News / Africa
Music boss leaves two suicide notes before hanging himself
19 Dec 2011 at 23:45hrs | Views
A South African record company executive and artist manager Mike Maswanganye who allegedly committed suicide, left two suicide notes, the Sowetan reported on Monday.
Police found one of them in his trouser pocket after he was found hanging from the rafters in the garage of the Kensington, eastern Jozi, home in which he was living.
Another note was in the kitchen.
Barely 24 hours earlier Maswanganye had had a meeting with a well-known record company at its Rosebank, Jozi headquarters.
It is alleged he owed the company thousands of rands he had promised to pay back.
Maswanganye was the owner of MBS Music and worked closely with musician and businessman Sipho Makhabane's Big Fish Music label.
The notes, which were addressed to "Sipho" and "Mandla", read: "I can't live this life anymore. Please bury me during the week with family members only and no fancy funeral.
"Mfundisi owes me R38000. Take R20000 and give it to Nkateko for funeral arrangements."
Close friends say Maswanganye had recorded a CD for a member of his church, which the pastor had not paid for.
Police spokesman Richard Munyai confirmed on Sunday that an inquest docket had been opened.
Maswanganye's body was discovered by three of his close friends - SABC head of public broadcaster services Mandla Soko, Radio 2000 station manager James Shikwambani and Makhabane, whom he had asked to come to the house.
Speaking to Sunday World a devastated Makhabane says a friend called and arranged for them to have a meeting with Maswanganye last Thursday.
But when the friend tried to call Maswanganye to confirm, he could not get hold of him.
The friend later got an SMS from a female friend of Maswanganye's telling him Maswanganye had threatened to kill himself.
The trio went to his house and found the car parked in the driveway.
The gate was locked. His cellphone rang unanswered.
Makhabane, who owns the house, unlocked the door.
Maswanganye's daughter Nkateko was a finalist in SABC1's So You Think You Can Dance Season 2.
Police found one of them in his trouser pocket after he was found hanging from the rafters in the garage of the Kensington, eastern Jozi, home in which he was living.
Another note was in the kitchen.
Barely 24 hours earlier Maswanganye had had a meeting with a well-known record company at its Rosebank, Jozi headquarters.
It is alleged he owed the company thousands of rands he had promised to pay back.
Maswanganye was the owner of MBS Music and worked closely with musician and businessman Sipho Makhabane's Big Fish Music label.
The notes, which were addressed to "Sipho" and "Mandla", read: "I can't live this life anymore. Please bury me during the week with family members only and no fancy funeral.
"Mfundisi owes me R38000. Take R20000 and give it to Nkateko for funeral arrangements."
Close friends say Maswanganye had recorded a CD for a member of his church, which the pastor had not paid for.
Police spokesman Richard Munyai confirmed on Sunday that an inquest docket had been opened.
Maswanganye's body was discovered by three of his close friends - SABC head of public broadcaster services Mandla Soko, Radio 2000 station manager James Shikwambani and Makhabane, whom he had asked to come to the house.
Speaking to Sunday World a devastated Makhabane says a friend called and arranged for them to have a meeting with Maswanganye last Thursday.
But when the friend tried to call Maswanganye to confirm, he could not get hold of him.
The friend later got an SMS from a female friend of Maswanganye's telling him Maswanganye had threatened to kill himself.
The trio went to his house and found the car parked in the driveway.
The gate was locked. His cellphone rang unanswered.
Makhabane, who owns the house, unlocked the door.
Maswanganye's daughter Nkateko was a finalist in SABC1's So You Think You Can Dance Season 2.
Source - Sowetan
