It was a bitter moment for the late Bulelwa “Zahara” Mkutukana’s family and friends as they welcomed the singer’s corpse in East London, after its arrival from Johannesburg recently.
Many friends and family could not hold their tears as it dawned on them that the bubbly Phendula singer had indeed left this earth.
Zahara departed this earth on the 11th of December after being hospitalised for three weeks due to liver complications.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch, the family spokesperson Nkosiyam Mkutukana shared how grounded Zahara was, even as the big celebrity she was.
He added:
“Bulelwa was a child to us, she was so humble, she was so down to earth. When she came home, we did not feel like we are with a celebrity. We were with a family member. She treated us as family, we treated her as a child. She regarded herself as part of the family.”
The family spokesperson continued:
“Every Christmas she used to come down and visit our family. She used to sit down with her siblings, her father and mother, but now that is gone. We have lost a very humble person whom you can just send to anywhere as an elder, without looking at that she’s a celebrity. She was just an ordinary child among us as a family.
The family spokesperson went on to thank the public for their support since the news of the singer’s death broke, adding:
“We are very grateful about the support that we have received throughout, starting from when our daughter was ill. We received huge support from the public, from everybody in South Africa. People have shown us that Zahara was not only our daughter, she was also theirs. By their support we feel humbled, and we are grateful.
He went on to explain what the public’s support meant a lot to them as a family in their darkest hour, adding that he feels they were helping them carry the pain together. Nkosiyam concluded by thanking everyone for their support, commenting:
“We are happy about the support, and we are grateful.”
WATCH: An emotional moment for family members as Zahara’s corpse arrives in East London.
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