By Saul Molobi
September in South Africa is Heritage Month — a time when we reflect not only on our national identity but on the broader African heritage that binds us together. At Brandhill Africa™, we believe our heritage is not bounded by borders. It is a collective inheritance, shaped by shared histories of struggle and triumph, exile and return, pain and resilience, rhythms and innovations.
It is in this spirit that we have interviewed Moreira Chonguiça, the celebrated Mozambican saxophonist, composer, and producer. This interview features in this pan African news portal and it will also be flighted on Sunday from 17:00 ton20:00 on 101.9 Chai FM (you may tune into 101.9 FM or stream live from www.chaifm.com). His latest single, “Na ku randza” — meaning “I love you” in Xitsonga — is not just a song but a statement. A tribute to the late Mozambican-born, world-renowned Gito Baloi, the track fuses heritage, memory and love into one sonic journey.
I caught up with Moreira in a warm, candid conversation that moved from personal history to continental unity, from jazz as an artform to the deeper responsibilities of African artists.
THE CONVERSATION
Saul Molobi (SM):
Moreira, long time! How are you doing my brother?
Moreira Chonguiça (MC):
Very, very good. It’s been a long time indeed, but I’ve been working hard.
SM:
I’ve seen you’re busy around the world. At one stage you performed in the US. That’s amazing.
MC:
Yes, we’re trying. And I also follow you on social media — it’s inspiring how you emphasise the beautiful things we produce in Africa. As a musician, I thank you for that.
SM:
Yes, pushing — we hustle in Johustleburg.
CM:
I love that.
SM:
I have to work hard — who knows, one day I might be paying lobola to a woman from Maputo.
MC:
There are plenty, and beautiful ones too.
SM:
For our readers: who is Moreira Chonguiça, and what inspired you to go into jazz?
MC:
I never thought I’d be a jazz musician. Jazz chose me. The saxophone chose me.
I grew up in Maputo in a family that loved music. My late parents and uncle had an incredible collection — Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba, Ibrahim Abdullah, Manu Dibango, Fela Kuti, Brazilian greats like João Gilberto. That shaped me.
At age seven, I studied at the National School of Music. I say I’m privileged because many African children don’t have that opportunity. Education has become a passion of mine, reflected in my projects.
Initially, I wanted to be a lawyer in international law. At first, I didn’t like jazz — but eventually I caught the bug. Later, I studied at the University of Cape Town, meeting brilliant musicians like Musa Manzini, Jimmy Dludlu, Sipho Mabuse, Mark Fransman, and later Bokani Dyer. Timing, exposure, and acceptance by musicians, promoters, and media gave me a career.
Without that entire ecosystem — academia, peers, promoters, media — I wouldn’t be speaking with you today.
SM:
You’ve received recognition — I can see awards behind you — tell us about them.
MC:
Yes, those are South African Music Awards (SAMA) and Mzansi Awards. South Africa completely accepted me. No one mistreated me for being Mozambican — instead, they welcomed me.
Our countries share deep history: ANC and FRELIMO, South Africans in exile in Mozambique, Mozambicans working in South African mines and farms. Borders came later; our solidarity remains.
So, I thank the DJs, promoters, and neighbours in South Africa for embracing me. This is how Africans should live — together.
SM:
And don’t forget you’re also our father-in-law! Mandela married Graça Machel — so Mozambicans are family.
MC:
(Laughs) Yes, that’s a bonus.
SM:
Indeed. Mandela embodied our foreign policy principle of “people-to-people contact.” That’s how we integrate Africa.
SM:
Let’s talk about your new single.
MC:
We just released “Na ku randza”, a tribute to the great Gito Baloi. He was born in Mozambique but became a world icon. One of the first Mozambicans to record in South Africa, he later became global.
The song “Na ku randza” — meaning “I love you” in Xitsonga — features the soulful singer Pauleta Muholove, who has a bright future. It’s seven minutes long, very soulful. People ask why I don’t cut it for radio, but I refuse — that’s how we made it.
We also shot a video at Maputo’s iconic railway station. Trains symbolise the connection between Mozambicans and South Africans who travelled for work and family. Like Hugh Masekela’s Stimela, it speaks to our shared history.
So far, the song has been well received: radio play, YouTube attention, and great feedback.
SM:
I must confess — I sent “Na ku randza” to someone I love. It expressed exactly how I feel.
MC:
Wow, you’re very romantic!
SM:
At my age, we rely on creatives like you to help us make an impression. That’s why you’re my Artist of the Week this Sunday.
MC:
Thank you so much.
SM:
How can our readers connect with you?
MC:
The website is www.moreiramusic.com. On social media — Instagram, Facebook, Twitter — just search Moreira Music or Moreira Chonguiça. Google my name, and you’ll find me.
Download “Na ku randza” on the following links:
· Spotify:: https://open.spotify.com/album/4fH73lu9CqLFKPjmSc243n?si=VPxy4zseT3CzR_yUiXYNCQ
· Apple https://music.apple.com/za/album/na-ku-randza-a-tribute-to-gito-baloi/1837890443?i=1837890444
SM:
Finally, what message do you have for our audiences as we celebrate Heritage Month?
MC:
First, congratulations to Saul for consistency. In a world full of distractions and negative content, he highlights Africa’s beauty.
To the readers: follow leaders who drive our own African narrative. We must not let others define us. Spiritually, we are driven — and everything else flows from that.
SM:
Thank you, Moreira. And to our readers: here is “Na ku randza” — some may call it the centrepiece of our celebration.
REFLECTIONS
Heritage Month is more than a celebration of traditional attire and food. It is about reclaiming our narratives and affirming our interconnectedness as Africans. Moreira Chonguiça’s story — from Maputo to Cape Town, from resisting jazz to being chosen by it, from student to award-winning artist — mirrors the resilience and creativity of our continent.
With “Na ku randza”, Moreira gifts us not just music but memory, not just melody but meaning. It is a love letter — to Africa, to history, to identity, and to each other.
As he reminds us: “We mustn’t just accept the narratives about ourselves according to third parties. We must drive our own.”
This Heritage Month, let us do just that.