Candles burn at the memorial service for radio personality Xolani Gwala at the Our Lady of Lourdes Rivonia Catholic Church in Rivonia, 6 November 2019. Gwala died at the age of 44 after a lengthy battle with cancer. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark
Colleagues, friends and family of radio personality Xolani Gwala gathered at Our Lady of Lourdes Rivonia Catholic Church in Sandton yesterday to pay their last respects to the legendary broadcaster.
Radio 702 colleague Jonathan Fairbairn said Gwala was more than just a colleague to him.
“From the first day I met him, I knew that I wanted to be friends with him, and he came into my life in a time where I was going through a very difficult time and he helped me overcome those difficulties,” Fairbairn said.
“He managed to ignite the fire in me, in my life. He could make people feel important and welcomed.”
Soweto TV presenter Thabang Neko said he was hoping to learn more from Gwala.
“He was like my distanced broadcasting mentor and he was one of the people I respected in broadcasting. It is beyond a loss for the media fraternity and lovers of radio and news,” Neko said.
Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Blade Nzimande said Gwala’s contribution was worthwhile as he was instrumental in transforming talk radio in South Africa.
Nzimande also thanked Gwala’s wife Peggy-Sue Khumalo for taking care of him through the struggles and difficult times.
“To Peggy-Sue, we want to say thank you for looking after Xolani,” said Nzimande. “It must have been very hard to see him in that struggle.
“He was such a strong man and he never lost focus on his work, even during the hard times.
“I wish young journalists could learn from his respect for radio and always being prepared, going beyond the story.”
Gwala died last Friday. He was diagnosed with colon cancer in September 2017.
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