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IN PICS | Eusebius McKaiser's memorial service

Celebrated broadcaster and analyst, Eusebius McKaiser was honoured with a memorial service held at the Empire Venue in Parktown, Johannesburg. 

He passed away on Tuesday, 30 May after a suspected epileptic seizure.

The sombre occasion saw broadcaster and friend to McKaiser, Sakina Kamwendo take on the role of MC while introducing the day’s speakers who included TimesLIVE editor, Makhudu Sefara, McKaiser’s partner, Nduduzo Nyanda as well as esteemed journalist colleagues such as Karyn Maughn, Joanne Joseph and Redi Thlabi amongst others. 

Sakina Kamwendo at the memorial service of Eusebius McKaiser in Parktown.
Sakina Kamwendo at the memorial service of Eusebius McKaiser in Parktown.
Image: Thapelo Morebudi

All the speakers described with the late McKaiser as extremely intelligent, witty, full of love and passionate.

Vocalist, Lyla Faye performed Revolution by Tracy Chapman. 

Here’s what some speakers had to say about the seasoned broadcaster. 

Vukani Mde, friend 

Vukani Mde at the memorial service of Eusebius McKaiser in Parktown.
Vukani Mde at the memorial service of Eusebius McKaiser in Parktown.
Image: Thapelo Morebudi

“I don’t want to use the sentence ‘Eusebius was’ I’m not ready yet and we agreed to say ‘Eusebius is’ today. He is one of my friends and leaves me with a deep wound. I don’t

have time to say everything I want to say but I met him in 2006 when we were working at Business Day with Karima. He had an afro and we didn’t really like him because he seemed cocky and I was used to being the smart guy. I kept up the dislike and Karima walked up to him and started hanging out with him, I confronted her, and she told me how brilliant he was. We all ended up together and the group expanded and we spent a lot of our time together,” he shared. 

Makhudu Sefara, TimesLIVE editor 

Makhudu Sefara t the memorial service of Eusebius McKaiser in Parktown.
Makhudu Sefara t the memorial service of Eusebius McKaiser in Parktown.
Image: Thapelo Morebudi

“Eusebius has lived quite an eventful life so all of us are impacted in different ways. I’ll start by how we found out about his passing. So, every day, we’d meet at around 10am to speak about the podcast he records the night before and it would be published around midday. As I was sitting in a SANEF meeting, I received a call from his PA and she couldn’t speak. I call Jacky and she answers after three rings and I ask it’s true and she cried. I asked what happened, she gives me two paragraphs and I hang up and leave the office. I had to find someone to write the story and asked myself what Eusebius would want us to do at this moment. He would have wanted us to focus on the news then the emotions later, so that’s what we did. We got the communication out through a story and tweets,” he explained. 

Karyn Maughn, friend and journalism colleague 

Karyn Maughn at the memorial service of Eusebius McKaiser in Parktown.
Karyn Maughn at the memorial service of Eusebius McKaiser in Parktown.
Image: Thapelo Morebudi

“When I first heard about Eusebius’ death from a friend who did not want me to see it from a news outlet, my first overwhelming instinct was to call him because even in the most chaotic times, he knew how to make things make sense. Eusebius was a teacher and was not selfish in his intellect. There are so many people in this room that could speak on your encouragement and how you energised them. You did that for me. I know that all the fights you chose to fight were out of love. Love for the country, its people and all of us.” 

Dawn Klatzko, business coach 

Dawn Klatzko at the memorial service of Eusebius McKaiser in Parktown.
Dawn Klatzko at the memorial service of Eusebius McKaiser in Parktown.
Image: Thapelo Morebudi

“I’ve worked with many brands in my career but working with brand Eusebius was interesting. I’ll never forget the first time I was instructed to discipline Euby after he called a high profile someone an idiot on air. That was the beginning of a respectable friendship. Fast forward to a few years later, he needed guidance on building his brand as he started to be independent and I was looking for help to write a business book. And so began our wonderful, non-commercial symbiotic relationship. I’d like to share that he was surprisingly tolerant,” she reminisced. 

Zakira Mahomed, Mina menstrual cup 

Zakira Mahomed and Sakina Kamwendo at the memorial service of Eusebius McKaiser in Parktown.
Zakira Mahomed and Sakina Kamwendo at the memorial service of Eusebius McKaiser in Parktown.
Image: Thapelo Morebudi

“I stand here in disbelief and shock just like many of you here and never in a million years could I have imagined that I’d be standing here paying tribute to Eusebius. My first encounter with him was in the speaker’s room where he wanted to know how to pronounce my name correctly. He always made me feel so comfortable and after interviewing me, he was so eager to join team Mina because he was so inspired and wanted to make an impact and to end period poverty. The difference with him, unlike others, is that he prioritised Mina and before you knew it, he was welcome on our board sometime in 2018.  

Xolile, Uber driver 

“Back in 2014 when Uber started being popular around Johannesburg, I met Eusebius and started driving him around and ended up becoming his personal driver. For me it was a bit uncomfortable meeting this celebrity guy that I used to see on Noeleen Maholwana-Sanqo's show but he made me feel very comfortable to be around him and taught me how to always be prepared and to have your facts straight if you’re going to comment on something,” he revealed. 

Joanne Joseph, friend and colleague 

“I ask us all here to do something substantial for the cause of literacy in memory of Eusebius. Eusebius friend, you’ve done so well and accomplished so much in this short space of 44 years. We no longer have you but we still have your words and we’ll find the essence of you in them. Now rest in brilliance, we will always love you.” 

Redi Thlabi, Friend and colleague 

An emotional Redi Thlabi next to Joanne Joseph at the memorial service of Eusebius McKaiser in Parktown.
An emotional Redi Thlabi next to Joanne Joseph at the memorial service of Eusebius McKaiser in Parktown.
Image: Thapelo Morebudi

“I had planned to share some special moments of our friendship but I’ve just decided that going down that route would be opening up an avenue to the most chaotic descent to grief. Eusebius built friendships that were rooted in respect. He loved loudly and empathetically and wouldn’t wait for another day to express his love. That is why I adored him and I know that he loved me,” an emotional Redi said. 

Nduduzo Nyanda, Partner 

“We moved in together within a week after meeting and I think in the second week I told him that I thought he was my soulmate. And being the logical person he was, he told me not to be irrational. I remember our first year as well it was one filled with ups and downs. What I'll miss the most are our Sunday nights and our rituals. I'll miss his cheesy music, his love of 80s music. What I'll miss the most is knowing I have somebody who loved fully and who gave himself fully."