Mystery surrounds death of Bongo Flava artiste in SA

Dar es Salaam. As music fans were still coming to terms with the death of the Bongo Flava artiste Albert Mangwea and the hospitalisation of another Tanzania musician, Mgaza Pembe in South Africa on Tuesday, confusion still reigned over the cause of death.

Reports that could not be independently confirmed by The Citizen and which were circulating in social media networks and in FM Radio stations yesterday cited drug overdose and excessive alcohol as possible causes of the death of Mangwea and hospitalisation of Pembe.

A postmortem report was posted in social media networks alleged that Mangwea, populary known as Ngwair, died on Tuesday from alcohol toxicity after a drinking binge, drugs overdose and exhaustion. Efforts by The Citizen to confirm the authenticity of the postmortem report proved futile. Reports said Mr Mangwea was admitted at a medical facility called St Helen in Johannesburg South Africa after failing to wake up on Wednesday morning. But The Citizen searches of Johannesburg hospitals and clinics did not return that name.

There is a facility called Helen Joseph Hospital when we called the staff there repeatedly said that they did not have any patient by the name of Albert Mangwea. The hospital, however, admitted having a patient called Mgaza Pembe at their intensive care unit.

We cannot give you further details unless you, physically, come to the hospital,” the receptionist at the Admissions unit of Helen Joseph Hospital, who declined to give his name, told The Citizen.

Another hospital with a name close to the above, St Helena Hospital, is located in Welkom, Free State, in the outerskirts of Johannesburg. Officials at hospital also said they had not admitted a patient called Albert Mangwea.

A relative of Mangwea, Mr Liloti Mangwea, also told The Citizen in Dar es Salaam that the family has not yet received the said postmortem report.

“We have not yet received any reports concerning the cause of Albert’s death, but we have really confirmed that he is dead. Family members are meeting to plan on the burial” Ms Mangwea noted. She noted that the Tanzanian High Commission in South Africa has agreed to transport the body of the deceased back home, but it is still not known when that will be.

Minister for Information, Culture and Sports Fenella Mukangara told The Citizen yesterday that she had not yet received any official communication on the cause of the artiste’s death.

According to reports from FM radio stations, artiste Pembe, also popularly known as M to the P was still in the ICU but was slowly responding to treatment.

Mangwea and Pembe travelled together to South Africa March 26.

A close friend of Mangwea, Mr Ismail Muro, said that the duo went to South Africa on March 26 this year after he was invited for a series of shows .

He said that he had a lot of projects he planned, including to introduce a reality TV Show called ‘Ghetto Langu’ that was expected to start soon, making music videos, and to feature other Bongo Flava artistes.

“Mangwea performed three shows in Johannesburg, he also performed in Pretoria, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, and he was planning to shoot a video of his new song that were expected to be released soon.” he said.

Mr Mangwea was born in November 1982 in Mbeya region. He later attended Mazengo high school. He had not yet married. He started his music career in 2000 soon after finishing school.

Meanwhile, the renowned R&B singer Judith Wambura popular as Lady Jay Dee has postponed her music concert that was scheduled for tomorrow to celebrate the 13th anniversary of her music carrier..

Mr Gadna Habash, the manager and partner of Jay Dee the event has been postponed because of the death of Mr Mangwea.

“It is a sad story we and it hurts me when I remembers moment we had together doing music,” said Jay Dee.

Speaking about the deceased another popular Bongo Flava artist Mr Khamis Mwinjuma also known as Mwana FA said; “Ngwea was a talented artist. We started playing music at the same time in 2000 and I worked with him in many ways,” said Mwana FA.

(Additional reporting by Alex Bitekeye)