Late singer Mandla "Mampintsha" Maphumulo's birthday was 27 June and his later mother Zamanguni Gumede’s on the 26 June. The two were inseparable, even until their last days on Earth. Mampintsha died on 24 December last year after a stroke while his mother Zamanguni Gumede died just over three weeks after her son's passing, also from a stroke. Mampintsha's sister Pinky Gumede remembered the two on their birthdays.

STILL MOURNING

Speaking to ZiMoja, Pinky says despite their differences, the mother and son duo "ibi nga mathe no limi (thick as thieves)" she says. "They loved each other, and proof is in how they both passed away a few weeks apart from each other," she says. "My mom was heartbroken by Mandla's death and the way she died proved it."

On their special day, Pinky shared a warm message on social media and in the privacy of her home, she lit a candle for her late mom and brother and made a short prayer for them. "I miss them so much. I miss my brother's jokes and laughter. I miss my mother's support and love. She was kind and caring and was the person you went to for wisdom."

Zamanguni Gumede

MOVING ON

Pinky says she has maintained a healthy relationship with Bongekile "Babes Wodumo" Simelane who is the wife of her late brother. "We are all just healing in our spaces, but we have made peace. She will always be my sister-in-law. I am just working on healing and moving on from the two deaths. They came at a time when I didn't expect them at all," she concluded.