Beloved South African Radio Broadcaster Xolani Gwala Has Passed Away

After a long battle with cancer, South Africans bid farewell to the Radio 702 broadcaster.

Beloved South African Radio Broadcaster Xolani Gwala Has Passed Away

Radio 702 broadcaster Xolani Gwala, passed away in the early hours of this morning. After a long battle with cancer, he hangs up his earphones at the age of 44. He leaves behind his wife, Peggy Sue Khumalo and their two children.


South Africans woke up to the tragic news of Gwala's passing and social media has since been flooded with messages of condolence and heartfelt tributes to the veteran radio giant. Back in September of 2017, Gwala was diagnosed with stage-four colon cancer and soon began the journey to tackle it aggressively with treatement. He returned to radio in August of the following year after he had successively gone into remission. In an interview with the SABC, he spoke candidly about his journey and said that, "It's been a crazy year but as I have said before‚ it's going to take me a really long time to understand it. It has been hell, perhaps that's the easiest thing to say."

Fellow radio personalities including Eusebius McKaizer and DJ Fresh as well as several other South Africans have taken to social media to bid Gwala farewell. Here are some of their messages:







Military official wearing green beret and camouflage uniform signs documents at desk while four officials stand behind, with Malian flag and African artwork in background.
News

As Mali Purge Streets Of French Names, Locals Wonder If It’s A Priority

The Malian military administration has renamed about 25 locations, including public institutions in a bid to shed itself of its French colonial history. However, some locals think this may render history incomplete.

Thandiwe Newton in a grey sleeveless dress, wearing red lipstick and crystal earrings, poses against a pink background
Arts + Culture

What's in A Name: How African Names Get Lost in Translation

From NBA stars to Grammy nominees, prominent Africans have often had their names misspelled or mispronounced. While some have pushed back and reclaimed it, others embrace it.