The Limpopo Arts Movement (LAM) has resolved to forge ahead with its initial plan to posthumously honour the late musician, Steve Kekana.
This after it previously announced that it would ice the ceremony, titled Limpopo Legends Award, which it was organising to honour the musician pending the outcome of the legal feud between his ex-wife Ntsikelelo Mathimba and his family over his estate.
The organisation had previously intended to hand over the award and the R10 000 prize money to his family in Limpopo for the role he played in the development and growth of the music industry.
But the plan was scuppered when the legal tussle over the musician’s estate ensued between his family and Mathimba.
Mathimba, who divorced Kekana in 2017, alleged that the artist appointed her as the executor and the beneficiary of his estate before he died, and said she wants all his assets, including the prize money and the accolade, to be registered in his estate records and be distributed to all the beneficiaries.
In a letter which we have seen, LAM said it has resolved, after careful consideration, to proceed with the ceremony on November 5 at the Ranch Hotel in Polokwane, but said the gong and the money will not be handed over to either of the warring parties.
Instead, it will be withheld by the organisation until the battle is resolved by the court.
Penned by LAM chairperson Mphoza Mashabela, the letter reads in part: “Due to this pending legal matter, the Limpopo Legends awards have undertaken to hold on to the award prize [R10 000], as well as the award itself, until such time as the legal battle has been resolved.
“No member of the Kekana family nor the Mathimba family will be allowed to receive the award on behalf of the late Steve Kekana until the legal issues have been resolved.”
Kekana’s family and Mathimba have been facing off, since his death, over the authenticity of his will and distribution of his estate. The dispute started when the singer’s family challenged the validity of his will, in which he appointed Mathimba as the executor of the estate and nominated her as one of the beneficiaries.
After dying of Covid-19 in 2021, Mathimba submitted an unsigned, thumb-printed will to her lawyer, Lot Ramusi of Ramusi Attorneys, and alleged it was left behind by the muso.
The will stated that Kekana had appointed her as the executor of the estate and also nominated her and his six children as beneficiaries.
It also stated that among the assets to be distributed are his royalties collected by the South African Music Performance Rights Association (Sampra), shares in a mall that is being developed in Makgatle village, and motor vehicles.
It also provided for Mathimba to get the Alberton, east of Johannesburg property that they shared before their acrimonious divorce, among other things.
But this ruffled the feathers of the musician’s family, including some of his children, who question the authenticity of the will and Mathimba’s appointment as the executor and beneficiary.
They also question why the will was not signed, but thumb-printed.
The family further charges that the artist had died intestate (without a will), and that someone else could have drafted the will and fraudulently thumb-print it. They want the court to review and set aside or declare the will unlawful and invalid.
Ramusi confirmed that they have received the letter from LAM and are happy with the decision. He said he is optimistic that the matter will be finalised soon after the envisioned ceremony, insisting that Kekana did not die intestate and that he had a will and had appointed Mathimba as the executor and a beneficiary.
Kekana’ family’s lawyer, Nthabiseng Dubazana of Dubazana Attorneys, could not be reached for comment at the time of publishing.
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