The family home of the late music icon Brenda Fassie in Cape Town has recently suffered a heartbreaking fire that damaged invaluable memorabilia. The blaze destroyed the back flatlet in which Brenda’s brother, Themba Fassie, was living.
Situated in Makana Square, Langa, the home held numerous awards and personal items of the Afro-pop star who passed on May 9, 2004, at the age of 39. Themba shared that he lost everything in the blaze.
Themba recollected the horrendous moment, “Someone was summoned to get me from where I was. They told me my house was on fire. When I got home, neighbours were already trying to put out the fire. They managed to break the door but I have burglar bars. They decided to break the window to the bedroom.
They threw water and sand, and the raging flames continued to destroy the place. A friend came with a fire extinguisher, and only then did the fire subside.” Unfortunately, the fire department arrived only after the blaze was under control.
Themba Fassie further elaborated on the loss of precious memorabilia, “I lost a lot of things: one of my pianos got burnt. The other needs to be fixed because it was damaged. Brenda learnt music on that piano.
The family archives, including that of Brenda, her accolades, and the archives that I kept, are gone.” The fire, thus, has claimed not just property but irreplaceable pieces of music history connected to Brenda’s legacy.
Brenda Fassie was a beloved figure in the Afro-pop music scene, renowned for her energetic performances and numerous hits. Born in Langa, she renovated her family home in the 1980s, making it a cultural landmark filled with memories and achievements.
This tragic fire marks a significant loss for both the Fassie family and admirers of Brenda’s music worldwide, as cherished memorabilia and symbols of her storied career have been reduced to ashes.
