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Showbiz Correspondent
THOUSANDS of mourners gathered in Soweto, Johannesburg yesterday to bury Dalom Music supremo Dan Tshanda with speaker after speaker describing him as a legend in music who would forever live in their hearts.

Tshanda died at the age of 54 on January 5 after suffering heart failure and was buried at West Park Cemetery in Soweto.

South Africans, Zimbabweans and Batswana filled the Palm Bible Church in Soweto as they for the last time said goodbye to the Splash legend.

Sithembelenkosini Maphosa, a family friend who worked with Tshanda, said all went well during the burial.

“We’ve buried a man who was loved by many in Southern Africa. It’s a pity that Zimbabweans couldn’t come and be represented as they had earlier stated. The guys from Botswana arrived and were among the multitudes that buried Bra Dan. There were so many people who came to the burial showing how much he was loved,” said Maphosa.

He said there was an after tears party that was held in South Africa.

Unfortunately, some Zimbabweans who had planned to travel to attend the burial failed to do so because of the violent skirmishes that rocked Bulawayo and Harare on Monday and Tuesday. This resulted in bus companies and public transporters who ply the Bulawayo-Johannesburg route withdrawing their services during the period.

One of those in Zimbabwe who could not travel to South Africa for the burial, Ezra “Tshisa” Sibanda, described Tshanda as a man who left a rich legacy.

“Although I’m disappointed that I couldn’t travel to bury him, what I can take solace in is that Bra Dan has left a legacy. His legacy is in his music that we can share with our children and great grandchildren,” said Tshisa.

He said plans were afoot to travel to South Africa to pay condolences to Tshanda’s family.

“I was very close to Bra Dan. Since the violence has subsided and things are getting back to normal, I’ll travel to South Africa to pay my condolences to his wife and children. Maybe I will travel with fellow Zimbabweans,” said Tshisa.