Family, friends and Mbalula pay tribute to Trompies member Mjokes

Trompies member Emmanuel  ‘Mjokes’ was laid to rest on Saturday at his Soweto home.

Mjokes died in a car crash last week Sunday (23 May) while returning home after a performance with the group on Saturday evening.

Mjokes was Kalawa Jazmee’s co-director and the fifth member of Trompies, he was 56 years old.

During his funeral service family and friends paid tribute to the artist, with Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula sending his condolences. Mbalula said the family should not feel neglected and that the group help defined kwaito and South African music.

The minister’s speech went down memory lane of how Kwaito was popularised and later help music genres such as amapiano.

ALSO READ: Trompies member Mjokes passes on

“AKA and the rest came in and commercialised it when there was no money out of it. But it had a South African identity, and where did it start, from Trompis and Kalawa Jazmee… They gave us a foundation, don’t think you feel rejected, we understand where you come from.” Mbalula joked that he doesn’t want to be the minister of arts and culture because “there is no money” in the department. Adding, “where I am, I manage lots of billions.”

He reiterated Kwaito artists feel like the government doesn’t care about them especially the arts and culture department due to the losses from the Covid-19 pandemic.  Mbalula added, “Mjokes was my brother, because of my responsibilities as a minister I may have lost touch but I have known him for 20 years.”

Mjokes children said they will keep his legacy alive, ” I want to be half the man you were”, his son Tebogo said.

When news broke of Mjokes passing, group member Eugene Mthethwa recounted the last moments he spent with his friend.

“I don’t know where to start telling my kids that you spent your last moments with, talking to them more than you did with us last night, my baby girl Latoya would be so broken to hear that the love you showed her.”

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