Drama accompanied Mapaputsi to his final resting place.The late Woza Fariday hitmaker, Sandile Ngwenya, was put to rest at West Park’s Heroes Acre yesterday after a church service at Soweto’s Dlamini Multipurpose Centre Hall. However, his passing was not without controversy.
To begin, after dying in a Durban hospital, the kwaito singer’s body was transported from one funeral parlor to another upon arriving in Gauteng.
He was accompanied by a family member who traveled from Durban to Soweto to bring the news of his passing. It was reported that the friend held the hitmaker’s body against the family’s wishes in an alleged attempt to extort money from the family.
The family described how they were pressured to engage an undertaker they had not chosen, and when they refused, the late kwaito star’s remains would not be released unless R50,000 was paid to cover the removal and storage costs.
last week the appointed undertaker, GS Funeral Parlour, said that they would no longer offer funeral services.
The family explained that the last-minute alteration was made after they realized that the late musician had his own funeral cover, which they did not know about.
According to a source, this occurred after Mapaputsi’s apparent estranged wife allegedly sought the services of another burial home.
It is said that the woman, who has not been seen in two years and was never present when the kwaito veteran was ill.
Without the family’s permission, another individual with a surname resembling the late star’s was alleged to have attempted to apply for financial assistance from the department of sport, arts, and culture.
Actor and musician Motlatsi Mafatshe oversaw the funeral, and a few others spoke their final words on stage.
Nitty Nhlapo, the singer’s estranged wife, escorted her kids to the stage as they said their final goodbyes.
“I did not know that I would have to raise teenage kids alone. My children will now not be able to pick up the phone and speak to their father when we have challenges. Thandolwethu will be turning 21 next year and Mbalenhle is going to matric. We might plan, but God has the biggest plan. It was a very tough week for them,” said Nhlapo.