LWAMONDO – Thousands of mourners gathered at the Lwamondo ground to pay their last respect to the well-known radio and television drama actor, Mr Tendani Patrick "Maswigiri" Mulaudzi (50) last Saturday.

He passed away at Tshilidzini hospital on Friday, May 17, after a long illness.

Mulaudzi worked as a teacher for several years before deviating to the private sector. He was the principal actor in many radio dramas for Radio Thohoyandou and Phalaphala FM, then known as Radio Venda.

Mulaudzi is still the main attraction in the current radio and TV dramas, Midzimu I ya hana and Muvhango respectively. Midzimu I ya hana is a daily radio drama while Muvhango attracts millions of viewers on SABC 2 every Wednesday evening at 20:30.

All the speakers at the funeral ceremony described the death of Maswigiri as a blow to the whole nation. The representative of SABC 2, Mr Kefoe Mohobane, told the mourners that actors of Maswigiri's calibre are rare. MEC Tshenuwani Farisani represented the provincial government.

Mulaudzi is survived by his wife and four children, including a three months old baby.