It’s been almost a year since the country lost one of the most loved and talented people in the industry, Akhumzi Jezile. The former YoTV presenter, actor and producer would’ve turned 30 today. In an interview with ZAlebs, his close friend, actor and producer Nolwazi Shange-Ngubeni opens up about her late friend. 

We know the late Akhumzi from back then when he became a household name when he emerged as a fun, energetic presenter on YoTV. Over the years, the child star continued to blossom in his career and he became an award-winning actor and producer. 

His close friends know a different side to him, a side the public never got to see. “Akhumzi was one of the kindest people I’ve ever encountered in my life,” says Nolwazi. 

“He loved his family, he loved his mom dearly and he loved God. He would go out of his way to make everyone feel special, you would speak to him and you’d think we were close friends. I can’t even remember when we became friends because he was one of those people you meet today and are friends with tomorrow,” continues the actress.

“What I miss most about him is his laugh. And the unfortunate thing is that he passed away before I gave birth to my son, I’m sad that he didn’t get to meet him.” 

Though Akhumzi was a couple of years younger than Nolwazi, she says he taught her a lot. “Although he was younger than me, I looked up to him, his ability to do all of this work and still be able to put in so much effort in his personal relationships was inspiring. I admired how he balanced his life.”

Akhumzi was loved by the whole of Mzansi, but unfortunately Nolwazi says they (as the friends and family) didn’t get time to grieve with the country. “I don’t think we grieved with the country, a lot of responsibility was put on us, even carrying other people’s grieve,” she
“What was really beautiful was strangers sending their condolences, that has been comforting. It also speaks to Akhumzi’s character. People coming up to you and saying that even though they didn’t know Akhumzi personally they felt the loss, and that spoke a lot about him.” 

Nolwazi says Akhumzi’s death took a while to sink in. “After Akhumzi’s death, a lot of decisions and arrangements had to made, a lot of responsibilities fell upon us, so we only started grieving once it had all passed. After a month of his passing, we went to visit the cemetery and I think it was the first time we got to mourn him,” says Nolwazi.

“In my mind, I know Akhumzi is gone and that I’ll never see him again, but I don’t think my heart understands,” confesses the actress. 

Akhumzi had a lot of friends and Nolwazi says he played a big role in making everyone friends. “I’m not sure whether this is coincidence or not but Akhumzi passed away on the 28th of April and back in 2015, April 29th, he created a WhatsApp group with a lot of his friends whereby we didn’t even know each other, without our permission. So, in the group we all had a moment where we wondered how much the spirit feels when the end is near, as this played a big role in his final send off.” 

Today would have been the late entertainer’s 30th birthday. “Akhumzi would have been partying this whole weekend for his 30th (laughs). He would’ve made all of his friends party with him. Akhumzi is such a family oriented person, including the friends he had made family that he would have probably been with them.

Last year he kept hinting to one of his friends that he wanted a party of which was weird cause his 30th is only this year, people don’t usually want a party for their 29th. But we obliged, we planned a surprise birthday party at his house and that was the last one, so it feels like we have already celebrated his 30th the way he would have wanted to.” 

For his birthday, Nolwazi reflects on the kind of person Akhumzi was and the lengths he went for her. “Akhumzi showed me that I mattered to him, that he cared about me and loved me. I believe that a lot of the people close to him are still carrying a level of pain, and I just hope that where they are they are fine and I hope they find healing. Especially his friends,” weeps Nolwazi. 

“I feel like the loss of a friend might be more difficult to heal from than with family because as a friend in your grieving, in your crying, you’re thinking about how his mom and his family must be feeling. I just pray that one day his mom finds peace, I don’t know how it feels to lose a child but I can imagine it to be the most unbearable pain one could go through.”

One of Akhumzi’s closest friends, Dr Musa Mthombeni, took to Instagram to share a message to his late friend. Instagram/@drmusamthombeni
“15/01/89 Today would’ve been your birthday. A whole 30-year-old. A whole father. A man who should be starting a family. You are missed dearly my dear friend. Love you always,” he wrote. 

Happy 30th birthday, Akhumzi!

Main image credit: Instagram/@akhumzi

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