Maseru, Lesotho – On a sunny afternoon, a white minibus taxi carrying 22 passengers pulled out of a crowded bus station in Johannesburg and headed to neighbouring Lesotho, the landlocked kingdom inside South Africa’s borders.
The second the minibus bought on the freeway, the driving force switched on the radio and the audio system crackled to life with the sound of a solo accordion – the intro to a well known Famo tune.
“I might take heed to this music all day,” mentioned one passenger, a younger man in blue workman overalls, however worn stylishly to make a vogue assertion as an alternative of for industrial use. Round him, many different passengers, most Lesotho nationals, bobbed their heads and sang alongside because the drums and vocals on the observe kicked in.
Famo, a style of music that blends conventional Southern African songs and Western devices, first emerged a century in the past amongst migrant mining communities in South Africa. The music, characterised by heavy use of the accordion fused with guitar selecting from the maskandi model, a subgenre of Zulu folks music, is significantly liked by many Basotho.
However lately, Famo has turn into infamous past dance halls and live performance venues. Fierce rivalry between some followers and singers has induced lethal gang warfare in Lesotho. Not too long ago, the violence has exacerbated a lot that the federal government banned some Famo teams and branded them “terrorist” organisations.
Now many die-hard followers are unable to observe their favorite artists carry out stay. “I like Famo music,” says Thabelo, a taxi driver in Maseru who we’re not naming as many individuals are actually nervous to talk publicly in regards to the subject. “You already know they’ve banned the reveals now, so we will solely play it in our automobiles or within the privateness of our properties.”
The ban, which went into impact in Might, named particular Famo teams which the federal government referred to as “illegal by cause of being concerned in, or selling or encouraging subversive actions”. The ban extends to any paraphernalia related to banned teams, akin to trendy conventional blankets with distinct gang colors.
Among the teams banned embrace the favored Terene ea Chakela and Terene ea Mokata-Lirope, amongst others.
Nevertheless, teams or musicians not affected by the ban are free to carry out, like Famo artist Mantsali Julia Hantsi, popularly generally known as Thope Tse Khang.
Famo music wasn’t all the time related to violence and gangs, Hantsi informed Al Jazeera, including that traditionally, Famo music was a method for individuals to precise themselves, have fun, and inform tales.
“[Famo music] was a type of leisure that additionally served to protect the historical past and tradition of the Basotho individuals,” she mentioned. “Sadly, in newer occasions, sure factions have used the music to incite violence or promote rivalry amongst themselves.”
‘Not about violence’
In July this yr, two distinguished voices on the forefront of the Famo scene have been caught up within the worsening violence when unidentified gunmen opened hearth on their van in Maseru and shot them.
Khopolo Khuluoe, popularly generally known as Lisuoa, was an award-winning singer of Famo, whereas Pulane Macheli was a celebrated radio character. Collectively, they have been on a quest to cease violence associated to Famo music.
As an alternative, they grew to become victims of the very factor they have been making an attempt so onerous to cease – with Khuluoe killed immediately on the scene of the capturing and Macheli dying in hospital the next day.
In Lesotho, murders associated to Famo music appear to have risen. This yr alone, the media has reported a number of instances of Famo-related murders, together with the relations of an alleged Famo gangster.
Most of the killings are related to a longstanding feud between two main Famo gangs: the Terene ea Mokata Lirope group, and the Liala Mabatha gang. The 2 have been at one another’s throats for months.
In April, two members of the Terene group have been shot at a funeral of their chief’s rural house in Leribe. Six hours later, a suspected revenge killing came about: 5 relations of a rival Famo gang member have been killed.
Nobody has been charged for the murders however it’s believed the killings are linked to the Terene and Liala Mabatha feud.
Hantsi feels disheartened in regards to the new associations between Famo and violence. “This shift has forged a shadow on the style,” she mentioned, “however at its core, Famo just isn’t about violence; it’s about storytelling and expression.”
Evolution of Famo
Famo music originated within the slum yards of Johannesburg within the Twenties, writes Lehlohonolo Phafoli within the academic article The Evolution of Sotho Accordion Music in Lesotho. Again then, it was largely carried out for drinkers of a bootleg brew referred to as “skokiaan” in unlawful consuming spots for Black individuals, referred to as “shebeens”.
Many visiting the shebeens, in accordance with Phafoli, have been Basotho nationals who joined throngs migrating to South Africa searching for work, which additionally included native Black South Africans dispossessed from their land beneath apartheid.
From South Africa’s townships, Famo made its method to Lesotho. Phafoli notes: “Famo music spilled over into Lesotho and have become widespread in shebeens. Its arrival in Lesotho might be attributed to 2 main teams: first, migrant labourers, particularly males, and second, Basotho ladies who got here from the places and mine compounds in Johannesburg”.
Through the years, South Africa and Lesotho have continued to share related, and infrequently related, crime issues linked to Famo music and unlawful mining.
Famo continues to be widespread among the many “zama zamas”, the unlawful miners who burrow for gold within the remnants of Johannesburg’s outdated, disused mines and mine dumps as we speak.
At a relaxation cease between Johannesburg and Maseru, one of many Basotho passengers, Keith Mahosi, factors stealthily to the fashionable blue overall-clad passenger and Famo fan.
“You see that man over there, he’s a zama zama,” mentioned Mahosi, a monetary analyst working in Johannesburg whose actual title we’re not utilizing to guard his security.
“If any altercation have been to come up proper now,” Mahosi mentioned quietly, “he [the man in blue overalls] would be the first to drag out a gun.”
There may be a lot distrust and apprehension round these suspected of being zama zamas, amid proof linking them to crime and violence, together with murders. Many zama zamas are additionally regarded as related to Famo gangs.
Alongside Lesotho’s border with South Africa, it’s usually peaceable – populated with pleasant roadside distributors and makeshift zinc constructions that function bus terminals. However the peace can shift all of a sudden. On June 11, a number of gunmen opened hearth on passengers as they stepped out of a minibus, killing two individuals. It’s believed the killings have been Famo associated.
One of many greatest drivers of Famo violence is against the law mining in South Africa, John Mokwetsi, a journalist from Lesotho, informed Al Jazeera in Maseru, utilizing a pseudonym to guard his security.
“These Famo gangs now run completely different unlawful mining turfs in South Africa. What occurs is usually they [rival Famo gang members] have battle within the mines. Once they fail to find a gang member they want to hurt in South Africa, they journey to Lesotho and kill the gang member’s household,” he mentioned.
‘Like a rap beef’
In Lesotho as we speak, the gangs fashioned round Famo music function in several areas, in accordance with native media experiences.
Mahosi, who’s a fan of American hip-hop music, likened the feuds of Famo gangs to the US hip-hop feud of the mid-Nineties that culminated within the deaths of Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace (popularly generally known as Biggie Smalls). The feud pitted artists from cities on the East Coast of the US in opposition to these from the west.
Drawing parallels between the 2 music feuds, Mahosi mentioned: “Just like the rap ‘beef’ between East Coast and West Coast again within the day, right here [in Lesotho] now we have the north and south with Leribe district being the south and Mafeteng district being the north.
“A Famo musician from the north can’t carry out within the south and vice versa. Effectively, they will however chances are high they gained’t make it again house alive,” he added.
Initially, some Famo gangs fashioned to assist musical artists in occasions of illness and dying. Two Famo gangs that have been on the centre of violence between 2009 and 2011, Seakhi and Terene, began as burial societies meant to help members once they misplaced family members.
“The violence began when Famo artists started insulting one another of their music,” mentioned journalist Mokwetsi.
Whereas it’s not clear precisely when the violence began, the primary spate of Famo violence extensively reported on by the press was between 2009 and 2010 when 100 Famo artists have been mentioned to have been killed in Lesotho and South Africa.
Famo violence has quickly elevated killings in Lesotho; the nation of two.3 million now has the sixth-highest homicide charge on the earth.
Hantsi, the budding Famo musician, informed Al Jazeera the violence has tarnished the picture of the style. “It’s unlucky as a result of individuals now affiliate the style with negativity, although that’s not what it initially represented,” mentioned Hantsi.
“This has made it tougher for real Famo artists to proceed their craft with out being caught up within the politics and violence surrounding the style.”
‘Breeding floor’
For a lot of younger males who be part of Famo gangs, all of it begins at initiation college, journalist Mokwetsi informed Al Jazeera. Initiation college for boys in Lesotho, also referred to as Lebollo Labanna, is a ceremony of passage that includes male circumcision, amongst different issues.
“The initiation colleges are type of a breeding floor for these [Famo] gangs,” mentioned Lerato Ncube, one other journalist investigating Famo violence with Mokwetsi, who we’re additionally not naming to guard her identification. Referring to Lesotho’s initiation colleges, she mentioned: “That’s the place they [Famo gangs] recruit from.”
Famo gangs use cash to lure weak youths to affix up, Ncube informed Al Jazeera. She mentioned they provide younger boys in rural areas, lots of whom stay in powerful financial circumstances, enormous quantities of cash with guarantees of extra to come back.
“Once they recruit you into the gangs, they [Famo gangs] go to your loved ones, they sit your loved ones all the way down to say, we’re taking this particular person, we would like this particular person to work with us. However as a result of the surroundings is unstable, this particular person would possibly die. So right here is 500,000 [South African rand] or right here is 1 million [rand] as insurance coverage so that ought to this particular person die, you don’t come complaining to us, now we have already paid for his life,” she mentioned.
For the reason that authorities banned some Famo teams, a minimum of three males from an space referred to as Leribe in Lesotho have been sentenced to 10 years in jail for carrying regalia of banned Famo teams.
“Whereas I perceive the federal government’s concern for public security, I imagine that banning Famo music and reveals just isn’t the answer,” Hantsi informed Al Jazeera. She mentioned there must be a deal with addressing the causes of the violence. “Famo music itself just isn’t the issue; it’s how sure people have used it to push dangerous agendas. Music is supposed to unite and heal, and we should always work towards restoring that optimistic function.”
Regardless of the violence, Hantsi continues to launch songs and is presently experimenting with a fusion of Famo and hip-hop. “Hip-hop has a worldwide attain, and its potential to talk on present social points and private tales enhances Famo’s conventional narrative model. By mixing the 2 genres, I’m in a position to preserve the essence of Famo alive whereas making it related for as we speak’s viewers.”
‘They’re gangsters’
Famo gangs have additionally unfold their tentacles into varied authorities businesses, Mokwetsi informed Al Jazeera. He mentioned Famo gangs have individuals in Lesotho’s military and police, and a few members of the general public are actually afraid to report Famo actions to police as a result of they worry data will leak and there will probably be retribution.
Political events in Lesotho are related to Famo gangs, Mokwetsi mentioned, one thing additionally reported by native media. It has additionally reported on allegations that the military and police are “in mattress” with Famo gangs – claims the military denies.
In Might, Lesotho’s performing police commissioner on the time, Mahlape Morai, admitted that Famo gangs had compromised the police power. She identified, nonetheless, that the police weren’t the one entity coping with Famo infiltration. “It isn’t solely cops who’ve joined Famo gangs. Your entire nation is embroiled within the Famo gangs perpetrating felony actions and killing individuals. Famo is well known in Lesotho, crime is well known in Lesotho, and for me, it must be given consideration by everybody, not simply the police,” The Lesotho Instances quoted her as saying.
On a busy Friday afternoon within the coronary heart of Maseru, Pioneer Mall – one of many greatest purchasing centres within the nation – was teeming with individuals. Close to the primary entrance, individuals crowded round a mega-sized chess board – many taking part in music. In surrounding retailers, pop and hip-hop streamed via audio system. However one factor conspicuous by its absence was Famo music – a starkly completely different image from the dominance of the style on minibuses plying the Johannesburg-Maseru route.
“Famo just isn’t everybody’s cup of tea,” mentioned Mahosi, who mentioned the style was extra widespread in rural Lesotho than in city centres like Maseru. That’s partly due to style preferences but additionally due to the violence now related to Famo, he mentioned.
“I don’t dislike Famo music,” Mahosi mentioned. “Many individuals prefer it as a result of it’s our conventional music. However over time, it has turn into about violence. Most of the individuals who sing Famo music are zama zamas, they’re gangsters.
“It’s the individuals related to Famo music that make me need to disassociate myself with the style.”
