‘Intellectual rock star’ Eusebius McKaiser honoured at memorial service

Broadcaster and author Eusebius McKaiser has been described as an “intellectual rock star”, irreplaceable and “one of the greatest teachers in South Africa” as close friends and colleagues spoke at his memorial service.

Held in Parktown, Johannesburg, a week after his sudden death, the service was hosted by Arena Holdings, where McKaiser, who died after an epileptic seizure, worked as a contributor to TimesLIVE.

The memorial kicked off with a montage of McKaiser with family members and friends as well as a clip from the Eusebius McKaiser show on Radio 702.

Proceedings got under way with host and friend Sakina Kamwendo, who was the first of one of the many to share her fond memories with McKaiser over the years. Kamwendo described him as someone who loved his friends and would speak of them all the time.

Vukani Mde spoke fondly of his long friendship with McKaiser, which started in 2005 when they worked at Business Day. Mde said his death left him “with a deep wound”.

“Initially I did not want to speak — and still don't want to speak. To begin with, a lot of people have penned a lot of beautiful, eloquent tributes to McKaiser. People who are a lot better suited to it than I am. In part, I don't feel I have a lot to add to that,” he said.

“The other reason I was reluctant and afraid is because I wanted to avoid ... using the sentence 'Eusebius was'. I'm not there yet, I'm not ready for that and I don't want to say 'Eusebius was'.”

TimesLIVE editor and Sunday Times deputy editor Makhudu Sefara honoured McKaiser's passion for his work, attention to detail and love of books.

Sefara also shared his and the company's shock on hearing of McKaiser's passing, and the great loss his death was to the company.

“He really was an intellectual rock star. There were so many things we wanted to do with him that we're not going to be able to. There isn't anyone in the country or anywhere that we're going to find to replace McKaiser — he's not replaceable,” he told mourners.

Friend Karyn Maughan described McKaiser as “brilliant” and an “extraordinary and gifted intellectual who could debate the big questions of life with you”.

Maughan said that she always walked away from conversations with him knowing more. At heart, she said, he was “one of the greatest teachers that this country has ever known”.

“He demanded excellence from himself and the people blessed enough to have engaged with him in the spaces that he occupied,” she said.

“He was not selfish in his intellect or his success. He 'lifted as he rose' and he's one of the people that embodies that saying more than anyone else I knew.”

TimesLIVE

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