News anchor and radio host Masechaba Mposwa is mourning the passing of her mother and ANC member Sibongile Promise Imelda Khumalo, also known during Apartheid as Patricia Promise Lamula. She died aged 63.
The ANC described Khumalo as a “loyal MK soldier, radio freedom communication commissar, and lifelong servant of the people”.
They shared in a statement how she worked with humility and dedication as a public servant. “Her commitment to supporting fellow military veterans reflected her deep compassion and unwavering revolutionary values.”
Trailblazer
The South African Royal Princess Network, founded by Princess Stella Sigcau II of the Mpondo Kingdom in 2019 and currently led by Princess Nandile Ndamase, said Khumalo was a trailblazer and a towering figure in South African liberation history.
“Her life story is one of extraordinary bravery and resilience.” They called her the voice of hope with enduring strength.
“As a member of the ANC military wing, Umkhonto WeSizwe, she dedicated her youth and strength to the fight for freedom.”
Khumalo witnessed Masechaba’s milestones, from being an award-winning radio and TV host to her most recent, her wedding, which took place in November 2014 and taking after her as a reporter. The Newzroom Afrika anchor, Mposwa, shared her grief of losing not only a remarkable soldier, journalist, and activist but also her mom.
Ode to Mom
“This morning at 6am, my world shifted forever. My mother, Promise Sibongile Imelda Khumalo, took her final breath at home. A warrior has rested,” Mposwa said about her mom.
“She was not only my mother—she was a soldier, a freedom fighter, a truth-teller, and a revolutionary spirit carved by purpose. After bravely standing in the Soweto Uprising as a young student, she left South Africa at just 14 years old to receive military training through uMkhonto WeSizwe. Even as a child, she chose courage over fear and justice over silence. She gave her entire life to the liberation of South Africa.”
A trailblazing journalist, Khumalo was a pioneering broadcaster for Radio Freedom, the ANC’s underground radio station.
Her mother was: “A force of nature whose voice carried truth, conviction, and hope across borders. Today, I honour the life of a woman who fought so we could be free, who lived with bravery, who loved fiercely, and who served her country with everything she had. Rest, Mama. Your legacy is carved into history. Your spirit lives in every heartbeat of this nation and in every breath I take.”
