🕊️ UNFORGETTABLE SPEECH: Thabiso Ramotshela’s Emotional Words at Presley Chweneyagae’s Memorial – Everyone Cried! 😭💐🎤

There are speeches that make headlines, and then there are moments that become history.

Thabiso Ramotshela’s emotional tribute to the late Presley Chweneyagae during the memorial held in Johannesburg was one of those unforgettable moments — a raw, powerful delivery that didn’t just honor a legend, but pierced straight through to the heart of everyone listening.

The memorial, held at a packed venue filled with friends, family, fans, and fellow actors, had already been an emotionally heavy event.

But when Thabiso, visibly shaken and holding back tears, was called to the stage, a chilling silence filled the room.

Everyone leaned in.

What followed was a tribute that will go down as one of the most emotional farewells in South African entertainment history.

“Presley wasn’t just someone I looked up to — he was my compass,” Thabiso began, his voice trembling.

“He showed me that being vulnerable on screen could be powerful.

That being broken in a role didn’t mean you were weak, but real.

That truth was more important than applause.

At that point, many in the crowd were already dabbing their eyes, but the emotions reached a boiling point when Thabiso began recalling their last conversation.

“The last time we spoke, he told me, ‘Don’t wait to be ready, Thabiso.

Be brave first — the rest will follow.

’ I wrote those words in my journal that night.

I didn’t know it would be the last time I’d hear his voice.

He paused, took a breath, and looked up — as if speaking directly to the heavens.

“Presley, if you can hear me… I promise to carry your fire forward.

You built a bridge for kids like me to walk across.

And I’m going to run across it, for both of us.

The audience — from industry icons like Connie Ferguson to close friends and fellow actors — couldn’t hold back.

Tears streamed down cheeks.

Some clutched tissues, others buried their faces in their hands.

Even those who had shared years with Presley said they hadn’t cried like that until Thabiso spoke.

Ramotshela’s words weren’t scripted.

According to sources close to the family, he insisted on speaking from the heart, refusing to rehearse or write anything down beforehand.

“He said he wanted to talk to Presley, not about him,” said a close friend.

“And that’s exactly what he did.

The most gut-wrenching moment came near the end of the speech when Thabiso spoke to Presley’s son, who sat in the front row.

Choking back tears, he said, “Your father made me believe that a boy from the township could stand on stages across the world.

He made me proud of where I come from.

And I want you to know — he was so proud of you.

That single line reportedly caused a wave of audible sobs from the crowd, especially those seated near the Chweneyagae family.

The emotional tension in the room was indescribable — a blend of grief, admiration, and the painful realization that South Africa had truly lost a once-in-a-generation talent.

After the speech, the atmosphere shifted.

Mourners hugged each other tighter.

Conversations turned from mourning Presley’s death to celebrating his legacy.

“Thabiso reminded us why we loved Presley,” said actress Kgomotso Christopher.

“He didn’t just play roles — he gave us roles to live out, off-screen.

Social media erupted in the hours following the memorial, with clips of Thabiso’s speech spreading like wildfire across TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter.

Fans called it “the most powerful tribute of the decade,” and hashtags like #RIPCobrizi and #ThabisoSpeech trended nationwide.

One viral post read, “That boy didn’t just speak — he channeled Presley’s spirit into every word.

”

What made the tribute even more poignant is the eerie symmetry between Thabiso and Presley.

Presley broke into global stardom at a young age with Tsotsi, and now Thabiso, hailed as one of South Africa’s brightest young actors, carries the torch forward — shaped, mentored, and inspired by the very man he was saying goodbye to.

As the service ended and people made their way out, many lingered — replaying Thabiso’s words in their heads.

For them, Presley’s death wasn’t just a personal loss, but a cultural wound.

And Thabiso Ramotshela’s speech didn’t just honor that — it stitched the wound with truth, tears, and a love that refuses to fade.

Presley Chweneyagae is gone, but as Thabiso said in his final line before walking off stage, “Legends don’t die — they become the stories we live by.

And I will keep telling your story, every time I breathe.

” 🕊️