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The City of Joburg has paid homage to well-known Soweto barista Somi Vilakazi, describing him as a key player in Joburg’s cultural and hospitality sector.
The popular entrepreneur succumbed to the Covid-19 pandemic at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital on Saturday, 11 April. He was 57.
Vilakazi was well-known among locals and international tourists for serving beverages and confectionaries at the Hector Pieterson Museum in Orlando West.
Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Community Development, Councillor Margaret Arnolds says his death is a great loss to both his family and the City.
“He contributed to making Joburg great, especially his township of Soweto. Farewell Vilakazi. May your family and the workers of this great City of Joburg find solace in the meticulous and hard work you demonstrated over the years,” says Cllr Arnolds.
Vilakazi’s point of contact with the deadly coronavirus is unclear, however, his exposure to the museum’s local and international tourists from high-risk countries cannot be ruled out until proven otherwise by the investigating officer. He also attended two funerals ahead of his death, one in Orlando West and another in Limpopo.
Cllr Arnolds says the City is working with various stakeholders led by the Department of Health to track municipal officials and those who might have come in contact with the late Vilakazi.
The City urges residents to adhere to lockdown regulations, which include social distancing and practising good hygiene. This entails washing hands with soap for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based sanitizer and wearing face masks when going out for shopping or visiting the pharmacy.
Gauteng has been identified as the epicentre of Covid-19, with reported confirmed cases totalling over 900 by Tuesday, 14 April 2020.
Written by Takalani Sioga
