“He Was Rare”: DJ Fresh Pays Heartfelt Tribute to Babongile Sikhonjwa

“He Was Rare”: DJ Fresh Pays Heartfelt Tribute to Babongile Sikhonjwa

South African radio personality DJ Fresh has paid an emotional tribute to the late Babongile Sikhonjwa.

He passed away on September 21 at the age of 49.

Also Read: Zimbabwe Pays Tribute to Media Personality Babongile Sikhonjwa with State-Assisted Funeral

DJ Fresh Recalls How His Friendship with Sikhonjwa Began

DJ Fresh said his connection with Sikhonjwa dates back nearly two decades to a performance at Visions Night Club in Bulawayo. He recalled how, from their very first meeting, Sikhonjwa stood out as someone who went the extra mile to ensure things ran seamlessly and that he felt welcomed

“Our friendship started almost 20 years ago. I first met Babongile when I was billed to perform at Visions. From day one, he was the kind of person who made sure everything went smoothly and that I felt at home,” said DJ Fresh.

DJ Fresh Pays Heartfelt Tribute to Babongile Sikhonjwa (Image Credit: Facebook)

A Missed Flight and a Desperate Solution

DJ Fresh recounted one of the most memorable moments in their friendship, which took place in the mid-2000s.

He explained that after a long and exhausting night, he and his wife overslept and missed their scheduled flight to Bulawayo, putting one of his shows at risk.

“I remember there was a time, around 2006 or 2007, when my wife and I had a hectic Friday night and barely slept. We were supposed to catch a flight to Bulawayo the next morning, but we fell asleep in the car at the gate and missed it. I had never missed a gig in my life, so I knew I had to find a solution,” he recalled.

DJ Fresh reveals how Sikhonjwa came to his rescue with a bold idea when he faced missing a gig in Bulawayo. Instead of giving up, Sikhonjwa suggested that he make the long drive to Zimbabwe. Trusting his friend’s advice, Fresh set off with his wife, even though he had little knowledge of the paperwork required to cross the border.

“He came up with the idea that I should drive to Zimbabwe instead. I told my wife, ‘We’re driving to Bulawayo’. At that time, I didn’t even know I needed certain documents to cross the Beitbridge border with my car,” said DJ Fresh.

Once they set off, DJ Fresh recalls how Sikhonjwa stayed true to his word, waiting on the Zimbabwean side of the border to make sure everything went smoothly.

“We packed up, hit the road, and Babongile promised to meet me on the Zimbabwean side of the border. I remember crossing on foot, walking across that bridge, and there he was, waiting patiently. Even though we were delayed, the show still went on,” he said.

He revealed that the moment made him fully appreciate the depth of Sikhonjwa’s character. For DJ Fresh, it showed how selfless and generous his friend was, someone who would go out of his way to help others, even those he barely knew.

That was the moment I realised what kind of person he was, someone who would go out of his way for people, even those he hardly knew. That’s rare,” the dj said.