MAKWARELA – Hundreds of mourners from all over the country gathered at Makwarela House 529 last Saturday, to pay their last respects to the former deputy station manager of the defunct Radio Thohoyandou, Mr Mukulumedzi Petrus Dali (62).

He passed away at Tshilidzini Hospital on Saturday, July 4, after a long illness. Mr Dali was born at Malimuwa village, east of Makhado (Louis Trichardt) Town on March 7, 1942. He started schooling at Siloam Primary School. He later proceeded to Mphephu High School where he passed the Junior Certificate, or Std 8, as it was later known.

He obtained his teaching qualification from the Tshisimani College of Education and later registered for a BA Degree with the University of Venda. He worked at several schools, including Mudunungu Primary School, Gadabi Primary School, Zwavhumbwa Primary School and Mphephu Secondary School, as a teacher. He also worked at Dzata Junior Secondary School and Tshiendeulu Primary School as deputy principal and principal respectively.

His road to fame started when he joined Radio Thohoyandou as an announcer. He was well known for his radio programme, Kha vha fhole, a programme that was aimed at comforting those who were not feeling well. He was later promoted to the post of the deputy station manager. Mr Dali chose to retire when Radio Thohoyandou integrated with the then Radio Venda, which was later renamed Phalaphala FM.

He is survived by his wife, Emma, four children and eight grandchildren