Tributes pour in for Limpopo’s kwasa dance king Steven Sefofa

A day before his death, Sefofa called The Citizen about his deteriorating health which, he said, was not promising.


A Limpopo man who spent the better part of his life campaigning for the ANC and spreading messages of fighting the scourge of Covid has died of the respiratory disease.

Steven Sefofa, affectionately known a “Maloabotsheba”, took his last breath at the Tzaneen Medi-Clinic on Tuesday. He had been admitted at the hospital after testing positive for the virus last week.

A day before his death, Sefofa called The Citizen about his deteriorating health which, he said, was not promising.

“I am at the Tzaneen Medi-Clinic. I was admitted last week for Covid. You are my friend and I expect you to be the first person to come and visit me and to tell the people of South Africa that the very disease that I spent part of my life warning people about is the one that is now threatening my life,” said Sefofa in a video call with the writer.

Sefofa said he knew Covid was a very dangerous virus. He said he was not surprised he tested positive “because I am speaking to everyone every day. Although I wear a mask when I teach people about the danger of this disease, I might have slipped out somewhere, somehow, someday,” he said.

Sefofa said he wanted the world to know that Covid is dangerous and merciless.

“It does not know any boundaries, colour, gender or status. It kills everyone who comes into contact with it.”

The ANC in Limpopo said it was shocked by the news.

“The ANC in Limpopo has learnt with shock about the death of Mr Sefofa. He was a well-known musician and activist, who was a permanent feature in all provincial ANC campaigns. Sefofa was a special breed of an ANC cadre and a tireless activist, whose love of the organisation was demonstrated in all aspects of his life,” ANC Limpopo provincial secretary Soviet Lekganyane said yesterday.

ALSO READ: Famous muso says his ancestors have sent the devil to torment him

“He loved the ANC whole-heartedly and demonstrated this by using his hard-earned resources and time, to campaign and mobilise support for the organisation, throughout the country. He would do this without qualms, even when there was no form of remuneration coming by.”

Lekganyane, who described Sefofa as the “son of the ANC in Limpopo”, said he remained committed to the course of creating an equal society for all, until his last breath.

Funeral arrangements for Sefofa will be announced once finalised.

Read more on these topics

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Access premium news and stories

Access to the top content, vouchers and other member only benefits