Masechaba Mposwa’s mother passes away at age 63
News anchor and radio personality Masechaba Mposwa is grieving the loss of her mother, Sibongile Promise Imelda Khumalo, who passed away at the age of 63.
Khumalo, who was known during the apartheid era as Patricia Promise Lamula, was a respected ANC member and a prominent figure in South Africa’s liberation history.
The ANC paid tribute to Khumalo, describing her as a “loyal MK soldier, radio freedom communication commissar, and lifelong servant of the people.”
In its statement, the party highlighted her humility and dedication throughout her years in public service, adding that “her commitment to supporting fellow military veterans reflected her deep compassion and unwavering revolutionary values.”
Her passing has also been mourned by the South African Royal Princess Network, which hailed her as a trailblazer whose courage shaped the fight for freedom.
The organisation said, “Her life story is one of extraordinary bravery and resilience,” remembering her as a voice of hope with a remarkable inner strength. They reflected on her role in Umkhonto weSizwe, noting that “as a member of the ANC military wing, Umkhonto WeSizwe, she dedicated her youth and strength to the fight for freedom.”
Khumalo stood alongside her daughter through countless milestones, including Masechaba’s award-winning media career and her 2014 wedding.
Losing her, Mposwa said, feels like losing not only a parent, but also a fighter, journalist, and activist who helped shape the nation.
Sharing her grief, Mposwa wrote, “This morning at 6am, my world shifted forever. My mother, Promise Sibongile Imelda Khumalo, took her final breath at home. A warrior has rested.”
She continued by honouring her mother’s legacy: “She was not only my mother, she was a soldier, a freedom fighter, a truth-teller, and a revolutionary spirit carved by purpose. After bravely standing in the Soweto Uprising as a young student, she left South Africa at just 14 years old to receive military training through uMkhonto WeSizwe. Even as a child, she chose courage over fear and justice over silence. She gave her entire life to the liberation of South Africa.”
Khumalo later made history as a pioneering broadcaster for Radio Freedom, the ANC’s underground station, becoming a powerful voice for truth and resistance.
In a final tribute, Mposwa described her mother as “a force of nature whose voice carried truth, conviction, and hope across borders,” adding, “Today, I honour the life of a woman who fought so we could be free, who lived with bravery, who loved fiercely, and who served her country with everything she had. Rest, Mama. Your legacy is carved into history. Your spirit lives in every heartbeat of this nation and in every breath I take.”