Fans Comfort ‘The River’ Star Thapelo Sebogodi After His Fathers Death: “Askies Bro”

• Veteran actor Seputla Sebogodi passed away on July 15, 2026, due to diabetes complications
• Thapelo Sebogodi mourns his father just over a year after losing best friend Presley Chweneyagae
• Mzansi social media flooded with condolences and clarifications regarding Thapelo's well-being

It's been a heartbreaking stretch for actor Thapelo Sebogodi. Just over a year after losing his on-screen best friend and co-star Presley Chweneyagae, Thapelo is now mourning his father, veteran South African actor Seputla Sebogodi, who died on the evening of 15 July 2026 following complications from diabetes.

Seputla was a well-known figure in the South African entertainment industry, and his passing drew an outpouring of grief from fans and colleagues alike. His son Thapelo is best known for playing Khabzela on The River and Cobrizi, where he starred alongside Chweneyagae. The two shared a close bond both on and off screen, and Thapelo was visibly emotional at Chweneyagae's funeral in June 2025.

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The close bond was revisited after X (Twitter) user @RealTshemedi2 sparked a conversation when he posted:

"Lost Presley months back and now his father is gone. Askies bro 🙏"

The post caused some confusion among readers, with many unsure whether Thapelo himself had passed on.

See the post below:

SA sends love to Thapelo Sebogodi

The reactions came thick and fast once people pieced together what had happened. Several fans clarified the post while sending their sympathies:

Here are some of the comments:

@RealTshemedi2 later added:

"Guys, bra Seputla is Makabaza's father."

@TebogoMashilo8 wrote:

"His name is Thapelo Sebogodi akitsi why people think he passed on. He's Seputla's son."

@teffo_ME admitted:

"This post, I was scared he is gone too now"

@TheFixer000 added:

"Eeh I didn't know Kenneth Mashaba was his father"

@mrsnare_j said:

"This post has had me confused 😵‍💫 had to read and re-read until I got to understand it..sad for Makhabaza 🥹"

@Boitshepo901 offered a correction and a word of comfort:

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"It's not months, it’s a full year because Cobrizi died in May 😪😪😪😪 sterkte Makabaza"

@mappz_ep noted:

"The phrase 'his friend' somewhere in this statement could have cleared up so much confusion"

@Londanii summed up the mood simply:

"It is very sad, man; a man can only take so much"

Seputla Sebogodi's friend recalls actor's last days before passing

Meanwhile, Briefly News also reported that actor and director Mandisi Sindo shared a heartfelt tribute about Seputla Sebogodi's final days.

Sebogodi's death came weeks after viral photos sparked false rumours that he was broke and homeless.

Source: Briefly News