Windhoek — The thriving Afrikaans music industry in South Africa and Namibia is about to be shaken by a revealing autobiography of folk singer Randall Wicomb's mixed origin and the artist, who allegedly had his bread buttered on both sides during the apartheid years.

Wicomb, who hails from the Little Karoo town of Oudtshoorn, which for decades teemed with coloured tennis players, teachers and journalists, was on the crest of the music wave over the past 40 years and married a white woman, Koba.

"During the three-tier government of whites, coloureds and Indians in South Africa, some smart politician took it upon himself to research my background and came to the conclusion that I was not 'pure white, but a coloured man. I am now prepared to tell my origin and heritage in book form.

"The book, not yet titled, will be published in 2011 and will provide interesting details of myself, my family and the Afrikaans music industry," said Wicomb in a frank press interview in the capital.

He is to play/sing the lead role in an Afrikaans musical, Voete van 'n Gemsbok, written and directed by Aldo Behrens, as part of the Afrikaans theatre month of the National Theatre in September.

"The musical stage work is based on the Griqua-psalms of South African ace Afrikaans poet at the University of Potchefstroom, Hans du Plessis, and should be a knock-out show with Randall Wicomb and the Mascato coastal youth choir. Wicomb, who has been singing traditional songs for as long as I can remember, musically inspired me a long time ago. In fact, I am a die-hard fan of his, regularly playing three of his CDs I have purchased," said Behrens during the press conference.

Wicomb portrays the part of a town jester-cum-clown in the production.

"I decided to write the book after the death of my mother," said Wicomb, who has produced nine CD's over the past 40 years, some became hits among the Afrikaners.

"Make no mistake I have a great affinity and love for the Afrikaans language and the music, especially at Afrikaans festivals. I would say Afrikaans still has a role to play, as a communication language, especially in music.

"Many English people attend my Afrikaans shows and festivals," the musician, who made the Afrikaans tune 'Rooi Rok' a classic, said.

However, Wicomb is very concerned about the quality of contemporary Afrikaans music.

"The quality of Afrikaans music is tremendously suffering due to mass production to cater for the growing music market" said Wicomb, who sang classical music for nine years in the choir of the University of Stellenbosch before exploding on the South African music scene as the music icon he has become.

Rehearsals for the production are currently in progress at the coast.

'Voete van 'n Gemsbok' premieres at the NTN on Thursday, September 2. Thereafter the production will be staged in Swakopmund's Bank Windhoek NPS=Kulturaula.