Sibonelo Zwane
Fun-loving Thamsanqa Mluma performed a dance, as he always did, for his family before leaving his house on Saturday night going to Mdlalose tavern in Nomzamo, Soweto.
His two children laughed and his neighbour smiled as he went, not knowing that would be the last dance his family and neighbours would see him perform.
Mluma, 54, is one of the 16 people killed in a mass shooting that shocked the country.
He would later be found sitting on a chair facing the TV at Mdlalose’s tavern as if he were still alive.
Speaking to Scrolla.Africa, his mother Miriam Mluma explained that she had last seen her son on Thursday.
“I also live here in Nomzamo but I have my own home and he stays with his wife and kids,” she said.
Gogo Miriam also heard the gunshots but paid no attention to them.
“Of course we were alarmed by the continuous gunshots but honestly it’s nothing new in our area. My neighbour came knocking just before midnight and asked my daughter and her husband to go with her to the tavern because there were people shot,” she said.
When her daughter and son-in-law arrived at the tavern they found Mluma sitting quietly as if he was still alive and watching TV and they were relieved.
But when the neighbour walked closer she realised that he had been shot dead.
She said there is a video of her son dancing on that fateful day, hours before he was shot.
“It’s as if he knew that Saturday was his last day on earth. He was all dressed up and danced happily. I’m grateful to whoever took that video of him.”
She told Scrolla.Africa that her son had mental health issues but he was happy most of the time and those around him understood him.
“I loved him despite his mental health struggles. There’s no dustbin for children and no matter how troublesome a child can be, no parent wishes death on their own.”
She said she was grateful that the government was organising help for them for their bereavement.
