Lebo M Pays Emotional Tribute to Son Thembalethu 24 Years After His Tragic Death: “My Dear Beloved”
- Lebo M posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram marking 24 years since the death of his young son Thembalethu
- The Lion King composer lost Thembalethu at just 14 months old after the toddler drowned in a swimming pool at the family's Dainfern home
- The post reignited attention on one of South Africa's most heartbreaking celebrity tragedies, involving Lebo M and ex-wife Nandi Ndlovu-Goodjohn
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Source: Getty Images
Award-winning Lion King composer Lebo M has paid a deeply emotional tribute to his late son Thembalethu on the 24th anniversary of the toddler's passing. The post, shared on his verified Instagram account from Marina del Rey, California, on Saturday, 15 August 2026, moved many who follow the prolific musician.
"24 years ago today I held you in my arms for the last time as you took your final journey to your forever. Your smile will forever be in our hearts, my dear beloved Angel and son RIP 'Lil 2' Dad 🪷🌸❤️🥹," Lebo M wrote, alongside a photograph of Thembalethu's gravestone, which bears the name LETHU and the inscription: "YOU BROUGHT US PEACE, LOVE, SERENITY AND CALM FOREVER LOVE..."
See the post below:
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Details surrounding Lebo M's son's death
Thembalethu was only 14 months old in 2002 when he drowned in the swimming pool at the family's Dainfern home in Johannesburg. At the time of the incident, Lebo M, whose full name is Lebohang Morake, was conducting Lion King auditions in Melrose Arch, while his then-wife Nandi Ndlovu-Goodjohn had travelled to KwaZulu-Natal to attend a funeral. The baby had been left in the care of a domestic helper, who discovered the child's body floating in the pool and immediately alerted the parents.
The helper was subsequently arrested, tried at the Randburg Magistrates Court, and found guilty of negligence. She was released after paying a R3,000 fine.
A loss that divided the parents
The tragedy was further complicated by bitter disagreements between the couple. Morake publicly claimed that Thembalethu had been sodomised before his death, an allegation that Nandi firmly rejected, saying the accusation was an attempt to undermine her as a mother. The couple's marriage did not survive the turmoil, and they divorced in 2007 after Morake accused Nandi of infidelity.
Two decades on, the anniversary post is a rare public reminder of the grief Lebo M continues to carry. Comments on the post were limited by the composer, keeping the space around his tribute quiet and personal.
Source: Getty Images
Lebo M pays lobola for 5th wife Nomoya Dube
The tribute to his late son comes days after Lebo M paid lobola for his fifth wife, Nomoya Dube, as reported by Briefly News.
Photos and videos from the lobola negotiations with Nomoya Dube's family spread widely across social media during the South African long weekend.
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Source: Briefly News
