12 South African Celebrities Who Died Before 2024

01/01/2024

1 minute read

It’s a new year, and we do not forget the loved ones we lost in the previous year! From musicians and actors to sports stars, chefs, media personalities, and activists, the South African entertainment industry bid farewell to several big names in 2023.

Here’s a look at some of the celebrities who died in 2023:

AKA & Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane

AKA and Tibz

Rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and his lifelong friend and celebrity author Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane were shot dead outside a restaurant in Durban on February 10. Their murder is under investigation.

Zoleka Mandela

Author and activist Zoleka Mandela died aged 43 on September 25 surrounded by loved ones after a long battle with cancer.

Costa Titch

Rapper Costa Titch collapsed and died while performing at the Ultra Music Festival in Johannesburg on March 11. He was 28 years old.

Lebohang Mpyana

Lebohang

Actress Lebohang “Lettie” Mpyana died on November 8. A statement shared by her family on her timeline revealed she died after a short illness.

Mbongeni Ngema

Veteran playwright and musician Mbongeni Ngema succumbed to his injuries sustained in a road accident involving a truck on December 27 on the R61.

Zahara

Award-winning singer Zahara died on December 11. A report by Zimoja quoted sources saying the 36-year-old singer died of liver complications a few after being admitted to hospital.

Eusebius McKaiser

Celebrated analyst, broadcaster and author Eusebius McKaiser died on May 30 after suffering a suspected epileptic seizure, his manager Jackie Strydom told the publication.

DJ Mulo

Radio personality Cliff Nhlamulo Hlungwami, popularly known as DJ Mulo, died on December 16 after battling cancer. A statement shared on his social platforms confirmed the news.

Gloria Bosman