The memorial service of radio and TV star, the late Bob Mabena, was today attended by prominent people including Gauteng education MEC Panuyaza Lesufi, Ringo Madlingozi and Judith Sephuma.
Media personality, Ms Nothemba Madumo, said she recalls her last conversation with the late Bob Mabena.
“The last WhatsApp conversation was on 24 July. I am happy because it was a happy conversation. His last words were: “I just mute my mic.” Indeed, he muted his mic, she adds. “It’s been hard. It’s been tough. It’s been painful.”
She thanked Ms Mabena and the children for loving The Jammer until his last days.
Former colleague and friend, Ms Melanie Bala, highlighted how Mabena deliberately showed affection as a friend.
On Studio Mix which she hosted with The Jammer, she says, she was stalked by an individual who would come every Friday at the SABC. This would unsettle her but Mabena took it upon himself to allay her fears.
“Bob made it his responsibility to make sure that I got home safely,” she says adding that he would check on her.
“Love is just a verb, Bob would show you that he cares,” she said.
Bob Mabena’s daughter, Clementine, said, “I asked him for 60 years but he gave me 51. I want to be greedy and say that I wished I had more time, but he gave me the best of himself, as he did with all of my siblings. He was the most effortlessly cool and loving man,” she said, before calling her siblings to join her at the podium for introductions.
A longtime friend of Mr Mabena, Winston Maimane, said while some take criticism to heart, the Jammer used it to his advantage.
“While Mabena was a well-known figure, he lived a very quiet and private life and to his last day, Mabena got nervous each time he went on air,” he said.
Mr Maimane also narrated the harrowing moments in the hospital leading to Jammer’s tragic and untimely passing.
MSG Afrika founder and chairman Given Mkhari thanked everyone for celebrating Bob Mabena and asked everyone to continue to celebrate him because he is worth it.
“This king is worth it. Thank you to each and every one of you South Africans for giving love because he is love. Directing a comment to Ms Mabena, he said, “Bob is a consistent man. He gave you the drive, and that drive was with people he was most obsessed with,” Mkhari said.
