Gayton McKenzie's Department Finally Pays For Winnie Khumalo's Funeral 3 Months After Burial

• Kwaito icon, Winnie Khumalo, passed away on Tuesday, 7 January 2025 at the age of 51 after a short illness
• The Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture, led by Minister Gayton McKenzie, settled Khumalo's funeral expenses nearly three months after it took place
• Netizens reacted strongly with many questioning why the government was paying for celebrity funerals, especially months after their burial

Gayton McKenzie’s ministry has finally paid for Kwaito legend Winnie Khumalo’s funeral. Winnie Khumalo sadly passed away on 7 January 2025 at the age of 51.

Winnie Khumalo's funeral payment finally released

Sunday World reports that the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture authorised the payment on 15 April 2025. This was almost three months after Winnie Khumalo’s funeral, held at the Protea South Multipurpose Hall in Soweto on 18 January.

The publication reports that the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture apologised to Khumalo’s family for the delay.

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An email signed by Collen Hlatshwayo and addressed to Khumalo’s sister, Tshepi Rakepile, also explained the reasons behind the delay.

The email said the payment couldn’t be made in the last financial year and was placed in a queue for transfer at the beginning of the new financial year in April 2025.

Gayton McKenzie claims families rejected assistance

The development comes after Gayton McKenzie told the National Assembly that the families of Khumalo and Victor “Doc Shebeleza” Bogopane had turned down support.

“The service provider contacted Doc Shebeleza’s CC records, Amaha Organisation, and reached out to Winnie Khumalo’s label, Winkay Records, during these difficult times to offer the families grief, loss, psychological, and social support. The spokespersons for the [record] labels took the details and asked for family privacy, advising that they would share the information with the families after the funerals,” McKenzie said.

The Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture’s claims sparked a storm on social media.

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Both families took to social media platforms and dismissed McKenzie’s claims. The minister also took to social media and fired back at the Khumalo and Bogopane families.

Netizens react as government settles Winnie Khumalo's expenses

After the development was shared on social media by journalist Sihle Mavuso, netizens weighed in. Some argued that the government should’ve just apologised and not honoured the payment since she was already buried. Others questioned why it took so long for the department to make the payment.

Here are some of the reactions:

@TshegoWatsona asked:

“What? She has been buried already. An apology would have been fine, and I’m not even sure why the department is paying for celebrity funerals in the first place. What’s special about them? We’re all struggling. We’re also going to demand fancy state burials for our relatives nathi.”

@LethuTheLegend queried:

“Didn't she pass away 3 months ago?”

Rethabile Khumalo fumes over missing donations

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Briefly News reported that Rethabile Khumalo, the daughter of the late Kwaito icon Winnie Khumalo, was left fuming after an estimated R20,000 in funeral donations went missing.

Amapiano artist Bongani “Mabboza waseTV” Tsime allegedly collected the donations after Winnie Khumalo passed away in January. Tsime denied receiving the donations despite WhatsApp exchanges proving otherwise.

Source: Briefly News