FAMILY and friends bid final farewell to famous taxi boss Jothan Zanemvula "King Mswazi" Msibi.
The late executive chairman of the South African taxi industry was laid to rest in a private funeral at Wild Life Estates Cemetery in Brits, North West on Sunday, 14 January.
A memorial service was held on his Dinokeng Game Reserve property, Ufafi Farm, on Friday, 12 January.
Msibi died on Sunday, 7 January at a Tshwane hospital after a short illness.
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Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport MEC Kedibone Diale Tlabela visited the family on Thursday, 11 January to offer her condolences, comfort, and prayers.
"Msibi played a significant part in the industry. He dedicated his entire life to it - he breathed, ate, spoke, and lived for it," she said.
Former SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) member Phillip Taaibosch said that Msibi considered the industry to be his life and dedicated his entire being to ensure its seamless operation.
"Whoever thinks that Jothan Msibi was a tsotsi, that he was whatever you want to call him, let me tell you, you've missed an opportunity to sit down and talk to a true businessperson.
"Msibi wouldn't allow you to undermine him when he was on the platform discussing business. You wouldn't undermine him when he spoke of a united taxi business," he said.
Furthermore, he stated that he was never afraid of war.
"Msibi was very brave, and violence was never an option for him. Before resorting to it, he would have attempted to resolve issues peacefully a million times, involving us for further intervention, if necessary," he said.
Msibi's widow, Perciah Msibi, remembered her husband as the perfection of God, stating that his name signified exactly that in Biblical terms. She said they had big plans for 2024.
"Instead of questioning why God took him away from me so quickly, I'm rather grateful for the blessing of having met him and having spent the last days of his life with him," she said.
She said the love she experienced from him was incredible.
"I'm grateful that he loved and protected me. I never expected to be loved as much as I was by him. Rest in peace Daddy, my love. That's what I used to call him," she said.
