Award-winning actress Leleti Khumalo was among the mourners present at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Durban where veteran playwright and musician Mbongeni Ngema’s funeral service was held on Friday, 5 January.

The Stimela Sase Zola hitmaker, who died in hospital after a car crash involving a truck on the R61 in the Mbizana area in the Eastern Cape on 27 November, was accorded a special provincial official funeral category 2.

 

LELETI KHUMALO AT MBONGENI NGEMA’S FUNERAL
During the funeral, members of Ngema’s Committed Artists company paid tribute to him through song and dance with the iconic Freedom Is Coming Tomorrow song from his 1992 blockbuster film, Sarafina!

The performers were joined on stage by Khumalo, who starred in the musical as Sarafina. Also on stage was veteran actor Dumisani Dlamini – who was part of the Sarafina cast.

Khumalo and Ngema, who had a 15-year age difference, tied the knot in 1992 and divorced in 2005.

A year after their divorce, Khumalo opened up about surviving domestic violence at the hands of the celebrated theatre giant. In an interview in 2020, Ngema said he was a “rehabilitated” man and took on the fight against gender-based violence as a reformed abuser.
Speaking to eNCA outside the funeral venue, the former Imbewu: The Seed star said she was in attendance to support the Ngema family as this is a sad time for everyone. She added that she owes the late musical maestro a lot.

“UMadlokovu [Ngema] basically introduced me to this industry. Bengim’ncane kakhulu [I was very young] and I owe a lot to him,” she said.

“He put me on the global map. I am known throughout the world because he took me from Kwa-Mashu [a township north of Durban] and launched me into this industry, which I really really appreciate,” the actress said at the funeral.