Friends with a local DJ hours before he was killed in an accident on Friday 6 September say he was under a dark emotional cloud in the moments leading up to his death.
Friends with a local DJ hours before he was killed in an accident on Friday 6 September say he was under a dark emotional cloud in the moments leading up to his death.
Paramedics struggled to remove the body of well-known DJ Lungisa "Mayuyu" Tala from his Golf GTi. He was the only person killed in the accident involving three vehicles late last Friday night.
Eyewitnesses say his car ploughed into a silver Toyota Corolla before hitting a mini bus taxi near the intersection of Beaufort Street and Dr Jacob Zuma Drive just after 11pm.
Residents in the area said Tala's car sped into Dr Jacob Zuma Drive at what seemed to be over 200 kilometres per hour.
"The car passed the police station at a very high speed, probably 240, and in a matter of seconds we heard a loud bang near the robots," a person at the scene said. "We knew it had caused an accident."
Grahamstown police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said two people were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Tala's death has left many in shock and despair. Family members were distraught before his memorial service yesterday. Speaking to Grocott's Mail his sister, Nyameka Mafana, said they were trying to come to terms with his death. "It has been a very painful situation. We are still sad and very emotional right now," she said.
A close friend of the DJ, Xolani Mbeleni who was with him hours before he died, wrote an emotional tribute to his friend.
"I will forever remember his loud laughter – but what I will remember most is that he died a very hurting soul. Hours before his death as he was sharing his pain and frustrations, DJ Yubs cried," Mbeleni wrote.
Mbeleni's sentiments were echoed by fellow DJ and close friend Ivy Madyo who was also with Tala last Friday night. Madyo described Tala as a soft and sensitive person who put their friendship before his own feelings. Madyo said he didn't realise how deeply his friend was hurting until the day he died.
Recalling the last words his friend said to him, Madyo said, "He said Ivy, 'only I can feel the pain that is eating me up inside, no one else.'"
Madyo said Tala was not the man he used to be in the moments leading up to his death. "He was very unhappy. He was not in a good mental and emotional state when he died," he said.
Tribute to Tribute to Lungisa 'Mayuyu' Tala by X Mbeleni
Seven days ago, on the eve of the commemoration of the passing of DJ Miles, our country and people of Makana lost one of our most beloved DJs.
Lungisa “Mayuyu” Tala passed away in a horrific motor accident that took place on Dr Jacob Zuma Drive (Raglan Road).
Since then the Tala family and we with them have carried a heavy burden of grief on our hearts. Our souls have refused to be stilled.
Our spirits have sunk under the unbearable weight of an unexpected and numbing shock. Silent tears of despair have watered our cheeks.
Seven days have passed since his death, but nothing has happened to dull the pain.
A quintessential DJ and a gentleman is no more. A reveller of note, a musical surgeon and theatric is no more in our midst.
A mixer of the soul food has left us longing for more of his mixing art; a nationally renowned DJ has eternally disappeared from the crowds and scores of people he entertained.
DJs are by their nature quasi-psychologists, they treat our psychological scars, erase our blemishes, give us hope and a positive message about today and tomorrow. Hence the song by DJ Twitt, “after today everything will be fine”.
DJ Yubs vitalised and injected us with passion that is needed in our official and formal world. We passionately called him “Yuyu, Yubs, or Mayuyu” – very handsome, ever smiling and a beacon of neatness among his peers.
For all these years I have known him it is ironic that I only knew his real name, Lungisa, a few minutes before death descended on him like a vulture.
But we had a very profound relationship, with me respecting him as a Godfather of Deep House Tunes and a master of jive, and him calling me Ndode Nkulu or Mkhuluwa. Full of respect and a peaceful soul.
I will forever remember his loud laughter – but what I will remember most is that he died a very hurting soul, hours before his death as he was sharing his pain and frustrations. DJ Yubs cried.
As the English poet John Dunne wrote in memory of a beloved friend that died:
“Death be not proud, thy hand gave not this blow….
The executioner of wrath thou art,
But to destroy the just is not thy part
Death hath no sting”.
I am haunted by the words of the poet S. Mqhayi
“Namhlanj`ilizwe liyazuza
Namhlanje lomhlaba uyalunywa
Intwe sesiswini maze niyilumkele”.
Lungisa Tala, “DJ Yubs”, ulale ngoxolo Ndode`Nkulu! Abantu abakhe babonana bazophinda babonane.
