Chef Lentswe's life celebrated on his heavenly birthday

Lentswe Bhengu-Mafoko's close friends and family members recently celebrated his heavenly birthday. 

The celebrity chef, who would have turned 38 on July 22, died at Sandton Mediclinic on February 28 after a short illness. 

A post displaying white and gold balloons and a backyard set-up was shared on his Instagram timeline with the caption: "#LennyLivesOn #Lovefirst, Love always. We love you and miss you every day!”

The comments were filled with messages from celebrities who wrote of how they were struggling to come to terms with his death. 

“I don’t know if you can read this where you are, Lentswe. I miss your smile, mxm kulungile mfethu,” former RHOD star Nonkanyiso “LaConco” Conco wrote. 

“Happy heavenly birthday brother. Can’t believe I posted a clip this morning from 2016 with his voice while we were on Good Food & Wine Show in Cape Town,” chef Siphokazi Mdlankomo wrote. 

Langa Mavuso also recently took to his social media timeline in remembrance of Lentswe, who was his partner. 

“A smile that captured a thousand hearts. Happy birthday bingo banger, my homie, my lover, my friend. Every day I wish you were still here, but even in your absence your love lives on.

“Love first, love always. That’s what you used to say. I never knew I’d be so strong, but you live on. In the memories by the garden, you live on. In the moments we spent laughing, you live on. In every moment you live on. Thank you for some of the most incredible moments of my life the last seven years of life with you,” he wrote. 

At the late chef's memorial, the singer shared how he had been introduced to him by his actress sister Swankie Mafoko.

“Family and adventure were always at the centre of his life. If it wasn’t an impromptu family braai in Randburg, he was planning our next trip to some place I didn’t want to go to. But once we’d get there, it would be amazing.

“Regardless of the strain, we always knew we loved each other and it was aptly said in every text, which ended with the words ‘Love first, love always’. But today I must find new ways to embody that love and find a new place to share my heart.

“He is the smile that captured us all. And his laughter filled every room. I don’t know how to begin to say goodbye when there is still so much love to give.”

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