Lucky Nxumalo remembered as ‘exceptional photographer’ and ‘true friend’

The passing of veteran photojournalist Lucky Nxumalo on Sunday evening is still reverberating in the  media industry.

The Daily Sun photographer lost his battle with cancer and passed away in his Orlando East home in Soweto where he grew up, surrounded by his family, according to South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) statement.

His love story with the camera started when he was a teenager earning money as a street photographer.

His career in journalism as a photographer started in the 1980s with several freelance gigs at local magazines and newspapers. Covering a wide variety of news from hard news and sports, to entertainment, his reputation grew in many spaces.

Having worked at many publications such as Sowetan, City Press and Bona Magazine, Nxumalo spent the last 12 years since 2008 as a photographer for the Daily Sun, peppered with photography work for Sunday World.

Colleagues pay tribute to Nxumalo

Daily Sun’s editor-in-chief Mapula Nkosi said: “We have known and loved Lucky for his incredibly positive and exuberant attitude and genuine and kind spirit that touched all of us. It shone ever so brightly in his work through his lens. The journalism industry is poorer without his contribution. He will be sorely missed by the Daily Sun family and our deepest condolences go out to his wife Tumi, his six children and his family. Funeral details will be shared in due course.”

Former Sowetan and City Press picture editor, Ruth Motau, remembered many of their exploits: “Lucky knew a lot of people and he had good contacts. I remember he was invited to Kenny Kunene’s 40th birthday party in Sandton and the ‘King of Sushi’ ate sushi off a bikini-clad model. City Press was the only publication that had the picture on that Sunday and Lucky had taken it.”

Photographer Neo Ntsoma described Nxumalo as “an exceptional photographer, a true friend, and a gentleman who always made sure that female photographers felt safe around him even when out in the field covering assignments that were somehow compromising of our safety”.

“He would often shield us from possible danger or even offer to carry our camera gear just like a true big brother whose main concern was to protect the lives of those he cared for the most. The industry has lost a true lensman. Lucky Nxumalo was a legend in his own right. He was truly dedicated to his craft. What a loving soul we have lost. I feel blessed to have crossed paths with him in his lifetime,” said Ntsoma.

A former colleague, Antonio Muchave, recalled how Lucky practised for weeks to master the art of taking sports pictures. This turned him into a regular feature at all the big soccer matches during the 1990s and 2000s.

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