By Karabo Rammutla
While his family couldn’t contain their tears, fans of the late popular Bacardi musician Vusi Ma R5 were celebrating.
The singer was shot and killed outside a club after his performance at a Magnets stokvel in Extension 17 of Soshanguve on Monday.
The memorial ceremony, held in Ma R5’s hometown of Mabopane, started in a sombre mood as relatives reminisced about the “Chomi ke Chenchitse” singer.
But as soon as the artists and dancers he worked with took to the stage, the mood changed.
The event was attended by City of Tshwane officials and the Gauteng MEC for Art and Culture, Morakane Mosupye.
Ma R5’s death sent shockwaves through the Bacardi music industry.
At the memorial his aunt, Esther Mnisi, pleaded with the suspect to stop killing.
“If you have a list and there are still more innocent people [on it], please stop. It is enough, you have hurt this family. Please don’t put another family through what we’re going through,” she said.
Mnisi said the artist started performing at stokvels and later at her tavern.
“He would dance for patrons, and when I reprimanded him, patrons [protested]. I stopped attending stokvels and let him take over. However, he became bigger and could no longer perform at my tavern because I couldn’t accommodate all his fans,” she said.
Ma R5’s friend, Enny Man the Guitar, said he had never thought they would lose Vusi.
“Last Wednesday we had a studio session and we recorded some music. He had so many plans and we joked that he needed to age to fulfil all his plans, not knowing he had very limited time left,” he said.
He said although he and his fellow artists are scared, in Ma R5’s honour they will continue entertaining their fans.
“They are trying to stop us from doing that, but we will not cower; they will not succeed,” he said.
After the memorial service, the mourners moved to Soshanguve Shisanyama for an after party.
Ma R5 will be buried on Sunday in Bokenhout Mabopane.
Pictured above: Ma R5’s sister breaks down in tears at his memorial service.
Image source: Karabo Rammutla
