Muso complained of stomach cramps

The late music legend Jabu Khanyile’s son, Nkanyiso Jabu Jnr, died after complaining of stomach cramps for four months.

This was revealed to Sunday World by Trudy Mackay Sekokotla, the band manager of the music group, Muzart, which Khanyile had formed.

Mackay Sekokotla said Khanyile fell ill in January after complaining to his mother that he had severe stomach cramps. “His mother did say that Nkanyiso was ill for a long time and that he complained of stomach cramps throughout February, March until he died in hospital,” she said.

“She did not disclose what he had suffered from.”

Khanyile died in hospital last week Friday.

The funeral, which took place on Thursday at the musician’s home in Naturena, saw a mix of 50 friends and family bid farewell to a “great believer” and “lover of music”.

The ceremony was organised by his mother singer and actress Khululiwe Sithole, and his close friends and family were given the opportunity to pay their final respects as per the new Covid-19 lockdown regulations.

Muzart would not have been what it is today without Nkanyiso

In 2015, the 32-year-old and fellow band member, guitarist Sol Stringer Mosetle, broke away from Muzart to form a new group called Smiley Freaks.

Muzart band member and Metro FM radio presenter Rorisang Thandekiso said in a video tribute that she was struggling to speak about Nkanyiso in the past tense.

“I am grateful to God to have lived with Nkanyiso. I am grateful for the opportunity to have walked this musical journey at critical times of my life with him. We were siblings and did everything together. Muzart would not have been what it is today without Nkanyiso. For us to be known by certain people and get the recognition was because of his hard work,” she said.

“He loved people. He was the link between Muzart and its people. If it were not for him, the people would have never heard what we had,” Tazzy Lehutso, who was also part of Muzart, said.

Khanyile was laid to rest at the Westpark Cemetery.