The late AmaXhosa King Zwelonke Sigcawu has been described as outspoken, upright and a community activist by Zwelizolile Ka Sethi.
Ka Sethi is the organiser of the Western Cape leg of memorial service that was held at the Luhlaza High School in Khayelitsha on the Cape Flats.
Hundreds of people paid tribute to the 51 year old Sigcawu – who died more than a week ago at the Mthatha Hospital in the Eastern Cape.
Sethi says the King has left a valuable legacy .
” He was a very outspoken young man. He was very upright and he always wanted to do things correctly. But above all he was involved in the community. He has done a lot of community activities. He has given shoes to those who don’t have. He has organised soccer events in his village and those are the things we need to learn and take away from him.”
King Sicgawu has also been described as being instrumental in encouraging peace among the AmaXhosa nation.
“The first thing that he has done King Zwelonke is to actually be instrumental in the formation of a joint AmaTshawe Community that is handling the amaTshawe affairs. That committee is comprised of both traditional leaders of both AmaRharhabe and AmaXhosa Kingdom and that is doing well to bring peace and unity within the two royal families, “says Inkosi Mthuthuzeli Makinana of Dirharhabe Kingdom.
Cultural Affairs MEC in the Western Cape, Anroux Marais, says the Western Cape Government is mourning the loss of the King with the royal family.
“My message to all the royal families of King Sicgawu is that we mourn the loss of a King. A king is not only a king. He is also somebody with knowledge and the cultural aspects of traditional leaders. So we mourn with the royal family for his loss and we hope that they all will be comforted by God in this difficult times.”
The monarch will receive an official funeral on Friday – where President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the eulogy.
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