A cloud of controversy hangs over the memorial service of South African music legend Solly Moholo, following allegations that award-winning singer Winnie Mashaba was humiliated and barred from attending. The incident, which took place last week at Akasia Hall in Tshwane, has sparked outrage within the music industry.
Two sources, an artist manager and a musician who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, detailed the events to Sunday World. According to these sources, Mashaba’s alleged transgression was her arrival at the memorial service via private aircraft.
The musician recounted, “Winnie arrived at Moholo’s funeral service at Akasia Hall to pay her last respects to the ‘Ke latlhile botsotsi’ hitmaker, who died earlier this month in a Rustenburg hospital after collapsing on stage during a performance in Botswana. When she attempted to enter the hall, members of the Association for the Entertainers of SA (Aesa) allegedly blocked her, claiming that Moholo’s family had instructed them to prevent her entry.”
The reason cited for this alleged barring was a supposed unpaid medical bill, reportedly close to a million rand, owed by Mashaba to Moholo. The artist countered this assertion, stating, “Apparently the view was that Winnie was showing off by coming to the memorial service in an aircraft and might have used a lot of money to hire it when she failed to pay Moholo’s medical bill… Winnie was not flaunting; she had several commitments that day, and the only way she could honour them was to charter an aircraft to the service. What they did to her was wrong, and we think she deserves an apology.”
The situation reportedly escalated before Aesa chief executive officer, Hepter Mailula, intervened, eventually escorting Mashaba to a seat where she could pay her respects to the deceased musician whose music transcended tribal boundaries.
Adding to the accusations, the artist manager claimed the existence of a “black book” containing a list of individuals barred from attending the funeral. “I was one of them, but I was able to sneak into the cemetery. The instruction that certain people, including me, should not set foot at the funeral was allegedly issued by Solly’s daughter, Louisa,” the manager revealed.
When contacted for comment, Louisa Moholo declined to respond. Mailula, however, offered a different account of the events. He stated, “Yes, I fetched her from where she was and gave her a seat but I know nothing about her being prevented from attending the funeral.”
Mphoza Mashabela, chairperson of the Limpopo Artists Movement, confirmed their awareness of the incident and expressed their disapproval of Aesa’s conduct. “We are not impressed with some members of Aesa’s conduct. I was communicating with Dr Winny Mashaba after arriving at the funeral, as I arrived early. I arranged some seats for her and her crew,” Mashabela explained.
Mashabela clarified their organisation’s position, stating, “We are not seeking to interfere between Moholo’s family and Dr Winny Mashaba, but Aesa members disrespected the chanteuse. Aesa must respect us and leave Dr Winny Mashaba alone. I even engaged Heptor Mailula and asked him about the treatment we received from his members. We are both leaders; we have to respect each other irrespective of whether we come from Limpopo or Gauteng. We went there to pay our last respects to the legendary Solly Moholo, not to visit Aesa.”
He further defended Mashaba’s choice of transport, arguing, “We believe Aesa should have engaged her before the funeral instead of stopping her from paying her respects at Akasia Hall. The Aesa lady told Winnie Mashaba she was given instructions to block her.”
