Mzwakhe Mbuli has 'steered clear' of Ray Phiri's family

Ray Phiri’s family have confirmed that poet Mzwakhe Mbuli has not reached out to them in the wake of ‘funeral scam’ claims that have been leveled against him.

The family of the music veteran said Mzwakhe who has been accused of scamming grieving celebrity families has steered clear of them and had not attempted to get in touch with the family.

“As the family’s spokesperson‚ I can confirm that we have not had any kind of communication or attempts to reach out from Mzwakhe. We have heard the reports but we don’t have anything to do with them‚ or him‚” Paul Nkanyane said.

Paul explained that the family had an enormous task of organising the veteran’s funeral but that the community were helping them.

Mandoza's wife steps away from Mzwakhe Mbuli fiascoMandoza’s widow‚ Mpho has distanced herself from the controversy involving Mzwakhe Mbuli‚ after the music veteran was accused of trying to scam Mandoza’s family out of thousands of rand. 

“Everybody in the community is coming together to help where they can. Ray will have a special provincial funeral‚ held in Mpumalanga. The details will be confirmed on Monday‚” he said.

Ray died in the early hours of Wednesday after a battle with lung cancer.

Mzwakhe has hogged headlines over the few days after sports personality Thabiso Mosia claimed that he offered help to grieving families by asking government departments for money‚ but would allegedly pocket most of the money.

Ray Phiri's wife finding it hard to copeRabelani Phiri, the widow of Ray Phiri, is said to be very saddened and finding it hard to cope with the death of her husband. 

Thabiso further claimed that Mzwakhe would then go back to the family claiming not to have enough money for services‚ and apparently tried similar antics at the time of Mandoza’s death.

Mzwakhe has since denied the allegations. [Read that story here]