Ex-Ladysmith singer slain

A former member of the South African a cappella vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo was shot and killed last week in Durban, South Africa. Police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the June 16 death of Ben Shabalala, the brother of group leader Joseph Shabalala.

He was part of the group when it backed Paul Simon on several tracks of his Grammy-winning 1986 album “Graceland” and when the group won a Grammy of its own in 1987 for best traditional folk album with its “Shaka Zulu” recording.

Ben Shabalala left the group in 1993, about two years after another brother, Headman Shabalala, had been shot to death by an off-duty security guard. Joseph Shabalala has since added four of his sons to the group’s lineup.

Ladysmith is slated to appear at UCLA on Feb. 12.