Mbulelo Mzamane called Madingoane one of "the most celebrated, prolific, and representative poets" of that movement,[1] alongside Christopher van Wyk and Fhazel Johennesse.
[1] The authorities banned it within two months,[4] as they did with many other literary works, mostly from Black South Africans.
[5] Madingoane performed the poem widely, backed by flutes and drums from Mihloti Black Theatre.
[4] By 2011, when the Index on Censorship dedicated an article to him and reprinted a number of poems from "Black Trial" (the introduction to the volume Africa My Beginning), he was described as a young, leading poet, whose poetry performances "take place at community centres and other venues in black townships, drawing large, responsive audiences: particularly on commemorative occasions, such as those held annually for the June 1976 Soweto uprising."
Madingoane, who was primarily an oral poet to begin with, said he was careful about writing and printing his work, since he was subject to regular searches, including on 2 January 1984, when "Special Branch Security police searched his house for books and written material.