Mandoza’s final farewell was a celebration of the kwaito legend’s life.
Mourners sang and danced along to old-school kwaito songs such as Gibela Phezu Kwendlu and Amaloya, performed by kwaito musicians including Mdu Masilela, Eugene Mthethwa, Doc Shebeleza, Mapaputsi, Oskido and Sibusiso Ntshangase. All were dressed in suits.
The Grace Bible Church in Pimville, Soweto, was filled to capacity on Friday, with artists, politicians – among them Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula – and members of the public paying tribute to the Nkalakatha hitmaker, who had been diagnosed with cancer in May last year and received treatment for the disease for several months before going into remission early this year.
In church, pictures of the 38-year-old were on display. The top of his casket was covered with wreaths and flowers.
Mandoza, whose real name was Mduduzi Tshabalala, discovered that his cancer had recurred almost two months ago, and had started chemotherapy a few weeks before his death. He had lost his sight in recent weeks.
Speaker after speaker remembered him as a devoted father and husband. Mandoza’s wife, Mpho, spoke of their last days together. “Last week Saturday, Mandoza could not eat the whole day. On the same night, he didn’t sleep; he was fighting for his life. He woke up at 5am and wished me a happy birthday,” she told mourners.
She said Mandoza told her: “Today I am going to give you a present which money cannot buy – I’m going to fight for my life.”
Mandoza died last Sunday.
Mpho also shared lighter moments, including the fact that when she first met her husband, she asked herself: Who is this thug?
Mpho and Mandoza married in 2002 and have three children: Tokollo, Tumelo and Karabo.
At the funeral, Mpho introduced Mandoza’s fourth son, Thapelo, from a previous relationship. “We’re Nkalakatha family,” she said, referring to Mandoza’s crossover hit, released in 2000.
Their eldest son Tokollo, joined by his siblings, introduced his tribute by telling mourners that he was “going to talk about my father’s dress sense”.
Pointing to a photograph of his father, he said: “I was the one who dressed him the day the photo was taken. My father had such style because I used to help him dress. Every time he would go to work, if I wasn’t around the house, he would call me and ask me what he should wear.”
Mpho also introduced mourners to a new artist, Pascal, who is signed with record label Nkalakatha Records. “We are building an empire. I will continue his legacy,” she said.
Meanwhile, former SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng used the occasion to assure mourners he was “stress free”.
“If I was stressed, I would not be able to deliver what I want to deliver. Maybe you are stressed yourself, because Hlaudi is delivering. Even if I was an ordinary [SABC] employee, I would still deliver,” he said.
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