Doctors powerless to save acting veteran’s life
THE family of late acting veteran Washington Sixolo said his condition had been out of doctor’s hands and they could not perform a potentially life-saving operation due to his age and medical history.
The 83-year-old actor‚ who played the role of Jwara in Emzini Wezinsizwa‚ died in a Johannesburg hospital on Sunday morning.
Sixole’s son, Zolani, said the family was devastated by his father’s death.
“We are saddened by his death but we draw comfort in knowing that he is no longer in pain,” he said.
“We have had messages of support from all over the country.”
Zolani said his father had been struggling with a number of illnesses for some time, but the family became seriously concerned with his condition when he became unresponsive on Saturday.
“He was breathing but was not responsive,” Zolani said.
“It was like he had fainted. We called an ambulance and they took him to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital.
“It crossed my mind that I might lose my father at that point but‚ as a family‚ we were praying for him to recover.”
Doctors rushed to help Sixolo and suspected that he had bleeding on the brain. Test results confirmed their suspicions.
“Doctors wanted to operate to treat the bleeding, but his age and some of the medicine he was taking made it difficult for them,” Zolani said.
“They said that if they operated there was a very good chance that he would not survive the procedure.
“All they could do was make him comfortable and hope that his condition would somehow improve.”
He died a few hours later‚ surrounded by his wife and children.
“My mother is trying to be strong but you can see how heartbroken she is. They were married for 56 years‚” Zolani said.
“My father was much more than just an actor and a musician.
“He was also a loving father and caring husband.”
A memorial service for Sixolo will be held at the Uncle Tom’s Hall in Orlando‚ Soweto, tomorrow afternoon.
His funeral will be held at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Orlando West on Sunday.