Listen | Family feud over Steve Kekana’s fortune leaves his grave bare

An unresolved and bitter legal dispute over the estate of late music icon Steve Kekana, who died in 2021, continues to drive a wedge through his family.

His five children, aged between 38 and 48, are pleading poverty and blame their stepmother, Nontsikelelo Kekana, for delays in resolving the dispute and dividing their father’s estate.

Nontsikelelo blocked the division of the estate and took the matter to Limpopo high court in 2022, claiming Kekana had appointed her as the executor through a will he allegedly signed with his thumbprint a year before he died.

The will allegedly states that Nontsikelelo will take over Kekana’s two houses and that she will get 50% of his money, while the other half is divided among her two children she brought into the marriage.

LISTEN | The dispute over the estate of the late singer Steve Kekana has divided his family, with his children claiming poverty as the court challenge by his ex-wife drags on. One of Steve’s daughters, Tebogo Nyathi, shares her side of the story. To get more on this, visit… pic.twitter.com/1lpmnWk0JM

Nontsikelelo also attempted to nullify her July 2017 divorce which Kekana had initiated and had it decreed with a 50/50 split of his estate − between himself and Nontsikelelo.

Nontsikelelo claimed she and Kekana had rekindled their marriage in a church ceremony held six months after their divorce.

However, Kekana’s children dispute this, claiming Nontsikelelo’s tactics were also delaying the erection of a tombstone for their father in Limpopo.

Kekana’s son Thabiso Masoga said the state of his father’s grave was disappointing, particularly for a learned lawyer and musician who overcame blindness to become a celebrated star.

“During the burial there was a service provider with a tombstone but they were turned away because it was too small. But since then we have not heard anything because we were not privy to every detail of the funeral,” Masoga said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa accorded Kekana a Special Provincial Official Funeral Category 2, costing the state R400,000.

“The legal battle has taken a toll on me financially and I can’t afford it anymore as I have depleted the little funds I had in order to seek justice,” Masoga said.

When approached for comment, Nontsikelelo accused Sowetan of interfering in family matters.

“Why are you involving yourself on matters that don’t concern you, whether there is a tombstone or not is none of your business. Where did you get my number? I want you to tell me first who gave you my number,” she said.