"He was in and out of hospital since April and things got out of hand in July.
"He died at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (on Tuesday morning)."
Long-time friend and colleague Simnikiwe Xabanisa described Mgebisa as "a man of big opinions".
"I knew him from 2000 when I got to Johannesburg‚" Xabanisa said.
"He was a man of big opinions and he was very talented.