HOW ESWATINI COP SALUTED BOB MABENA

mfanukhona@times.co.sz

MBABANE – How old were you when Bob Mabena became a hit in Eswatini in the early 1990s?

Mabena, who was privately cremated yesterday, married Zandile Nzalo, a journalist and news reader at Eswatini TV.

The wedding took place at Simunye Community Church. There is one element of that unforgettable marriage, which caused a public outcry, mainly among journalists.

When he alighted from his car and made his entry to the hall, a police officer saluted him. EmaSwati did not understand why the police officer saluted a journalist. The act by the officer attracted a strong barrage of criticism directed at the entire Royal Eswatini Police Service. Journalists and columnists urged the then Commissioner of Police Edgar Hillary to make sure police officers saluted Eswatini journalists as well.

They claimed they did not know that members of the Fourth Estate also deserved the police honours and decorum accorded to the prime minister and ministers.  

invited guests

Only invited guests were allowed to enter the hall. Those who were not invited to the wedding did not enjoy the sumptuous lunch served to wedding guests.

They peeped through the window, and many had come to see Mabena, who was so famous and adored even in Eswatini. At that time, he worked for Radio Bop.

Mabena then recorded a popular track with Kaizer Chiefs legend Theophilus Doctor Khumalo titled “Get Funky.” It was a hit at the Eswatini Broadcasting and Information Services (EBIS).

He and Khumalo had an audience with His Majesty the King at Lozitha Palace. They took pictures with the King. 

Mabena divorced Nzalo in 2009. They were married for 20 years.

Nzalo is now a prominent businesswoman in South Africa. 

tribute

On another note, EWN reported that there was not a dry eye in sight when Mabena’s wife, Eucharist, sobbed as she paid tribute to the love of her life at a funeral service at a crematorium in West Pretoria yesterday. Close friends and family gathered at the crematorium to bid farewell to the radio legend who died on Monday after suffering a cardiac arrest at the age of 51.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the ceremony was just over an hour long and was attended by only 50 of his loved ones and friends.

As a live band played soothing music in the background, Mabena’s family and friends bid their last goodbyes to the father, husband and radio legend.

 “My baby love, my super man, love of my life — words aren’t even coming to me. The past few days have felt like a long bad dream that keeps playing itself over and over. I’ve lain awake every night this week, hoping that you’ll walk through the door,” she said breaking off to cry.

heartbreaking letter

There was not a dry eye in the room as people wiped away their tears whenever Mrs Mabena took moments to pull herself together in between reading the heartbreaking letter.

“The one who used to make me laugh uncontrollably hasn’t been here. My pillar, my best friend is no more. I keep asking God, why now?”

Eucharist thanked her late husband for his love and for keeping all the promises he made to her. She thanked God for their marriage and the past seven years they shared.

vivid nightmare

“The 10th of August is still a vivid nightmare. The day I watched my superman put down his cap. The day I never thought I would ever experience in my life. The day our cruise was interrupted by the angel of death. The day I drove home knowing that I will never see you again.

“My love, I want to thank you and God, for affording me the gift of time when you gave me the last hour of your life,” she said.

Clementine, one of Mabena’s children, who was visibly heartbroken, expressed how much their father meant to each of them and the gaping hole his death had left in their hearts.

“I thought that the day my father’s heart stopped beating, mine would do the same. I thought the sun would be blocked out and the world would stop spinning. And, I don’t know if this is denial or he’s holding me up but here I am,” she said before reading the letters from her siblings.

She read letters from Sihle, Taki, Owami, and his first grandchild, Tshiamo.

illustrious career

Mabena’s son, Kamo, read the obituary. He read all about Bob’s illustrious career that spanned over three decades in broadcasting and in the corporate world as well. 

He also revealed that his father was working on a biography that would have captured the life and times of ‘The Jammer’ as Mabena was affectionately known. 

He is survived by his wife and his 10 children.

His uncle, fondly referred to as Uncle Pat, who raised Bob as his son when his parents died, spoke about how the radio legend loved music even as a child. 

“Myself and my brother Ronny raised Bob. He loved music from the very beginning. He would always chase after the music, which was a problem in the beginning because my mother worried that he would never fully live his potential because he didn’t seem interested in schoolwork.”

The deceased’s uncle said the family always came together to ensure that he lived up to his potential. He also thanked God for his life and the part he played in it.

great DJ

“Bob is the man he was today because we made sure to speak to him and tell him to do things the right way. Bob listened to us and he grew up to be an honourable man with his own family and a great DJ. He took care of us and made us proud,” he said.

One of Bob’s ‘brothers’ and long-time friend George Manyosi described him as “kind, humble and charismatic.’’ 

George spoke about their early days in radio and how they set the bar back in 1989. 

He spoke passionately about how Bob grew his work ethic and became the humble superstar he was.

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