge. One has to be prepared psychologically and musically as well. So we worked very hard. We knew that in our mind when we were going to open the show. And also the pressure that comes with it, you don’t know if there will be enough people at that time when you open the show. Pleasantly, we had so many people and it made us feel good.”

Younger audiences are rediscovering Mabuse’s music. And he believes it’s due to the appreciation their parents still have for his music, which he is grateful for.

“I think it is their parents who introduce the music to them. For instance, when I was landing in Cape Town yesterday, there was this guy who was with his little children and he was saying “I’m bringing you to a jazz festival. And this jazz festival that I’m bringing you to, this gentleman that you see is the music that I always play for you in the car”. I was like, wow, I was moved by that. It was amazing. I even took pictures with them. So I owe it to their parents to be thankful for introducing that music to the young people.”

Regarding the current state of South African jazz, Mabuse notes that while the genre is thriving, it must be protected from becoming a mere commercial ‘money grab’ at the expense of its soul.

“Jazz is growing in leaps and bounds in South Africa. It’s just that I think those who actually bring it to the attention of society do not give it that kind of respectability that it should. People must not take music as a money making scheme. As I was driving out into the country and I saw these posters, in a way it was saying the Cape Town International Jazz Festival will boost the economy. What about the morale of the people? Why doesn’t it also say the Cape Town International Jazz Festival or any other festival for that matter, should look beyond the economy. It should look at how it affects and uplifts society, how it helps to grow and develop humanity”. 

Mabuse has been a defining pillar of South African music for decades. He attributes his enduring relevance in a shifting industry to a simple philosophy: the music he creates does not belong to him, it belongs to the people.

“It doesn’t really belong to us. It comes through us. And I guess when I created the music, I never imagined that I was making it so that it is something that will keep me going forever. But I always believe that I’m this type of musician or artist that is always driven by ensuring that I’m an inventive person. I revolutionise the styles, the genres, and I engage, I assimilate myself into things that happen at a particular time. And I think it’s something that has kept me going”. 

Beyond the charts and the fame, the true weight of Mabuse’s legacy lies in how his music has actively shaped and chronicled the country’s most defining political and cultural eras.

He remains steadfast in the belief that his music still has a vital role to play in shaping the country’s ongoing narrative.

“I’ve always believed that we have a role. We have a responsibility to our people, and what affects our people, affects us as a people. How do we then transform what we do into building a morale boosting element to the music that we do. And we do it through the music, the songs that we write. If people are involved in the struggle, where else do they go to hear? What else do they hear? We are a voice that is capable of bringing that into the fore. So we believe that our role was intertwined with what we’re doing with the struggle itself in the country.”

When asked if today’s artists are losing that sense of purpose, Mabuse suggests that seasoned musicians should be careful not to overstep. He believes they shouldn’t always view themselves as the sole custodians of how the youth should perceive their own identity.

“There’s this saying that young people must chart their own path. Although in the process of charting a path, they should be mindful of what their role is in society. You know, it should not always be about parties because there are other challenges they are faced with. There’s poverty, there’s homelessness, there’s unemployment. And these are mostly the things that affect them as young people. So how are they going to battle? We’ve done our role.”

Mabuse draws a parallel between the struggles of his own era and the modern challenges facing today’s youth. He maintains that while his generation fought their own battles, it is now up to young South Africans to use their creative platforms to confront systemic issues like unemployment and the limitations of free education. To him, the arts should be a primary vehicle for political engagement, forcing those in power to truly listen.

“We fought our own battles based on our own experiences and challenges we were going through. So it’s for them now to say young people are unemployed. We want free education. But what do we do with that free education? The fact that these issues exist on us and these are our challenges, it’s time that they start looking at how they can influence society. They can influence even politicians. Young people must begin to engage in politics, not necessarily through being politicians, but to ensure that politicians hear them through the music or the arts that they produce.”