19-05-2025
Tributes pour in for South African music icon Manqoba Ntombela following his tragic death
A prominent figure in the South African music scene, Manqoba Ntombela was cherished not only for his melodic contributions but also for his role as a respected businessman, educator, and community leader.
The alleged involvement of a spaza shop mafia has surfaced in what authorities are still investigating.
Tributes continue to pour in for Manqoba Ntombela, a beloved musical artist whose life was tragically cut short on the evening of May 16, when he was murdered outside his home in Ratanda, Heidelberg.
Ntombela, 62, was shot shortly after leaving his shop just five houses away from his residence. His daughter, Londiwe, recounted the harrowing events to Sunday World, revealing the rapid unfolding of a family tragedy.
'My father left the shop just after 6pm and drove to his house. My younger brother, who was in the house, heard the car stopping outside, and when he got out to open the gate, gunshots rang out, and he ran back into the house.
"After a few minutes, he went outside and found our dad shot in the car,' she stated.
'We were called as we were at the shop, and when we reached the scene, he was still alive, and we put him in one of the cars as we rushed him to the hospital. We met the medical team along the way. It declared him dead after a failed resuscitation.'
A prominent figure in the South African music scene, Ntombela was cherished for his melodic contributions and his role as a respected businessman, educator, and community leader.
His hit song "Lomshini Uyakhuluma! (iStokvel)" became an anthem in the early 1990s, later gaining renewed popularity through a remake by DJs Vetkuk and Mahoota.
The shockwaves of his sudden passing have reverberated through the industry, with many taking to social media to express their grief.
I-Afrika Theatre Education shared, 'It is with deep sorrow that I-Afrika Theatre mourns the untimely passing of our beloved music director, Manqoba Ntombela. Manqoba was more than just a musician - he was a creative force … his passing is a huge loss - not just to us, but to the entire creative industry in South Africa. We have lost a leader, a friend, and a true artist.'
