Family, friends and colleagues remember daily Sun photojournalist Lucky Nxumalo for his golden heart

• Veteran photojournalist Lucky Nxumalo died on Sunday after losing his battle to cancer.
• Nxumalo worked for multiple publications, including the Sowetan and City Press. 
• His colleagues have hailed him for always going the extra mile in doing his job, which he was passionate about. 

Daily Sun photojournalist Lucky Nxumalo was remembered for his kind heart, generosity, humanity and hard work at a memorial service in Johannesburg on Wednesday. 

Nxumalo, 51, died at his Orlando home in Soweto on Sunday after a long battle with cancer. 

Speakers hailed the veteran photojournalist for his dedication and eagerness which resulted in him capturing iconic images, including of legendary pop diva Brenda Fassie in her hospital bed. 

Daily Sun editor Mapula Nkosi said Nxumalo had a deep heart and unique talent.

Nkosi added that although 2020 was and continued to be a tough year due to the constraints of Covid-19, Nxumalo maintained his exuberant spirit. 

WATCH | Daily Sun remembers photojournalist Lucky Nxumalo

"He had this smile… I tell people that he walked into a room with his noise, his noise that was uniquely a very beautiful noise. Noise is disturbing, noise is irritating to the ear [and] brain but Lucky gets into a room with his booming voice, his big smile and he talks good and he gives you good," she said. 

Nxumalo touched many lives and gave himself to everyone, Nkosi continued, adding she would at times ask his wife whether he had "anything left for his family because he was too generous". 

She added Nxumalo always served with a smile, no matter the story he was covering. 

His colleague from Daily Sun, Mmapakiso Lentsa, described how he had become more than just a co-worker but family to her.

Lentsa said she had learnt a lot from Nxumalo, including loving selflessly. 

"He actually was a person who would criticise you [and] at the same time make you understand that criticism, like rain, is there to nourish a man's growth without destroying its roots. I am so going to miss him," she added.  

Motaung added there would be times where she did not have a photographer to go on a sudden assignment during the night or out of town, but Nxumalo would always come to the rescue and go without hesitation.

Nxumalo has also been hailed for his work ethic.

Among those who attended the memorial service was Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele who shared anecdotes about how he worked with him from back when he was an investigating officer to being in the police's communications department. 

"What will surprise is you is that Lucky would know more than us about these criminals. And you could not know how this man knew about this information because it looked like he was more ahead of our intelligence in SAPS. 

"Even when I came to the communication [department], he would wake me up to say, 'Are you still asleep?' And by that time it is 01:00… He would say he is standing by the scene and by that time no police officer is at the scene but Lucky would be there," Makhubele said. 

Nxumalo will be buried on Thursday.