Vhaingameli Vho Mpomokeni Joseph Mushiane of Tshimbupfe Schiel Farm was buried on Sunday.

Mushiane (88) was a founder and senior member of the Zion Apostolic Old Mission Church and was the father of renowned photographer Elijar Mushiane, who is Sowetan's photographic chief  in Limpopo and a former Limpopo Mirror correspondent.

He did not have any formal education but managed his family of four wives and 20 children. He was also in charge of four church branches.

His funeral was characterised by the blue and white regalia and the beating of drums, in line with the Zionist beliefs. After a service held at his home, he was later buried at the family burial grounds, a few metres from his home.

A memorial service was held at his home last Thursday. The memorial service took the form of a celebration as all in the programme cheerfully related how Mushiane had touched their lives and the good he had done for the community, family and the church.

During the funeral, the head of the church, Bishop Wiliam Maudu, urged all to follow the good example left by Mushiane. "Mushiane had a vision to complete the house of God. I urge all of you, more especially the children, to complete the project in order that his soul rests in peace,” he said.

Representing the children, Mr Robert Mushiane said his father had had a premonition about his death. "It was early in March this year when my father asked for the contact numbers for all my siblings. After a short while, I received a call saying I should attend a meeting scheduled at his house. All of us received the message and he said he just wanted to see us as he missed us. That was a way to say goodbye to us. We will always remember him,” he said.

Mushiane was born in 1925. He died after a short illness on Tuesday, 28 May.