TOUCHING TRIBUTES TO SHONA |
LOCAL entertainment industry icon Shona Ferguson was laid to rest at the Fourways Cemetery yesterday.
The King of Joburg star died from Covid19-related complications on July 30 after spending a week in ICU at Milpark Hospital.
At his funeral, close family and friends paid tribute to the fallen legend.
His older brother, Dominique Ferguson, speaking as the family representative, shared who Shona was to the family during his speech.
“I know a lot of people, what they know of Shona is what they see on the screen. But to us, he wasn’t an actor, he was someone different,” he said.
He went on to share a bit of Shona’s life while growing up, including the nickname they gave him and how he was partially responsible for Shona being chubby when he was younger.
He talked of how, during his adolescent phase, Shona was hot-tempered but calmed down later in life, especially after he met his wife Connie.
He said Shona had always been an entrepreneur and go-getter.
Near the end of his eulogy, Dominique said: “I hurt so bad that you’re gone, bro. I hurt so much to wake up in the middle of the night, wondering if this is a dream, if you’re really gone … I know you’re safe. I know you’re with Jackson, our dad, and I know you are in heaven’s embrace.”
His daughters also shared some touching words about their father.
Alicia said: “So my father and I, we had a weird relationship. Some people would swear we hated each other, but it was far different from that. I think the main thing was because him and I are so alike.
“My dad has done a lot for me, for me as a person. He has motivated me to take bigger steps in life that I wouldn’t have taken and I’m very thankful that he has enabled me to do that.”
She promised to carry on his legacy and make Shona and their family proud.
His stepdaughter, Lesedi Matsunyane-Ferguson, opened up about the day she met Shona, when she was 8, remembering that he wore a yellow hip-hop sweater and baggy jeans. She added: “There’s a lot learned from dad in the past 20 years. I’ve learned how to imitate his laugh – it really has to come from the gut.”
Lesedi then shared how her father worked in symmetry and how the outfit he was resting in was the same one he wore when his father died.
She also shared Shona’s ability to love, and said: “My dad was a very unassuming person but the one thing you could take away from him was his ability to love loudly. And his fearlessness in doing that. It’s almost like, the louder he loved, the stronger and more powerful he became.”
She said that processing Shona’s death was still difficult and the only thing they could take away from it were the lessons he had taught them.
Ending her speech, she said: “To the original ‘King of Joburg’ Aaron Arthur ‘Shona’ Ferguson … you can rest now. Our love will forever transcend our bodies and it will always be in our spirits … we love you, dad.”
ARTISTS Prince Halethaba Moyo (left) from Maun and Timothy Bike from Shakawe in Botswana stand next to their artwork. The masterpiece is dedicated to the late Shona Ferguson who was a great inspiration to the young artists, who were big fans of the actor. They used twigs, shoes, T-shirts, trousers, wood ash, a pillow, electric kettle, speakers and soil to bring their piece to life. |