Fans, friends, industry colleagues and family members gathered at Rhema Bible Church to pay their respects to award-winning singer and reality TV star Zahara on Thursday.

Zahara’s husband Mpho Xaba took to the podium recalling how he met the singer, who comforted him in a dark time. He joked about how Zahara planned to speak about their love journey on their wedding day to say how he played hard to get.

Mpho said they later found each other again and he expressed his love to her in letters and videos.

To my dearly departed love. Words fail me. The void you have imposed on me has immeasurable depth. What brewed scepticism and questions as well as an iniquity to those who felt like they held a high moral ground to the institution of love, inadvertently led to the inception of a love so strong. Of adoration, affection, fondness, attachment, passion, infatuation, care, devotion, and all things warm and fuzzy.”

I will forever cherish all the moments I got to spend with you. When we first met, you took me out of a deep, dark place, and you restored my faith in love again. You never judged me harshly, but rather cautioned and counselled me. And thereafter you decided to keep me for yourself. If it were up to you, you would probably be living under my skin right now. So many plans, so many fond memories, however fate decreed otherwise. On behalf of the children, Keamogetwe and Kamogelo, we will forever love you. As for me, I will search for you through one thousand worlds and ten thousand lifetimes until I find you.