The late singer and songwriter Winnie Khumalo has been hailed as a prolific performer whose body of work will live-on for generations to come.

A memorial service was held at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg to celebrate Khumalo’s life.

She died on Tuesday last week at the age of 51 after a short illness.

Music producer Chicco Twala, who worked with the late Khumalo for over three decades, has described her as a vibrant, energetic and hardworking performer.

Twala says her death is a huge loss to the music industry.

“Winnie was 14 when I met her in Diepkloof and what a dancer, what a singer and I always told her that that the way she sings, Brenda Fassie must watch out. We also used to fight a lot, I remember there was a time when I made a decision that the person that should sing this song is Winnie because we wanted something that would bring back the spirit of Brenda Fassie.”

Winnie Khumalo memorial service