Dignified send off for respected author KTC
Author Khazamula Thomas Manganyi laid to rest
The Village Voice
Well-known Xitsonga author Khazamula Thomas Manganyi was on Saturday laid to rest at his home area of Mavambe in the Collins Local Municipality in the Vhembe district of Limpopo.
The burial was preceded by the funeral service held in Giyani in which speaker after speaker praised the late author for his gift as a writer.
Speakers at the event included the CEO of the Pfukani Vatsonga Machangana entity, Khathu Sadiki from the Limpopo Department of Arts and Culture, and Mashudu Malivhoho who represented authors in the drama genre.
High ranking leaders of his church the Zion Christian Church that included the retired Brigadier
Moatshe Ngoepe were also in attendance to take part in the send-off of one of their own. Veteran
author and the late Manganyi’s former colleague at the SABC Dr Freddie Rikhotso were also in
attendance.
Speaker after speaker said a good word about the late writer.
Speaking on behalf of friends, Dr Anna Mathye said: “My friend had a sense of humour. He was also generous and he would give us friends complimentary copies of his books after release.”
Dr Mathye also said she remembered him as a family man and was very close to his widow Eunice
Manganyi.
“He was a good neighbour and we behaved like a family, his family and the Nkatingi family next
door,” said Mrs M Maswanganyi, the wife of M’tititi High school founder JP Maswanganyi and later
an inspector in Giyani.
His widow Mrs Eunice Manganyi also poured her out in a recorded message played at the service
expressing the gratitude of their closeness during their 41 year old marriage and she broke down
when she related to his departure.
The funeral service was handled by Pyramid Funerals that provided an expensive fleet of cars
befitting the stature of the man being given a send-off.
The late Manganyi was the son of Gija Manganyi and his wife Nwa-Hasani.
After doing his primary schooling at Mavambe, he went to Shingwedzi Secondary school where he
passed his Junior Certificate (now Grade 10) examinations.
But as someone with thirst for knowledge, he later furthered his education through the University of
the North, now University of Limpopo and attained his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1991.
He switched jobs from the Gazankulu homeland’s department of agriculture and forestry, the
department of arts and culture in Limpopo and the Limpopo Legislature.
He retired from the government’s employ in 2013.
As a writer, KTC, as Manganyi was called, was highly regarded in the writing fraternity.
He won several awards.
One of his admirers is former Munghana Lonene colleague and fellow author, Dr Freddie Rikhotso.
Dr Rikhotso said Manganyi’s books such as Hi Lembe ra Magidimbirhi, Mapapila ya Varhandzani and
Anganyelani are popular.
He used to credit his writing to two legendary Xitsonga authors who had inspired him, the late BK
Mthombeni of Mibya Ya Nyekanyeka fame and FA Thuketani known for his blockbuster novel
Xisomisana.
While at school, he was an all-conquering athlete. He was also an avid boxing fan as well as choral
music fundi.
He is survived by his wife Eunice, children Khanyisa, Amu and Makungu as well as five grand
children, namely, Ntlakuso, Pfumelani,Mfanelo, Ntlharhi, and Nhleko.
