Vanya Mangaliso remembered as a fashion icon and devoted matriarch

News24

05-07-2025

Vanya Mangaliso, who passed away on 26 June after a battle with cancer, was celebrated for her influence in fashion and her profound impact on South African cultural identity.
Her four children offered deeply personal tributes, describing a mother who instilled in them values of unity, self-awareness, and resilience while embracing her love for nature and spirituality.
Born on 14 March 1972 in Mount Ayliff, Mangaliso viewed her role as a mother as her greatest accomplishment – a sentiment echoed by her husband, Thando, who highlighted her passion for family and her enduring legacy
Fashion maverick Vanya Mangaliso was laid to rest on Saturday, 5 July, at the Heroes Acre in Westpark Cemetery. The creative director and co-founder of the Sun Goddess fashion label succumbed to cancer on Thursday, 26 June.
While industry peers, relatives and friends painted a portrait of her adventurous spirit and celebrated her successful fashion journey, it was her four children—Limani, Kumkani, Kwantu and Kwindla—who revealed who she was beyond the public eye.
To them, she was the stylish mom who wore the best outfits while washing the family car, the teacher who introduced them to the teachings of Credo Mutwa and Steve Biko, and the free spirit who insisted they find their voice in the world.
Through tributes from her husband and children, another side of Vanya emerged: an ardent nature lover who found joy in walks, hikes and horse riding. After her husband Thando introduced her to the sport, the two often rode together to escape life's stresses and reconnect with nature.
READ | Entrepreneur Vanya Mangaliso, Sun Goddess founder, dies aged 53
Her children shared that it felt as though their mother somehow knew her time would be short – she filled their lives with lessons on family unity, self-identity and the importance of loving and protecting one another.
She was the spiritual pillar of the family, grounding them in faith and resilience.
All four children spoke eloquently about her deep sense of intention as a mother and the sacrifices she made for the sake of the family. They spoke, too, of the pain of watching her body deteriorate in her final days – saying it was as though her body had to break so that her spirit could be free.
Vanya viewed her four children as her greatest achievement – a sentiment echoed by her husband Thando in his moving tribute.