South Africa has lost too many irreplaceable stars, mourners said at a memorial service for singer Lebo Mathosa on Thursday.
”I just think we’re losing too many stars, and for pointless reasons,” said South African music veteran PJ ”Thandeka” Powers at the service, held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.
A visibly distressed Powers spoke about her first interaction with Mathosa: ”Dynamite. And a natural leader too.”
Powers said she wrote songs with Mathosa for more than 10 years. ”She was an amazing singer, but over and above that, just a wonderful girl.”
The 29-year-old star’s death in a car accident east of Johannesburg early on Monday morning left Powers ”desperate for her [Mathosa’s] parents”.
”We must not forget, not only have we lost a star but [also] a human being,” she said.
Mathosa’s driver apparently lost control of the Toyota Prado in which they were travelling on the N3 highway on the East Rand. The vehicle overturned between the Heidelberg Road offramp and Grey Avenue in Germiston, police said.
The R&B and kwaito singer, whose music also incorporated elements of African music, dance and funk, died at the scene. The driver suffered minor injuries and was treated for shock.
The start of the service was delayed as fans of Mathosa, both from the music world and the public, streamed in.
The programme included dancing, singing and tearful speeches. A number of Mathosa’s co-workers and friends spoke to the capacity crowd, while some, like Mandoza, sang their tributes to her. A two-minute video of her life on and off the stage was shown to the emotional crowd, but amid the tears bouts of laughter were also heard.
Mathosa’s friend Oscar from the group Kalawa-Jazmaee explained how Mathosa earned her ”drama queen” status. ”We were in a plane and the flight attendant announced 10 minutes to land. Now, I was drinking on the plane and I had to go to the toilet. The flight attendant refused. So I peed on the flight. The next thing I heard were police sirens.”
Oscar said he was arrested, but Mathosa was defiant. ”Eventually they let us go because Lebo had talked their heads off,” Oscar said.
Mourners and fans cheered at a call for forgiveness for the man driving Mathosa’s car at the time of her fatal accident. ”Let’s forgive the man they call the driver,” said Mandla Spikiri, a member of the group Trompies, in his tribute to the star. ”There is no pain like the pain of self-condemnation.”
The 20-year-old driver, identified as ”Nhlanhla” by the Sowetan newspaper, was not present at the memorial service.
Outside the convention centre, meanwhile, giggling girls blushed as they took snaps of artist Danny K with their cellphones. — Sapa