The family of renowned anti-apartheid activist and jazz legend the Rev Patrick Pasha have announced that a series of memorial services will be held to honour him.
After a lifetime of devotion to Christ, uplifting the youth and spreading joy through his music, the 91-year-old KwaDwesi resident died about two weeks ago.
And to ensure a dignified send-off for the father of five, two memorial services were arranged for Pasha, the first on Tuesday when the ANC Veterans held a service at the Henry Fazzie Community Centre in KwaDwesi.
The second memorial service will be held at the Mendi Art Centre in New Brighton on Thursday from 4.30pm to 7pm, with his funeral to be held at the Assemblies of God Church on the corner of Pendla Street and Avenue A in New Brighton at 9am.
Mannita Pasha, 36, one of Pasha’s 15 grandchildren, said his health had taken a turn for the worst in September and he was now with his wife Beauty Pasha, 75, who died in October 2010.
“On September 13, I went to go do my ID. He had just returned from doing groceries,” Mannita said.
“The younger great-grandchildren said he ate food, then behaved as though he was having a mental breakdown and felt hot.
“When I arrived they were crying and panicking.
“We quickly took him to the doctor, who said it looked as though he was suffering from dementia.”
She said that about a week later he had suffered a stroke and they had rushed him to the hospital, only to receive more devastating news.
“The doctors at the hospital said there was nothing they could do.
“We tried to tend to him ourselves when we returned home.”
Thereafter, he suffered another stroke and his health continued to deteriorate until he died on November 13.
She said financial constraints had forced them to delay the funeral and memorial services.
“As a family we did not have money that we could collect. We relied on people.
“A number of applications were sent out asking for aid and that was what caused us to be delayed.
“We were devastated as his family. We wished that we could have jobs so that we could collect money for his sending off.”
She said it had been like a dream seeing him performing in festivals or concerts.
“My grandfather loved children, he had ubuntu, he loved helping people, sharing from what little he had from his grant to drop off some groceries at a neighbour’s home.
“He would play his saxophone any time he felt he wanted to play it.
“He could play it at 11pm if his spirit wanted to. The neighbours would say he helped them sleep and we would doze of to his calming melodies.”
HeraldLIVE
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