She ends the year on a sad note. Afro-pop singer Lerato "Lira" Molapo shared the news of the passing of her mother, Buyi Radebe on social media this week.

BEATING CANCER

Although she did not reveal the cause of her death, Lira previously shared her mother's journey and triumph over cancer. "Eight months after I had a stroke, my mom was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer. She told her story for the first time on 9 August 2023 at a women's day event. This is a woman who is a health fanatic, spends hours at the gym, takes care of herself, and eats well. The cancer was a shock to us. The cancer took away her livelihood. She spent three months in the hospital; she was so sick," Lira said. Lira has asked for time to process the news.

HEALING

The news comes at the height of Lira's recovery from a stroke and just months after getting back on stage. Lira survived a stroke in 2022. The Naphakade singer was in Germany for a performance when the incident happened, and it affected her speech and movement. Last year, Lira revealed it will take time for her to heal and recover from the stroke; however, she is patient. "I am feeling positive. I have been practicing, and I am ready," Lira said. "I speak slower and need to learn to stay calm as stress affects my ability to communicate. I'm still recovering, and I will get better with time, and I'm so grateful for that. I have to accept that the old Lira is gone," she added.