Songs by the award-winning Tshivenda traditional music composer Mr Tshivhangwaho Raedani were aired during his funeral at the Mutale Community Hall on Saturday.

Raedani was, among others, the lead vocalist and composer of the Adziambei Band.

Well-known musicians, including Zozo, Rapson Rambuwani, Solomon Mathase and Kenny Murabi, attended the funeral.

Due to the fact that the hall was packed to capacity, many mourners had to follow the funeral proceedings from outside the hall. Many of the speakers warned the people to stop making illegal copies of the songs from artists as this practice is destroying the music industry. “Some of our Vhavenda creative artists have died paupers because people do not stop making copies of their work instead of buying original CDs,” said Mr Mpho Nefale of PhalaPhala FM.

According to Nefale, the station used to play the the music of the Adziambei band already in the 1980s.

Raedani (62), a former painter of the Department of Public Works based at the Tshilamba Camp, was born and bred in the rural village of Guyuni-Ha Dagada outside Mutale. He passed away on Wednesday, 13 March, in the Donald Fraser Hospital after a short illness.

A member of the band, Mr Elias Sirwali, described Raedani as an amazing creative artist. He said Raedani developed his love for music in the late 60s. He used to play a home-made guitar, made out of tin cans, and used to entertain people at stokvels and parties.

According to Sirwali, the band will not dissolve and promised that they would continue singing.

Raedani is survived by wife Vho-Elisa and five children.