Cape Town - Condolences continue to pour in following the death of renowned musician, broadcaster, and actor “Mama Kaap” Sylvia Mdunyelwa from Langa township.
She died on Friday after being admitted to hospital and diagnosed with dementia.
According to her first-born son, Banzi Tema, they noticed in December last year that Mdunyelwa was starting to forget things, which was unusual for her. In March, her condition worsened and she was taken to a specialist, who diagnosed her with dementia.
In the months following her diagnosis, her condition deteriorated, and she was admitted to hospital, where she passed away.
“My mother was the last one left of her siblings. She was the glue that kept us all together, as her children, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. She was a very peaceful woman, and when she walked into a room, she brought her bubbly personality with her.
“As a musician myself, I will miss her mentorship and how much of a disciplinarian she was. She managed to instil values in us, not in a harsh way, but in a diplomatic way that enabled one-on-one sessions between her and us as her children.”
On Facebook, her fans and people who had seen her perform shared their fond memories of her. Khadija Tracey Carmelita Heeger said, “I walked into clubs for years and listened to you sing accompanied by Schilder, Jansen, Coetzee, Mankunku, Spencer, and so many other musicians and bands. You always had the warmest energy, the best smiles, and that voice. We will miss you, Mama Queen.”
Mdunyelwa made a name for herself in the 1970s as a jazz singer, and got international acclaim in the 1990s.
She also acted on South African television, had a weekly radio show in Cape Town, owned a TV and film production company, and set up a jazz school in Langa.