IN PICS: Inside Mshoza’s memorial service

The memorial was also attended by the likes of Khanyi Mbau, Amstel, Israel Matseke-Zulu and actress Maritjie Bothma.

25 Nov 2020 – The late Nomasonto “Mshoza” Maswanganyi’s friends gathered to celebrate her life in a memorial service at Bassline in Newtown in Johannesburg | Picture: Nigel Sibanda

Short, tight, shiny, sexy and see-through are not exactly the adjectives one would expect to use when describing the attire at a memorial service.

However, after attending the memorial service for Kwaito Queen Nomasonto “Mshoza” Maswanganyi at Newtown’s Bassline on Wednesday, one would understand why she probably would have wanted it that way.

25 Nov 2020 – The late Nomasonto “Mshoza” Maswanganyi’s friends and family have gathered to celebrate her life in a memorial service at Bassline in Newtown in Johannesburg | Picture: Nigel Sibanda

Maswanganyi died last week at Far East Rand Hospital due to complications related to diabetes.

She will be laid to rest on Saturday, but her memory was honoured beforehand in a memorial service that resembled a party as fans, family, friends and former employees gathered to jam to her music.

25 Nov 2020 – The late Nomasonto “Mshoza” Maswanganyi’s friends gathered to celebrate her life in a memorial service at Bassline in Newtown in Johannesburg | Picture: Nigel Sibanda

Her sombre family, who mostly worked together to ensure her two small children were comforted during the proceedings, looked around in awe every time the room erupted to one of her hits.

After a request from one of her former managers that only her music is played today, the crowd jams to one of Mshoza’s hits #RIPMshoza #MshozaMemorial pic.twitter.com/KIXyMHUYeC

— Citi Life (@Citi_Life_) November 25, 2020

Many of the day’s speakers touched on how Maswanganyi, or “sis Sonto” as she was affectionately known, loved music so much that she experimented with a number of genres, from gospel to rock.

Those who worked with her at different stages of her career, like Nkosinathi Zwane, Bonsai Shongwe and Oscar Mlangeni, all took to the stage to share anecdotes of hilarious moments that they will remember her by – like the time she took a gown and slippers with her after spending a night at The Palace at Sun City and wore them wherever she went after deciding that, that was the life she was accustomed to now.

As the program gets underway, Mzambia takes to the stage to speak about how he and Mshoza met and how their careers took off as they developed a friendship #RIPMshoza #MshozaMemorial pic.twitter.com/wBPzZffOxx

— Citi Life (@Citi_Life_) November 25, 2020

Even those she differed with over money had nothing but kind words to say about her because they felt as though she worked hard to make sure everyone around her was taken care of.

The memorial was also attended by the likes of Khanyi Mbau, Amstel Maboa, Israel Matseke-Zulu and actress Maritjie Bothma.

Khanyi Mbau at The late Nomasonto “Mshoza” Maswanganyi’s memorial service at Bassline in Newtown in Johannesburg | Picture: Nigel Sibanda

25 Nov 2020 – Khanyi Mbau and Amstel at The late Nomasonto “Mshoza” Maswanganyi’s memorial service at Bassline in Newtown in Johannesburg | Picture: Nigel Sibanda

Khanyi Mbau at The late Nomasonto “Mshoza” Maswanganyi’s memorial service at Bassline in Newtown in Johannesburg | Picture: Nigel Sibanda

The memorial service is still currently under way.

Mshoza’s funeral service will take place on Saturday between 8am and 11.30am at Rispark’s House of Treasures Ministries and it will be followed by a funeral procession to Westpark Cemetery where Mshoza will be laid to rest.