Pretoria - “Chief you are the future”, these are words the late Sibusiso Khwinana left for many young people in the arts industry. Almost every speaker echoed the same words at the AFM Rooftop Restoration Centre during Khwinana’s memorial service in Soshanguve Block K.
Ambitious, passionate, loving, dreamer, hardworking and a hustler were a few words used to describe the late Matwetwe star.
Meanwhile, the Matwetwe director Kagiso Lediga said the late star was the best actor in the world. “I first met Sibusiso back in 2016 when I had an idea for a movie and needed a star.
"I went to the State Theatre and I think he was the second person I met and I immediately thought that he could be a star,” he said.
Lediga said Khwinana’s work ethic was beyond everyone, saying he and other Matwetwe cast members would have an idea and create magic.
Sibusiso Khwinana's co-star, Tebatso Mashishi danes alongside other Matwetwe cast members. Video: Virgilatte Gwangwa
“He was the best in the world, had he been given time, we would have seen him winning Oscars and Grammys,” he said.
The centre was filled with creative people from all spheres of life and all speakers shared the same sentiments; the 25-year-old “Sobi” as they called him has touched many lives. They said the arts industry was what it was because of the contributions he made.
Thabiso Qwabe of the State Theatre described Khwinana as a system.
He said: “Sibusiso was a system, he was never an individual but an entire system.
He wanted to see the art industry grow and through his hard work and dedication, there are a lot of art spaces he created for young people. He was humble, not a man of many words but he let his work make the noise,” he said.
Qwabe told a group of young artists clad in maroon t-shirts embroidered Puo Media that they should continue his work.
“Sibusiso taught you guys, the baton has been passed on to you, do him proud. Through you guys we will continue to see his work,” he said.
Khwinana died at the hands of criminals who robbed him off his cell-phone while waiting for a taxi in Arcadia on Friday night. He will be raised to rest this Saturday.