Hugh Masekela's sister‚ Barbara paid a heartfelt tribute to him‚ telling mourners at the University of Johannesburg's Soweto Campus that the icon fought bravely till the end.

Friends‚ family and fans have gathered at the venue to honour the legendary musician who died last Tuesday after a long battle with prostate cancer.

"For the past year my brother had been training us to be strong. He told us he did not want anyone to come here with tears and long faces."

Barbara said even though they put on a brave front for him it was an emotional year for them.

"It was breaking his heart that he was leaving us and that he was leaving this world. He never admitted the thought that he was going to die‚ for him he was going to get better and he was going to live forever."

Barbara added that despite his illness Bra Hugh fought fiercely till the end.

"My brother fought very very bravely and with so much courage."

Barbara also reminisced about some of the childhood memories she shared with her brother. She said that one day when he was a little boy he set the bedroom on fire and then tried to put it out with little cups of water.

"It was so characteristic of the fires my brother would start."