He is sad to not have been able to attend the funeral of his friend and colleague, Mandla 'Mampointsha' Maphumulo who was laid to rest yesterday. Mampintsha (40) briefly suffered a stroke and died after being admitted to Durdoc Hospital in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal. The stroke affected his mobility and speech. Just days after his hospitalisation, close friend and musician Thokozani 'L'vovo Derrango' Ndlovu was also hospitalised due to a stroke that attacked him during a performance. 

MINUTES BEFORE THE STROKE

Speaking exclusively to ZiMoja, L'vovo details the moments before he was attacked by a sharp pain on his left arm and how he lost sense on his left-hand side. He was performing at Ndwendwe Music Festival on 23 December2022 and was about to go on stage when he heard that his friend Mampintsha had died. "I was about to go on stage and his death just triggered me,' L'vovo tells ZiMoja. "I performed but got the attack before my second last song. I couldn't feel my left side and I asked them If I could rest for a bit.' Lvovo says his stroke was caused by his high blood pressure. "I have high blood pressure and I have not been taking my medication the way I was supposed to,'he says. "But, I have also been not eating well and resting.' But he now knows the importance of medication and rest."I know now not to rush to have too many gig. I live better and take care of myself, especially with my condition,' L'vovo adds that he was given tablets and advised on what to include in his diet. "They gave me directions to avoid salty foods and a lot of meat. I was told which fruits to eat and what to avoid and obviously less alcohol.'

NOT ATTENDING MAMPINTSHA'S FUNERAL

 Not attending Mmapintsha's funeral hurt him. Nut he will visit his grave when he is strong enough to move around. L'vovo was with Mampintsha a night before he died. "I went to go see him in the hospital on Thursday night. He was not okay, we believed that he would recover. L'vovo was discharged on the afternoon of Mapintsha's funeral. "I speak to Danger everyday. So, I spoke to him during the funeral. Mampintsha knows that I would have loved to be at his funeral. But due to my condition, I watched it from the hospital. But I will visit his grave after I have fully recovered,' he says. "When I went to perform on Friday, afte rbeing with him on Thursday made me feel weak.'

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HAPPY TO HAVE SURVIVED 2022

 L'vovo is happy to have made it to the final day of the year. "I made it to the 365 days and I am just grateful. The year 2022 has not been good for me. I was just recovering from a car accident not so long ago and now this. But I know next year will be a good one for me and everyone,' he says.' I just want to recover, and take care of myself so that I can get backo n stage. People want music.'