The body of musician Bulelwa “Zahara” Mkuthukana is due to arrive in East London today.
The spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Arts and Culture MEC Atule Joka says on arrival at the King Phalo Airport, the family and the clergy are expected to lead proceedings in prayer.
Local artists are also expected to attend. The singer is set to be buried next Saturday. She died in a Johannesburg Hospital on Monday, aged 36.
On Thursday, family shared their final moments with the singer during her memorial.
Friends, family and industry colleagues gathered at the Rhema Bible Church in Johannesburg.
Her sister, Bulelwa Mtukutwana, says the family had to watch her take her last breath after receiving a call from the hospital on Monday shortly after their afternoon visit.
Mtukutwana says the multi-award-winning star, who had been in hospital for three weeks, was intubated and in agony.
“It’s not easy to say she must rest in peace, but she was in pain at the hospital. I remember just after we left for the 15h00 visit, at 17h00 the doctor called and said we must come back. They told us to stay in the room and wait to see when Bulelwa will leave us. We called you for that. It was so painful, we were crying and prayed for four hours.”
