A five-year-old Johannesburg girl who won the hearts of South Africans during her battle against a rare form of cancer took her last breath on Thursday morning.
On a Facebook page documenting her battle against Ewing sarcoma, her parents described Shanaya Govender's death as being "in her true style".
"Our princess has turned into a star to shine bright on us forever. She did it her way in true Shanaya the First style.
"Shanaya passed away now at 7:56am. She wanted her favourite dress, her wig, her tiara, her high heels and make-up. She made us call everyone she is close to then stopped breathing and her heart stopped. She did it her way. No pain, no suffering," her family said.