London-based South African artist Toya Delazy, real name (Latoya Nontokozo Buthelezi), and her family are mourning the death of her grandfather - Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) founder died at the age of 95. Buthelezi's death was confirmed in a statement released by his family.
Delazy, is among the Buthelezi grandchildren, who had a strong relationship with Buthelezi and his late wife Princess Irene.
The ‘Love Is In The Air’ hitmaker in a previous interview with City Press, expressed that her grandfather was “woke” amid criticism she received for wearing ibheshu (traditional Zulu attire commonly worn by men) at a ceremony celebrating her grandfather’s 90th birthday.
“My grandfather gives me hope that it is possible for tribalism to end. He is a 90-year-old man who is woke, understanding, who is not judgemental and accepted me for who I am.
“If a Zulu man, the Prime Minister of the Zulu nation, someone who is tribal to that extent, can grow and understand the world now, it is possible,” she told the publication.
Princess Irene, died in 2019 after “a long and difficult illness”, the award-winning musician openly shared how the death was hard on her.
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“I wrote Qhawe last year after devastatingly losing my grandma. Struggling with the loss of someone so special, I found myself in a dark place and at war with my own mind,” she said.
Delazy is yet to publicly share her sentiments regarding her grandfather’s passing and is not taking interviews at the moment.
Her most recent social media posts feature a picture of herself with musician Seun Anikulapo Kuti, where she celebrated their heritage of coming from great African descendants.
IOL