Sipho Kaleni Layed to Rest
One of the founding members of the Crown Gospel Music Awards, a Gospel musician, pastor radio and TV presenter ,Sipho Kaleni, passed away at the tender age of 48 years.
Condolences soon came pouring in for Sipho Kaleni and World Gospel Powerhouse swiftly kept friends and family informed.
Details about Memorial Service of our dear Brother and Friend : Sipho Kaleni 🙏🙏💔💔 pic.twitter.com/VutN2kHzgP
— Omega Khunou (@OmegaKhunou) August 3, 2022
We may have recognized him as the voice of the Crown Gospel Music Awards and the spokes person. We heard him many times announce the awards at the “Crowns”. Sipho Kaleni was an EXCO members of the Crowns Gospel Music Awards an achievement he was so proud of in the Gospel music industry.
Memorial service of Sipho Kaleni and Funeral
Memorial service of Sipho Kaleni was held in kwaThema and funeral service followed on Sunday in Springs Civic Centre. The gospel fraternity also rallied together showing so much support for Sipho and his family. The memorial service was a start studded affair as many gospel artists and dignitaries showed up to celebrate a life well lived.
At the memorial service we saw several gospel artists saluting this soldier in gospel music and they even performed voluntarily on stage one by one.
Artist such as Lebo Sekgobela, Bishop Benjamin Dube, Sipho ‘Big Fish’, Rebecca Malope, Bishop Solly Mahlangu, Dr. Tumi, Sipho Makhabane, Aubrey M, Banele Mahlangu, Nduduzo Mathe, Mpumi Msweni, Tshwane Gospel choir, CROWNS choir, Spirit of Praise, Putuma Tiso and many more.
@DrTumi_ @PulengMarch @DrRebeccaMalope @lungindala @SekgobelaLebo @RadioPulpit , SABC officials gather on stage at the Sipho Kaleni Memorial service underway at KwaThema #RIPSiphoKaleni #ripsiphokaleni @SabcCrownAwards pic.twitter.com/P3TluU74Yi
— eGospel Corner Ntoz (@iGospelCorner) August 5, 2022
Sipho Kaleni’s Health Battle:
I was unclear what had happened to Sipho Kaleni as to many his death seemed sudden. Speaking about Sipho Kaleni, the president of the World Gospel Powerhouse Zanele Mbokazi Nkambule shared how the news of Sipho’s death have been difficult for them as a company and a family. He was an integral part such that he left Gauteng and moved to Durban in order to focus on elevating the Crowns, which he loved dearly.
On his fatal health struggle, she said,” It started as a small boil but they say if you don’t treat it properly, the poison gets into your bloodstream. It hit his organs and they tried to flush it with special antibiotics, but it was a complicated issue”.
He died in hospital at the beginning of August said Zanele Mbokazi- Nkambule who went on to explaining how the boil became infected and Sipho became terminally ill to those who came together to honor and mourn Sipho Kaleni.
Sadly his hospital bills had also allegedly pilled up at the time due to his deteriorating health and was initially estimated at a cost around R2 – 2.5M. However, the final bill was later reported to be reduced due to a generous discount from the hospital as well as 3rd party service providers after his death. It was commendable thing to do, God bless their hearts.