Loved ones grieve 'DJ with a big heart'

Published Jun 20, 2014

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EDDIE Zondi had three families. His family and friends, who shared his personal life, his colleagues who witnessed his professionalism and his fans whose homes were filled with his soothing and comforting voice every Sunday.

When the legendary Metro FM DJ died on June 16, a void was left in the Sundays of his 1.8 million listeners who loved his choice of R&B music and his love advice or reassurance.

“I’ve been listening to him for more than 10 years,” said Lindile Fikizolo, one of hundreds who attended the late DJ’s memorial service at the Standard Bank Arena in Joburg on Thursday.

“Every Sunday I’d go to church and immediately I got back I’d turn on the radio to listen to him. I’ve got all of his CDs too. I’m a big fan of the man,” said Fikizolo.

“When I found out he died I went to my room and was just quiet for 10 minutes. Phela, I was playing his music when I met my wife.”

Zondi’s colleagues sombrely filled the first few rows of the service and embraced. Well-known Metro FM presenters like Robert Marawa, Unathi Msengana and Chriselda Kananda were in attendance with their colleagues.

Zondi’s best friend, colleague and business partner Wilson B Nkosi had the crowd in tears as he recounted the kind of person his friend was and recited a poem about him.

“Mr Zondi had a big heart… but the same big heart that I keep praising all the time turned on him,” said Nkosi, also known for his selection of R&B music.

“Mr Z, please leave me with your strength, with your sense of hope, with your faith and please leave me with your love,” he said.

The picture each speaker painted of Zondi added aspects his listeners did not know, like his keen sense of style, punctuality, profession-alism and love for his family.

“He loved his family very much, so much so that he did not come to the last Metro Awards. He told me his house had been broken into and he wanted to make sure his family was safe,” said SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago, who was a close friend of Zondi.

The service included music by Judith Sephuma, the Jaziel Brothers and Zondi’s three children singing a medley which included Jessi J’s Pricetag.

The funeral is on Sunday. The service begins at UJ’s Soweto Campus at 8am before moving to Avalon Cemetery. - The Star

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