MIDDELBURG – From the small town of Siyabuswa in KwaNdebele, Mpumalanga, to the national stage of gospel music and radio broadcasting, Bathabile Skhosana has forged a journey defined by resilience, faith and purpose.
After completing high school in Standerton, Skhosana enrolled at Technikon Pretoria (now Tshwane University of Technology) in 2000 to study Journalism. Her media career began at SABC’s Ligwalagwala FM, where she interned in the current affairs department. By 2008, she had joined Ikwekwezi FM as a senior producer, and has since risen to her current role as programme manager.
Skhosana’s journey, however, extends beyond the airwaves; it is a testament to music, ministry and unwavering faith.
Raised in a family deeply rooted in church, with her uncle serving as a pastor and her grandmother a matron at a college of education, Skhosana was immersed in spirituality from an early age. By 15, she was already leading worship at her church, a role that ignited her passion for gospel music.
In 2012, she released her first album under Tshepo Ndimande’s Zuzi Muzi Music. At the time, she blended traditional and contemporary gospel sounds—a fusion that was ahead of its time but is now widely embraced. Her defining song, Yebo Kunjalo, recorded when she was 32, became a song of hope and resilience, reminding listeners of God’s unwavering promises.
Building on that momentum, her second album was a live recording at Love & Grace Family Church in Siyabuswa, the very community where she was raised.
“I wanted my community to be the first to support me because they know me best. I believed that if I could receive their encouragement, the rest of the world would also celebrate me,” she says live performances give her unmatched energy and inspiration, which is why it was important to record the project at home.
Now Skhosana has recorded three more albums, including her most recent, A Grateful Heart, recorded at the State Theatre in 2022. Inspired by the challenges of Covid-19, the album serves as a thanksgiving offering to God, celebrating the life preserved through a time of immense loss and uncertainty.
“My songs carry a message of trust in God, gratitude, and celebrating His greatness,” she says, adding that one of her favourite song in the latest album is Baba, which felt “like direct conversations with God”.
Skhosana’s concerts reflect a deep spirit of gratitude. Since turning 40 during the Covid-19 lockdown, she has marked each birthday with a thanksgiving concert, a tradition she continues to celebrate life and express appreciation to God. This coming December she is set to host a gospel concert under the theme, Ebenezer ukuze kwa la unathi.
Alongside her own projects, she has shared the stage with gospel greats such as Joyous Celebration, Sipho Makhabane, Winnie Mashaba and Ntokozo Mbambo. These experiences taught her the importance of hard work and staying true to herself.
In 2022, she was crowned Gospel Artist of the Year at the Basadi in Music Awards and continues to receive nominations, including a current nomination for Best Female Artist at the Ingoma Awards.
With three albums behind her, more awards on the horizon, and a new single Khuluma Moya expected next year, Skhosana continues to inspire, reminding many that with faith, hard work and gratitude, no dream is ever too late to pursue.
She balances her demanding role at Ikwekwezi FM with her music career by structuring her time—radio by day, music by night, and family whenever possible. “One thing I had to give up was time with my family. Between radio and music, it has not always been easy.”
As one of the few women in top management at a leading radio station, she has faced the pressures of leadership and motherhood, but credits her supportive colleagues for making her journey smoother.
Looking back, Skhosana says her career in both media and music is inseparable. “I once tried to separate Thabile, the radio manager, from Bathabile, the singer. But these are both callings from God, they cannot be divided.”
Her advice to young aspiring artists and journalists in Mpumalanga is simple: “Invest in what you love, put in the work, and show up for your passion.”
