Beloved actor Mjostana ‘Pastor’ Mjosty, known for his role as Zimele in the popular drama series Isiphetho: The Destiny, made a heartfelt promise to honour the late Ukhozi FM presenter, Irvin Sihlophe and he has fulfilled that promise.
According to DRUM, Pastor Mjosty announced during the Uvukile Gospel Festival that a portion of the event’s proceeds would be donated to Irvin’s family. This gesture was made to recognise Irvin’s significant contributions to the community and his lasting impact on the South African broadcasting industry.
This year, Pastor Mjosty hosted a Uvukile Gospel Festival and dedicated it to Irvin, featuring a performance by gospel star Jumbo as a tribute. On 12 July, Pastor Mjosty visited Irvin’s family to deliver an undisclosed sum he had promised.
Irvin worked under Ukhozi FM’s educational programme and was with the station for almost two decades, He was 43 and passed away after suffering a stroke. According to SABCnews.
However, according to Sunday World, Despite his death, unpaid debts have reportedly followed him beyond the grave. Some gospel artists have accused Irvin of not paying them for performances at the Uvukile Gospel Festival, held at Ugu Sports and Leisure Centre in Port Shepstone.
Gospel artist Nathi Sithole disclosed that he has been given the runaround each time he inquired about his payment.”I can’t stomach this thing anymore. The festival organisers are taking us for a ride. I was shocked when I heard that the festival organisers are gearing up to host another instalment. Yet there are outstanding salaries for some of us,” said Nathi to the publication.
When approached for comment by SundayWorld, Pastor Mjosty didn’t deny anything, he said, “Yes, it’s true that some artists are yet to be paid. We sympathise with the artists. But I can confirm to you that the KZN Department of Arts and Culture is dealing with payment issues. It’s not our fault that there are delays in payments. We urge our artists to bear with us.”
