Khalipha fell ill on July 19.
Khalipha’s daughter, Nosisa Khalipha, said the family members were still shocked.
“When my brother Nhlanhla and I came to his house on July 19, we found him crying. We asked what was going on but he could not tell us. We assumed the problem was with his stomach. We then took him to our pastor at church so that he could pray for him. He gave me something to rub on his stomach. He reacted like the pain was indeed in the stomach.
“Our pastor told us to take him to OR Tambo Memorial Hospital,” said Nosisa.
She said her father stayed there for two days before his death.
His family members, colleagues, neighbours and friends gathered at Vosloorus Civic Centre to pay their last respects to the man they described as the most dedicated community servant.
Khalipha (53) was a member of Vosloorus Community Policing Forum (CPF) at the time of his death.
Bongindawo Magosane, the regional secretary of the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco), of which Khalipha was a member, said he served his community well.
“He was selected by the community to represent them in many positions – he was a CPF member, he fought in the struggle against apartheid and was a close friend of Oliver Tambo,” said Magosane.
He said Khalipha was the kind of man who would not refuse to assist financially.
“If there was a need to send someone to represent the community elsewhere, Khalipha would not mind digging deep into his pocket and taking out his own money to pay for transport costs,” said Magosane.
Magosane said the community lost the Messiah himself.
Danny Makule, who spoke on behalf of the family, said they lost a great family member.
“He loved people and they loved him. We did not expect him to die so soon because he was full of life,” said Makule.
Khalipha’s brother-in-law, Themba Sithole, said, “In Khalipha we learn only good things.”
He advised Khalipha’s children to stick to his good teachings.
Khalipha, whose wife died in 2006, leaves behind his mother, five children and two grandchildren.
He was buried at Rondebult Cemetery.
Also Read: Vosloorus CPF and SAPS award local school