 He was born to two members of the Zulu people, and their musical styling would later influence much of his work.When Shiyani was 13 he became fascinated with Maskanda music after his brother, Khetuwise, introduced him to the traditional piece "Sevelina".His father was an alcoholic who would frequently beat his mother, which eventually led him to leave home in 1970 and lead the life of a migrant worker throughout South Africa.