Alexandrians celebrate the short but well-lived life of Samantha Radebe
EAST BANK – She was an inspiration to me because I saw her fighting battles and winning those battles.
Despite growing up without her parents who passed away while she was young, Samantha Radebe (29) has been described by many as a sweet, yet, strong and brave soul.
Multitudes of Alexandrian’s flocked into East Bank Community Hall that became too small to accommodate everyone who came to celebrate the short, well-lived life of Samantha who died during a fire exchange between police and a car hijacker on 15 January. Radebe died on her one-month wedding anniversary – she tied the knot on 15 December last year.
Speaking during the memorial service, friends and family members described Sammy, as she was affectionately known in the neighbourhood, as a loving, sweet, yet, strong and brave woman who overcame many battles in her life.
An emotional friend and family friend of Radebe, Sthembile Nkosi who failed to hold back her tears while she was on the podium said Samantha loved people and accommodated people from different backgrounds easily. “I met Sammy 10 years ago and from day one we became friends.
“She loved her husband and kids a lot. Sammy would not finish a conversation without mentioning their names. She was an inspiration to me because I saw her fighting battles and winning those battles. She was a woman of substance and had a very resilient spirit.”
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Radebe’s niece Learato Sikolo said life will be difficult without her source of inspiration and role model.
“Sammy was a mother to me but we lived like siblings because of our age difference. I always treated her like my sibling and I looked up to her. She was a mentor to me though we would fight at times. She had the spirit of an angel, she connected easily with everyone and the number of people who came here today are a testimony of what kind of a person Sammy was.”
Radebe was laid to rest on 25 January in Waterfall Cemetery in Midrand.
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