Zahara: I wonder if I am doing right by Madiba?

With all that has happened in her own life, and in the country as a whole, since the death of former President Nelson Mandela five years ago, singer Zahara says she often asks herself if her hero would be proud of her.

Zahara performed for Madiba a year before his death and told TshisaLIVE that it remained one of the greatest days of her life. 

She said that when she reflected on this experience and the bond she shared with Tata, she wondered if she was still the amazing person he thought she was.

"I was the one who did the send off for Mandela. I think about him and wonder, 'Am I doing alright by Mandela?' He loved me. He told me that he was proud of me and that I was a special girl. He said that the country was lucky to have me. I wonder if I would still have that confidence in me. Would he still have that confidence in all of us? I think he would."

As the nation came together on Wednesday to give 67 minutes of service in honour of Madiba, Zahara said that too many people used the day to show off and tell others how charitable they were.

"Mandela Day is not about showing off or telling everyone you are a good person. The person next to you is struggling and you can't wait until Mandela Day to help. Every day should be Mandela Day. That is what he wanted from us all."

Zahara has often seen her name in the headlines over the years amidst rumours of a battle with alcohol and debt. She also had to fight off claims from haters on social media that she was no longer relevant, despite the success of her last album. 

"I don't really care about what people say about me. I know that I am loved and appreciated by my fans and the whole of Africa. I am touring around the world and people want to hear my story. I won't listen to a handful of people who don't matter," she said.