Who wrote TKZee's hit song 'Shibobo'?: All you need to know

• A fierce credits dispute over TKZee's 1998 soccer anthem Shibobo erupted between the Bala brothers and former TKZee Family affiliate Gwyza
• Gwyza claimed he was the mastermind behind the lyrics of the track that featured soccer legend Benni McCarthy
• Loyiso Bala fired back at Gwyza's claim, publicly demanding he specify exactly which part of the iconic song he wrote

An old wound has been ripped open in South African music circles, with a bitter songwriting dispute over the 1998 soccer anthem Shibobo pitting the Bala brothers against former TKZee Family affiliate Gwyza, whose real name is Kagiso Diseko.

Gwyza recently claimed he was the brains behind the lyrics of the track, which sampled Europe's The Final Countdown and featured football icon Benni McCarthy. The song catapulted the core TKZee trio of Zwai Bala, Kabelo Mabalane, and the late Tokollo "Magesh" Tshabalala to superstardom, selling over 280,000 units and cementing its place in South African music history.

Loyiso Bala fires back at Gwyza

R&B star and reality TV personality Loyiso Bala, Zwai's brother, was not about to let the claim slide. He publicly challenged Gwyza to be specific about what he actually contributed to the record.

"Gwyza claims that he wrote Shibobo. Can he tell us which part?" Loyiso reportedly questioned sharply.

Digital streaming platforms appear to back the Bala camp's position. Spotify credits the musical composition and lyrics of Shibobo to Zwai Bala, Tokollo Tshabalala, Joey Tempest, and Thys Streicher, with no mention of Gwyza in the songwriting credits.

Gwyza's place in the TKZee universe

Gwyza was not entirely removed from the broader TKZee orbit. He was a key member of the extended TKZee Family collective, contributing to the 1999 Guz 2001 album and featuring on hits like Viva La Pantsula. However, the Bala camp insists that Shibobo had already been completed as a finished work before the wider family collective was even assembled, which would effectively place Gwyza outside the songwriting room.

The track's legacy continues to grow decades after its release. Despite predating the streaming era entirely, Shibobo has clocked over 3.4 million streams on Spotify, a remarkable feat that speaks to its enduring cultural footprint.

With Loyiso and Zwai standing united over the record's origins, the pressure is squarely on Gwyza to answer the question that has been put to him directly: which specific bars or sections of Shibobo does he claim to have written?

Loyiso Bala exits Umhlobo Wenene and Tru FM

In an earlier report, Briefly News shared Loyiso Bala's announcement of his departure from Umhlobo Wenene and Tru FM.

He reflected on his time managing the SABC Eastern Cape Combo, calling it one of the most challenging but fulfilling periods of his professional life.

Source: Briefly News