The family of former Yo-TV presenter and actor Akhumzi Jezile says they are still devastated and in shock following his sudden death on Saturday.
Family members say Akhumzi was travelling when a trailer carrying a vehicle got disjointed from the car it was pulling, veering off the road, and ultimately hitting an oncoming vehicle.
Jezile and four of his friends, including actor Thobani Mseleni and singer Siyasanga Kobese, died in a head-on collision on the N6 between Komani and Jamestown in the Eastern Cape in the early hours of Saturday morning.
He was on his way to his home village of Esinqumeni outside Ngcobo to bury his 82-year-old grandmother Nowelile Jezile, who was buried on Sunday.
Family member Xolile Jezile says he was a very responsible young man who recently bought his mother a car and built her a house in the village.
“When Akhumzi was still young he was so creative, he was so dedicated. If you say Akhumzi do this, Akhumzi didn’t hesitate. Akhumzi was a very humble person. I can say in terms of building the family, Akhumzi played a very big role in making the family to be united.”
His grieving family says he was responsible from a young age.
Lizani Jezile says the family is facing a great deal of pain. “I was sad to receive the news. It is hard to accept he is gone”.
“He called me when he was passing Bloemfontein to say – uncle I’m on my way I said good boy drive safe. When we heard the news it was something that really shocked us. The pain that is in that house is just unbearable. Everyone is in pain. So you can imagine the mother is sitting there burying the mother, at the same time now the son is no more. So it’s a very painful situation for me as an uncle, the family as a whole,” Lizani explained.
The family says they will meet to discuss funeral arrangements. Police are investigating a case of culpable homicide.
“We can confirm five people who was travelling in a car were killed in a head on collision, we are investigating a case of culpable homicide,” says police spokesperson, Namhla Mdleleni.
