The tragic news of the sad passing away of a young man came on Wednesday evening. I watched with horror and dismay as many people including high profile "A - list" celebrities took to social media to express how saddened and shocked they were when they heard that Mpho had passed away.
Contrary to popular belief most people thought Mpho and I were close friends when I launched the #HelpMpho campaign late last year after noticing that Mpho was in desperate need of help lying on his sick bed at Helen Joseph Hospital. I've met Mpho about two or three times in my life and on all those occasions he was kind to me and he showered me with a warm smile and a hug. We would engage now and then on social media and we spoke via the DM (direct message) but I was hardly his close friend.
But I was extremely touched by one of his posts that he posted on Instagram where he was crying out for help. I then investigated further and through his older posts, I noticed that Mpho had been crying out for help for a number of months and nobody had come through to assist him as he was dying of skin cancer. What shocked me was that Mpho had a huge social media following on both Twitter and Instagram. This included many of his gay friends and South African celebrities. When I saw the post of him lying on his death bed I immediately sent him a message, asked for his details and sought to assist him by organising the financial support that he desperately needed.
I was personally touched by his situation and felt that I just couldn't let a fellow member of the LGBTI community suffer while I watched and "liked" his posts on social media as most people did and carried on with my life. When I was speaking to him I noticed that he was in desperate and dire need of support and people around him where not there for him as they should have been.
I immediately launched the #HelpMpho campaign and I remember asking a few celebrities whom I knew were "friends" with Mpho to assist in any way. The one celebrity, whom I remember distinctly, who rose to the occasion was Somizi Mhlongo. Mpho had told me that Somizi was communicating with him after I brought Mpho's matter to his attention. Other celebrities couldn't have been bothered. To my shock, I see the very same people today posting pictures with Mpho and offering messages of condolences, but when Mpho needed them on his death bed they were a no show.
I remember when I was busy with the #HelpMpho campaign, doing radio interviews and spreading the campaign on social media, some people even questioned the authenticity of Mpho's sickness. Some people called me to question whether I was indeed sure that Mpho was sick and in hospital. Some gays ridiculed me and Mpho and accused us of soliciting money from people using their emotions for our own personal gain and greed. Mpho was vilified and had to prove to the world how sick he was and the pain he was enduring. Today, I am seeing fake sympathy for Mpho on social media that is hollow, empty and meaningless. When Mpho needed you the most, you were not there.
Have we no shame as a people? Why do we show messages of support for a dead soul and not a living being that needed us? If you knew Mpho, what did you do for him when he was still alive?
When we came with a begging bowl to raise funds for his chemotherapy that he desperately needed to save his life, you didn't pitch. Some couldn't even retweet the #HelpMpho drive that was running on social media but chose instead to distance themselves from the campaign. Today, Mpho is famous in his death, as a corpse. Today, Mpho has many gay friends who loved him and partied with him. Today, Mpho is known by the crème de la crème of South African celebrities who were posing with him in photos and popping expensive champagne bottles at fancy clubs. Have we no shame as a people? Why do we show messages of support for a dead soul and not a living being that needed us? If you knew Mpho, what did you do for him when he was still alive?
Celebrities who knew Mpho didn't show up when Mpho needed them but they are now seeking relevance on social media by posting pictures with him to show the world that they knew him. The entertainment industry that Mpho worked in is littered with plastic people who are self-serving. As Mpho's last breath grew closer to the end, the people who knew him were not there for him. When Mpho took his final breath of air, that is when he became more famous than he was when he was still alive.
And to you, my darling Mpho, life is so cruel and unfair. During your last days on earth you remained strong and positive that God would heal you. You kept on believing in a miracle that your life would be saved but that was not enough. Through your pain and suffering you held on and kept fighting for your life. I realise that you are at peace now and not suffering anymore. You don't have to deal with the woes of this world. You are free from pain and your body will no longer be sore.
How unfair is this world that we live in to take away such a young soul such as yours? Beautiful, warm and joyful souls like you come and go. You're cancer-free now, fly away and join the Angels in heaven. You will always be remembered by those who truly and genuinely cared about you.
Robala ka kgotso ngwana Mme!