Media personality Weza Solange has paid an emotional tribute to her late friend, Dr Sibusisiwe Gugu Manqele, following her funeral.
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Taking to social media, Weza shared heartfelt words remembering the woman she described as a loving friend and sister who gave 100% to everything she did.
In her tribute, Weza reflected on their special friendship, highlighting Sibusisiwe’s faith, generosity and ability to celebrate life’s moments, both big and small.
“Sleep well, my angel. To the woman who started phone calls with praise and ended with prayer. To the woman who would always give 100% of herself to everything she put her mind to, no half measures. To the friend who loved loudly. To the woman who celebrated every moment, big and small!
“My friend, I still don’t have enough words to explain how majestic you were. Thank you for giving me the honour of being your friend and sister. Thank you for being unapologetically you. Hamba kahle, Dr Sibusisiwe Manqele.”
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What happened to Dr Sibusisiwe Manqele?
Sibusisiwe Gugu Manqele passed away on Thursday, 22 October 2026, at the age of 35.
According to a statement released by her family, she died after spending more than a week in hospital due to a cardiac condition.
Her passing was a significant loss to South Africa’s entertainment and creative industries, where she had built an impressive career as a screenwriter, actress, voice artist and creative entrepreneur.
Family statement on the passing of Sibusisiwe Gugu Manqele @SGManqele ❤️ https://t.co/z3UlEzowtk
— Miss LeloB (@MsLeloB) October 23, 2026
In a particularly heartbreaking development, the University of KwaZulu-Natal received her PhD examiners’ reports just hours before her death. The reports confirmed that she had met the requirements for her doctorate, subject to minor recommended corrections, reported IOL.
What was Dr Sibusisiwe Manqele known for?
Sibusisiwe was widely recognised for her contributions to South African television, particularly her work behind the scenes as a screenwriter.
Her writing credits included popular productions such as Skeem Saam, Gomora, House of Zwide and Umkhokha.
She was also part of the writing team that won a South African Film and Television Award (SAFTA) for Best Achievement in Scriptwriting for a TV Soap for Skeem Saam in 2024.
As an actress, she appeared in the SABC1 drama series Intersexions 2, where she played Veliswa, and also featured in Mzansi Magic’s Saints and Sinners.
Beyond acting and writing, Sibusisiwe was a talented voice artist, playwright and director. She served as assistant director on the theatre production Pass Over, which ran at the Market Theatre in 2021.
She was also the CEO of ContentWood, a content production company focused on telling authentic African stories.
Her academic achievements were equally remarkable. She held qualifications in Dramatic Arts, Creative Writing, and Film and Television from Wits University. At the time of her passing, she was pursuing a PhD in Culture, Communication and Media Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, researching Black women showrunners and creative entrepreneurship in South Africa.
