Legendary Winnie Khumalo finally laid to rest

Praise and worship were the order of the day as A-list celebrities, family, and friends said their final goodbyes to singer Winnie Khumalo.

The air was thick with grief, and laughter and tears, as well as memories, were shared at Protea Multipurpose Hall, where hundreds of mourners gathered.

The 51-year-old singer passed away on Tuesday, 7 January, after a short illness. She was best known for her hit song Live My Life.

Councillor Bawinile Magwaza said Winnie liked giving back to the community.

“She would donate when we did events. She asked the family to reach out if they needed help. We have created a WhatsApp group, and we want to help where we can,” she said.

Winnie’s friend, Mmabatho, said it was not easy to talk about her friend.

“Because of the love I have for you, Winnie, I will try. Today is one of the most painful days of my life. I never thought I’d stand in front of people to talk about a beautiful person like Winnie. I’ve known her since we were 11 years old,” she said.

She said Winnie told her she wasn’t feeling well before she passed.

“It’s very important to take care of our health, have a balanced diet, stay physically fit, and schedule regular checkups,” she said.

Popular DJ Zinhle, who couldn’t hold back her tears, said: “Rethabile, our song says Uthando lwakho Ludala imilingi kushukum’sosha, and the same God will get us through.”

Singer Khanyo Maphulo said she and Winnie used to call each other twins.

“She would call me at six in the morning and ask if I was asleep. We used to motivate each other and not compete like others do these days. My friend, I love you. We sang together as if we were born to the same mother because of how much we loved each other,” said Khanyo.

Socialite and businesswoman Uganda Mbuli said she was once her neighbor.

“You gave us so much love, and your talent and charisma will stay with us. We will miss you, and we loved you,” she said.

Mayor of Joburg, Dada Morero, said Winnie never forsook her community.

“She dedicated her life to people through music and the arts. Her family must have realized her calling when she entered the music industry at 13 years old and never looked back,” he said.