'Always remind my children I love them' — friends speak fondly about Mshoza at memorial service

Mshoza's close friends gave fans a glimpse into the woman she was away from the spotlight through heartfelt speeches at a memorial service in her honour in Newtown, Johannesburg, on Thursday.  

The Kortes hitmaker died last Thursday of complications related to diabetes, aged 37.

Drum journalist and close friend Mathawe Matsapola explained that she had met the star as a young journalist starting out in the industry. A pursuit for a story allowed their paths to cross and they quickly realised they had “clicked,” forging a friendship.  

Mathawe explained how she got a chance to know Nomasonto (Mshoza's real name), the woman behind the superstar.

“When I received a call in the middle of the night from Sonto, I knew that kushubile ... I must just wake up and answer her call. We would speak and we would pray together over the phone, when she was in different hospitals ... When she woke up I would be there to pray with her.”

Mathawe praised Mshoza for not being fake, allowing herself to be vulnerable with her feelings and for living “her life for herself first”.

“I remember this one time in December 2017, she called me in the middle of the night — I was home in Limpopo — she called me and she was crying, she wasn’t OK ... She said to me “Thawes, when I die, please always remind my children that I love them.” And she did, she loved them,” a sombre Mathawe said.

Another journalist, who was also a close friend of the hitmaker, Ntombi, explained that she met Mshoza in 2011 and they hit it off immediately.

Ntombi said Mshoza had a love-hate relationship with the media, but also revealed that the kwaito star had leaked her own stories — despite advice not to — several times.

“Yes, I am a journalist but I was a very close friend of Sonto’s. I heard people say that the entertainment industry betrayed Sonto but the one thing they don’t know is that Sonto actually leaked most of her stories to the media. Sometimes, as a friend, I would say, 'No my friend, this is going to destroy you and she would laugh it off and call Mathawe,” she said.

Ntombi said she had lost a sister and someone from whom she learnt a lot.

“Sonto lived her life to the fullest, was larger than life and a risk taker. And, when she loved you, she loved you fully,” she said.