As the family and friends of the late legendary actor Patrick Shai gathered for his memorial service yesterday, emotions were running high.
Read More: WATCH: Patrick Shai's Memorial Service Underway
Read More: WATCH: Patrick Shai's Memorial Service Underway
Close friends and colleagues within the entertainment fraternity gathered at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg to pay tribute to the veteran actor. Shai committed suicide on Saturday, 22 January. According to reports, Shai's wife found him dead in the garage at their Dobsonville home.
His untimely has sent shockwaves across the country and has highlighted mental health in men. Speaking at his memorial service Masechaba Shai, a teary-eyed Mashechaba expressed how heartbroken she was. She also spoke about how Patrick loved his family wholeheartedly.
"I am humbled by the support and love that you have been giving us. Patrick behaved like a child and my job was to ground him. I want to say all of you judging him, you need to start judging yourself first. This pain is deep. Very deep. I want you guys to understand, it is deep… He loved my kids with all his heart. He was a father first, he was a husband, he was a caretaker. He carried us. We were not perfect and he was not perfect. Being on TV doesn’t make you perfect,” she said.
She also spoke about the abuse she suffered at his hands years ago. Shai fought against the scourge of gender-based violence and Masechaba said when he apologized for his actions, he meant it.
“He was a perpetrator like all of you in this place. I was never intimidated by the beautiful women who became the wives of my husband. When he said ‘I am sorry’, he meant it. My kids are hurting because of the country that my husband loved,” she said.
She also urged her kids to not take serious what people say about their father who was found dead.
“My kids, don't take serious what people say about your father because you know him. He was no saint. I am not a saint and you are also not innocent but still, he was a human being. South Africa, let us forgive because God forgives all of us all the time.
She also urged her kids to not take serious what people say about their father who was found dead.
“My kids, don't take serious what people say about your father because you know him. He was no saint. I am not a saint and you are also not innocent but still, he was a human being. South Africa, let us forgive because God forgives all of us all the time.
“I am not an actor, I am realist. I am not a robot but a human being. I am not crying but crying for my kids and I don't know how are they going to recover from this. Patrick was like a child, he played a lot. I called him Ntwana," she said
Patrick will be laid to rest on Saturday, 29 January. Several celebrities have taken to their social media platforms to share that they believe that social media backlash led to the actor's passing.
Actress Nomsa Buthelezi said trolls pushed the go button, "Ubaba 'Patrick Shai was insulted by people who thought they wanted to trend because they wanted to have the biggest likes...The most coldest people with no respect. He’s gone, congratulations.
“He may have been dealing with stuff in his life, but you pressed the go button. You pressed the push," she said in a video.
Holding back her tears, the actress said she was struggling to come to terms with his death, "I said I am not gonna cry when I do this Live...I can't express the pain that I felt when I heard of his passing... " I hope it’s going to haunt them and their generation... If it does not come for you in this lifetime, it will come for your children in the next. Continue commenting the way you want. You don't even have the decency to show remorse.
Image Cred: Twitter