SABC responds to Zahara's reality show
South African musical sensation, Zahara sadly passed away at the age of 36. Image: X

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Zahara’s throwback photo from her childhood revealed [photos]

South African musical sensation, Zahara passed away last week. Zahara’s throwback photo was posted on her Instagram recently.

19-12-23 12:28
SABC responds to Zahara's reality show
South African musical sensation, Zahara sadly passed away at the age of 36. Image: X

Zahara’s throwback photo was shared on the singer’s Instagram this week. South African award-winning musician, Zahara – real name Bulelwa Mkutukana passed away last week Monday, 11 December at a Johannesburg hospital and will be buried in East London on Saturday, 23 December.

AWW! ZAHARA’S THROWBACK PHOTO

Zahara was “surrounded by family and loved ones” when she died a week ago. Her memorial took place at the Rhema Bible Church in Randburg on Thursday, 14 December. Her lifeless body has since been delivered to her hometown, East London as seen in a TikTok video posted on Saturday,16 December.

Over the years, Zahara has won her fans’ hearts with hits like Phendula, Ndiza, Bendirongo, and more. Taking a trip down memory lane at her memorial service, her sister, Bulelwa Mkutukana said she was present in the hospital room when Zahara took her last breath.

ALSO READ: Zahara’s body arrives in a casket in East London, family weeps

“She was in pain at the hospital. I remember just after we left for the 15h00 visit, at 17h00 the doctor called and said we must come back. When Mama, Junior, and I got there, they told us to stay in the room and wait because Bulelwa would not be around for long… It was so painful, we were crying and prayed for four hours,” Bulelwa said.

ALSO READ: Singer on Zahara’s mom: ‘Never ready to be a mom to a superstar’

In a statement shared by the family, it was said that Zahara will be remembered as a “beacon of hope, a gift, and a blessing to us and countless people around the world.”

Speaking to the SABC, family spokesperson Nkosiyam Mkutukana was quoted as saying. “We would like her to be remembered as a very humble child, very kind… she put our family where it is now during her life she did what she did to put us in greater heights we would love people to remember her as a hero.”

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Zahara: Zahara's throwback photo
Zahara was born on 9 November 1988 and died on 11 December 2023. Image via Instagram Stories @zaharasa/ via Instagram @zahaasa

ALSO READ: ‘A real blow to our country’: Cyril Ramaphosa on Zahara’s death

DJ Sbu Vusi Nova Zahara funeral
Zahara. Image via Instagram @zaharasa

THE LATE SINGER’S GUITAR DELIVERED TO HER FAMILY

According to TshisaLIVE, actress Lusanda Mbane recently took a trip from Johannesburg to Phumlani Informal Settlement in East London to deliver Zahara’s accolades, guitar, and pay her respects to the family. The duo reportedly met through a two-hour interview on TruFM and formed a sisterhood.

“I was there for her when she needed me as a big sister, and I was there when we had fun as well but that didn’t always end well because the big sister in me would always come out and Bulelwa was very stubborn,” Mbane was quoted as saying.

“The light moments were when we would sit on her patio and talk about life. She would cook lunch and supper for me, and she would sing for me… When she went into hospital I was in communication with everyone around her. It was a very unsettling, very emotional time,” she reportedly added.

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