Mzimkhulu Mackenzie was a FunDza Fanz writer born in 1991, who participated in a writing mentorship with FunDza in 2015. Very sadly Mzimkhulu passed away on 10 December 2019. His friend, Riyaaz Smith, describes him as a being a young man with a ‘brilliant mind’ who was a ‘true artist’, who was ‘humble, pure-hearted, gentle and wise beyond his age’. He loved writing and – we’re pleased to hear – continued doing so till the end.

During the writing mentorship – in which he wrote the short story The Red Necklace – we came to know him as a charming person with big dreams. At the time, he described himself as “a young writer that is currently on the unemployment payroll. However, being jobless is the least of my worries, because I am a man that’s on a mission to create a legacy with my artistic skills.”

His favourite book: DRACULA
His favourite music: Hip Hop
What he loved doing: Laughing with his friends, playing soccer, writing poems, watching cartoons
His message to the youth: “It all starts with a dream. So dream before you wake up.”

Thank you, Mzimkhulu, for sharing your writing with FunDza and all the FunDza Fanz readers. We remember you with great fondness and we are so sorry to know that your life ended far too soon. RIP. Hamba kakuhle.