Snl24 | Zion legend Dr Manana dies

Gospel singer Thulani Manana, who died on Sunday.

CONDOLENCES and tributes are pouring in after the shocking death of Zion music singer Dr Thulani Manana.

The singer, dubbed the King of Isikhalanga, died on Sunday, 7 July after a long illness. Zion church members and his fans used social media to send messages of condolence.

In 2020, Manana, who is originally from eSwatini but spent most of his time in Mzansi, revealed to Daily Sun that he was seriously ill and had been in and out of hospitals in 2019.

He disclosed that doctors diagnosed him with piles and high blood pressure. At the time, he received messages from fans who mistakenly thought he was dead.

The spokesman for the Manana family, Bishop Bhekinkosi Nkosi, has confirmed that the singer has passed away. He explained that Manana, who was 54, was taken to Bethesda Hospital in Mkhuze two weeks ago after he suddenly started throwing up.

“He was about to perform the Isikhalanga dance when he began to vomit. We took him to the hospital quickly, and his condition got so bad that he had to be put in the ICU. Last Sunday, we visited him, prayed, and saw him moving a bit, which made us hopeful he would recover. But sadly, it wasn’t meant to be. He passed away on Sunday,” Nkosi shared.

He also mentioned that they will hold a prayer service every afternoon in Tembisa and plan a memorial service for Thursday.

“This coming Sunday, we will bury him in his final resting place in Standerton, Mpumalanga. His family is really heartbroken. I’d like to keep some details private for now, including how many children he leaves behind,” added Nkosi.

The Apostolic and Zion YouTube channels, which were close to Manana, said they were really surprised when they heard he had died.

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“It’s with deep sadness that we learned of the passing of Dr Thulani Manana who left us today (Sunday, 7 July) due to illness. Manana wasn’t only a pillar in the Zion music industry but also a source of inspiration and joy to countless fans. His contributions have left an indelible mark on our hearts and will continue to resonate through melodies he shared with us,” Apozion said in a statement.

Other Zion churches and social media groups flocked to social media to express their sadness at Manana’s death. Manana also had a YouTube channel where he posted his Zion music.

Igalathiya Ibandla Lenkosi Church is among the Zion churches that praised him as the greatest Zion music legend.

The singer had released more than 10 albums since he started recording music in 2000.

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