WATCH | Kindness for Zolani Mahola's biggest fan, an SA woman battling a terminal illness in the UK

In a 60-second act of kindness, renowned SA singer Zolani Mahola — now known under the stage name “The One Who Sings” — has moved many people with a video message she sent to an SA woman in the UK battling a terminal illness.

Ashleigh Alistoun, a chartered accountant at KPMG, was diagnosed with motor neuron disease a year ago. The news that she has only a few years to live hit her and her family hard, as they had not been in the UK for long.

Ashleigh was transferred from Johannesburg to the UK in May 2019 and made the move with her wife Jo and their two small children. They settled in a double-storey house in Pinner, 30km from the City of London.

After her diagnosis in February 2020, Ashleigh’s condition deteriorated.

Fortunately, the national health system in the UK has offered the family all the support they could need — providing her with a wheelchair when she was no longer able to walk unaided, a chair lift to help her get up and down the stairs in their home and a hospital bed.

Ashleigh receives three healthcare visits a day, Jo told TimesLIVE. Before that, they had been battling as Ashleigh needs a lot of care, as do their children who are six and seven.

About two weeks ago Ashleigh was temporarily admitted to their local hospice for care and checks that her medication was correct and properly balanced. During that time she played music endlessly — the songs of Freshlyground and Zolani Mahola.

“The day before she came home she messaged me to say, ‘I’m driving everyone here mad. Guess what I am listening to?” said Jo.

The message prompted Jo to reach out to Mahola through her website to let her know that she has been Ashleigh’s favourite singer throughout the 10 years they have been together.

“So I wanted to know, and I’m happy to pay, but would you be prepared to send her a personal video message, just saying hi and nothing long? This would make her bucket list. Thanks, Jo,” was what she wrote.

The next day a 60-second video message arrived in Jo’s inbox directly from the songbird herself.

Singing gently, Mohale sent her message to Ashleigh, ending with the lyrics, “If the stars which made our skin show how radiant we are, won’t they shine their light until you remember who you are...”

And then, with a bright smile, Mohale gushes: “Hello Ashleigh. Hello my sister. Big journeys...”

Jo remembers her wife’s reaction when she saw the video.

“She got so excited. Then she asked, ‘Is this for me?’ And as soon as she heard the words ‘Hello Ashleigh’, she burst into tears,” Jo said.

The short clip ends with a smiling Mohale saying: “Go deep, my sister. Go deep, go deep, go deep. Love from Cape Town.”

TimesLIVE