South African Afro-House architect Zakes Bantwini reimagines Johnny Clegg’s beloved Zulu classic into a powerful new record titled “The Crossing (Osiyeza),”
This is not just a song. It is a conversation across generations. The original “Osiyeza” – which translates roughly to we are coming, we are crossing over those dark mountains, where we will lay down our troubles . Its meaning has always carried a weight that goes beyond music. Johnny Clegg built his entire legacy around bridging cultures through sound. So Zakes Bantwini choosing this specific anthem to rebuild as an Afro-House record in 2026 is a deeply intentional decision.
The timing also matters. Jesse Clegg and Msaki are currently curating the Scatterlings Music Festival on August 1 at Huddle Park, Johannesburg — a celebration of Johnny Clegg’s legacy built around a forthcoming album of reimagined Johnny Clegg songs. So “The Crossing (Osiyeza)” arrives as part of a wider cultural movement to carry Johnny Clegg’s spirit into the current generation without reducing it to nostalgia.
Each voice on the record carries its own significance. Msaki opens with soulful depth. Jesse Clegg brings his father’s musical DNA forward with quiet dignity. Skye Wanda — who already shares a joint EP with Zakes Bantwini — adds emotional intensity that lifts the whole record higher. Then Johnny Clegg’s original vocals woven into the arrangement give the song a haunting intergenerational quality that very few collaborations across any genre manage to achieve.
OkayAfrica described it as a cultural manifesto. That assessment is not an exaggeration.
This song is a banger that you cannot miss.
DISCUSSION