Mourners paid tribute to slain actor Dumi Masilela during an emotional send-off on Saturday morning.
Masilela’s coffin was covered with a South African flag and flanked by Ekurhuleni metro police officers throughout the proceedings.
Masilela was described by mourners as a multitalented youngster.
He was laid to rest at Zuurfontein cemetery in Kempton Park.
Masilela was 29 years old when he was shot in an attempted hijacking in Tembisa on August 3.
He later died in hospital
He played S’fiso Ngema on e.tv’s drama Rhythm City and was also a professional footballer who played for SuperSport United, among other teams, before he quit owing to an injury.
VIDEO | An emotional send off for actor Dumi Masilela https://t.co/WUb4ABUNB3
— SABC News Online (@SABCNewsOnline) August 12, 2017
He and his wife, Simphiwe Ngema, got married three months ago.
Dressed in white, Ngema told mourners that Masilela had been a loving husband. “He loved effortlessly. It came naturally.”
She said not many people experienced that kind of love.
The service was held at Hope Restoration Church in Kempton Park, the same venue where the funeral service for Masilela’s father, Simon, was held last year.
Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor Mzwandile Masina said he had received a call from Police Minister Fikile Mbalula informing him that suspects, who were allegedly involved in Masilela’s murder, had been arrested.
He said police were interrogating suspects.
“We hope that the justice is not going to fail us,” Masina said.
He asked Masilela’s family for permission to name a newly built theatre after him.
“It’s an arts space and would like to name it in his honour,” he said
Masina, like other mourners, said Masilela was selfless, humble and thoughtful.
He said Masilela was an ANC volunteer and a servant of the people.
ANC member TK Nciza said Masilela did not volunteer for the ANC for personal gains.
He said Masilela would join ANC veterans who had passed on.
“Tell them that we will never be captured by any family, allow white monopoly capital to continue to run the economy and [that we] will fight for our land,” he said.
He urged communities not to celebrate the lives of criminals.
Mpho Molepo, known as Fats in Rhythm City, said Masilela was a talented actor.
Masilela’s funeral was not televised on e.tv or sister news channel eNCA.
On Twitter, people expressed their frustrations on why the funeral was not televised by the channels.
Only ANN7 showed bits the funeral, while the SABC also didn’t carry it.
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