The late award-winning gospel musician, Sfiso Ncwane‘s mother, Fikile Ncwane wants to do a traditional cleansing ceremony known as Ukumkhuphula to ‘bring home’ the spirit of the gospel musician. The ceremony of Ukumkhuphula, is practiced mostly by Nguni families who want the spirit of the deceased to be brought back home months or years after the burial. This is normally done after the mourning period has ended.

 

 

 

Sfiso, a popular gospel singer and composer, died on 5 December 2016, aged 37. His wife Ayanda Ncwane, who managed Sfiso’s music career, held an unveiling ceremony for her late hubby a fortnight ago and she snubbed Sfiso’s mother and his older child when he unveiled the decorated tombstone of her late husband.

Speaking to Zimoja, Sifiso’s mother confirmed that ,as a family, they are planning a traditional ceremony of Ukukhuphula for her late son. She said it broke her heart when she learned that Ayanda did not include ifiso’s family when she unveiled his tombstone.

Ayanda, who has been frequenting Nigeria lately for church engagements, did not invite Sfiso’s other children and his friends. Sfiso’s mom said she would like her grandchildren to attend the ceremony even though her estranged makoti, Ayanda, has been ignoring her requests to see her grandchildren.”I don’t know what I did to her but I want her to know that I love her because she is the mother of my grandchildren,” she said, with a broken heart. She also pleaded with Ayanda to grant her access to see her grandchildren, saying she won’t be around forever.

She also pleaded with her makoti to forgive her for whatever wrong she did to her. “I am old ngane yami (my child). I don’t know what I did to her. I am sorry, but God won’t keep me around forever. I would like to see my grandkids because seeing them on social media and TV is not enough,” she added. “As a woman of God, I hope she finds it in her heart to forgive me for whatever I did to her,” she added. She said the last time she saw Ayanda was in December 2016 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium during Sfiso’s funeral.

I was sitting next to her, then after that, it was time to go to the graveyard. She never greeted me even when I tried to comfort her at the funeral. She just gave me a cold shoulder,” she said. Sfiso’s mother plans to hold the ceremony of Ukumkhuphula at her home in Mthwalume on the South Coast of Durban in the coming months. Attempts to get a comment from Ayanda proved fruitless as she did not answer our calls or WhatsApp messages.