“This is Pantsula Culture”: Soweto Skeleton Movers Founder Honoured With Pantsula Coffin Dance
- Mourners in what appears to be a Soweto township paid tribute to Jabulani Manyoni, founder of the Soweto Skeleton Movers, at his funeral
- The procession blended grief with celebration as dancers performed pantsula moves atop his casket in the street
- The footage, shared on Facebook on 3 September 2026, divided South Africans online with hundreds of comments
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Source: Facebook
The funeral of Jabulani Manyoni, founder of the Soweto Skeleton Movers, turned into a moment that split South Africa down the middle. Footage of the procession, posted to Facebook on 3 September 2026 by Mada Sthembiso, showed mourners in what appeared to be a township street paying tribute to the dance group's founder in the most unexpected way.
A memorial poster visible in the video bore the words:
"Rest in Peace Jabulani Manyoni, Founder of Soweto Skeleton Movers."
A send-off only pantsula could deliver
Rather than a conventional farewell, the procession unfolded as a street celebration. Mourners performed energetic pantsula dance moves atop the casket. The scene mixed raw grief with the kind of communal energy pantsula is known for, turning a moment of loss into something altogether different.
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For those familiar with pantsula culture, the tribute made sense. The dance style, deeply rooted in township life, has long been used to express identity, resistance and joy. Honouring one of its own in this way was, to some, the most fitting farewell possible.
View the Facebook video below:
Mzansi reacts to the coffin dance
Not everyone saw it the same way. The video drew over 800 comments, with South Africans sharply divided on the page:
@Abutiieyy Sellow said:
"This is just the Culture of Pantsula Why y'all angry about it ☝🏼🤷🏾♂️"
@Gontse Rasegoete commented:
"Atleast their not stabbing the box"
@Rayze Chauke wrote:
"When the Bible said the last days of life we will see things we never saw"
@Bridgette Cele asked:
"And the family agree to this 😢"
@Emmanuel Mgojo added:
"Just imagine if it was Zulu dancers on top of the coffin"
More Briefly News stories on funerals
- South African boxing icon Zolani Tete was laid to rest in Mdantsane with a Special Provincial Official Funeral at Sisa Dukashe Stadium following his tragic death.
- A lavish South African funeral procession featuring a butterfly-canopy hearse divided viewers, with many sharing mixed reactions to changing funeral traditions.
- A young man who married a 76-year-old widow for her fortune was stunned when her lawyer handed him a letter after her death revealing a hidden family secret.
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Source: Briefly News
