A memorial service was held in Cape Town for veteran actor Chris April on Wednesday.
83-year-old April passed away last month after sustaining injuries arising from a house robbery in February at his Mau Mau home in Nyanga, on the Cape Flats.
He was allegedly robbed of his cellphone, wallet and car keys.
The memorial service at Zolani Centre not far from his home was a sombre occasion. Speakers described him as a community builder who had love for his people.
April has done several productions locally and internationally among them a popular local sitcom, Stokvela.
Fellow actor, Zuko Vanyaza, says he is still shocked at the news of the death.
“This is a shocker, this is someone of a very high calibre you know, this is a big person in the industry. It’s a shock for us the way he passed on one would never have thought you would work with someone like uBra Spokes. I remember when we were growing up, used to come to our church and do some drama activities. We were still young then and then early nineties, we started working together in some of the productions like Trouble in Constantia, Unyana Womntu, Uthando Lwethu and People’s Justice and many more.”
His family says it is finding it hard to come to terms with the loss.
Family Spokesperson, Johnson Puza says, “This black cloud is not very good for us at this moment. We are not sure whether we are coming or going but we are taking it easy as people come and comfort us at the moment.”
On the evening of the attack, he was found by neighbours lying on the floor after he failed to respond to them when they came to investigate the suspected attack.
It’s alleged that two assailants, who are currently in custody targeted him for robbery but he was able to identify one of them before the alleged attack ensued.
Bra Spokes, as he was affectionately known, is expected to be laid to rest at Maitland Cemetery on Saturday.
