Moflava said, "Lost my dear friend Luzuko Nteleko last week. I still don’t have the words. Pain is paralysing. I will miss him and remember him for the rest of my days on earth. Honoured to have had him as a friend. If you know his family or anyone who was close to him, offer them strength in this difficult moment. Cancer is cruel and evil."
Luzuko’s sister Nomsa Nteleko revealed last year in a tweet that doctors had given up on the possibility of Luzuko waking up from a coma.
"My brother Luzuko Nteleko was diagnosed with stage 4 rare brain cancer. The Doctors have given up on the possibility of him waking up from a coma. He spent 7 weeks in ICU".
After his passing on 21 June 2021, Nomsa released an official statement confirming the death of the former Isidingo actor.
“Luzuko was diagnosed with brain cancer stage 4 in 2019. He fought a good fight until he met his untimely death on the 21st of June 2021. We are deeply saddened and hurt by his passing. Luzuko was love personified. He was peace, courage and strength…May friends and loved ones be comforted in the fact that his spirit will continue to be with us. The family is grateful to his medical and spiritual team that supported Zuko tirelessly on his fight against cancer,” read the statement.
#RIPLuzukoNteleko you are love personified 🕊💔. Rest well Ndlovu Zidlekhaya ngenxa yoswela umalusi, Mntungwa, Gengesi, Malunga. Mzukulwana kaNgqosini, ooCihoshe, abantu bomlambo, mzukulwana kaGangatha, ooMbiko. Ndlela ntle Ndlovu entle, olwakho ugqatso ulufezile. #injayegamepic.twitter.com/JeOTDs0Zxa
— Nomsa Liv Nteleko 🥰🌸😍 ✨👑 (@NNteleko) June 22, 2021
Another ZAleb that was diagnosed with Brain Cancer but sadly lost the battle is Iko Mash.
When Iko Mash passed, she had stage 3 cancer and had just started chemotherapy. She was weak but in high spirits. She wanted to win the battle.
Another ZAleb that lost the battle to cancer was the multi-award-winning actor, dancer and vocalist, Sibusiso Radebe, known as Vusi from Backstage. He was 37 years old and was also undergoing chemotherapy when he passed.
3Sum band member, Koyo Bala also had a battle with cancer but the entertainer passed on in 2016. Bandmate Amstel said that Koyo passed on from kidney failure and not from cancer even though he was battling it. Koyo was first diagnosed with rectal cancer but he defeated it. He was then diagnosed with another form of cancer which had spread to his bladder.
Broadcaster Xolani Gwala also lost his battle to cancer. Xolani explained on his show on 702 that it all happened suddenly.
“In April I was running the London marathon and before that, I was doing a couple of marathons around here. There was absolutely nothing wrong and then suddenly you go to the doctors because you have a fever, and they do one or two tests and they say 'listen, you have cancer'. Not just cancer, advanced cancer…After this, I have learned, we've got to raise awareness. There's cancer all over... and it happens to everyone... I don't smoke, I don't drink, and I live well... The thing about cancer is that it can happen to anyone,” Xolani explained before he passed in the early hours of Friday, 1 November 2019 after his battle with colon cancer.
