Remembering Kuli Roberts: She would say, 'The one thing I know I did right, is when I look at my kids'

Kuli Roberts' close friend Nyaniso Bhengu has opened up about his relationship with the late star and how her children are coping after her passing.

The 49-year-old died on Wednesday evening, her family confirmed in a statement.

Another close friend told TshisaLIVE she spoke to Roberts just hours before her death and she seemed “drowsy”.

Nyaniso, who spent hours with Kuli before she died, said she took pride in the way she raised her two children and felt the sudden death would leave them grieving for a while.

“She would say; 'The one thing I know I did right, is when I look at my kids.' She and her daughter were literally like friends. It will hit her daughter and her son hard. The thing is, her children are strong, they are looking strong. The grandchild is young and I don't know if she understands.

“I think they are keeping it together because they've always been those people. They will go through the grieving process. She taught them independence, she had equipped them with so much,” he said.

Nyaniso recalled fond memories of their friendship, which goes back more than a decade.

Even though people had speculated that they had become an item, they never bothered to rubbish the claims.

“We were friends and we became so close that people started thinking that we're an item, so she went to her Facebook and put me as her cousin. We used to laugh about it.

“She loved loudly. In our friendship. I have never been loved that loud. She never held back. I was a very private person and she would take pictures and tag you.”

The pair first met at a filling station more than 10 years ago in Centurion. Kuli later came over to celebrate his birthday and they have been inseparable since.

“I couldn't imagine her not being in my life ... we were always together.

“Kuli was real and did not want anything that would appear as fake. Kuli was not materialistic. If something didn't speak to her, she wouldn't take it. And she was very solid in her beliefs and wouldn't compromise ... She was very forgiving ... she was always bubbly.”