Online Reporter
Langalakhe Mabena, Zimpapers Arts & Entertainment Hub
TODAY marks exactly five years since the tragic death of Bulawayo’s King of Hip-Hop, Mgcini “Cal_Vin” Nhliziyo and still, no justice has been served. The rapper’s mother, Sinikiwe Luphahla, says her heart remains shattered and her son’s spirit restless as the man behind the hit-and-run that killed him continues to roam free.
Cal_Vin, who was struck by a white Mazda Familiar just a few metres from his Luveve 5 home on October 24, 2020, died on the spot. The artiste, who once ruled the city’s music charts, left behind a legacy that continues to echo through Bulawayo’s sound systems and murals, but for his mother, every note still feels like a knife to the heart.
“I always see my son in dreams. Since his death, I have never found peace,” Luphahla told B-Metro. “I moved from Luveve to Cowdray Park because passing through that place where he was dragged to death still haunts me. It’s been five years, but the pain feels like yesterday. The person who killed him is still free while I live with unanswered questions.”
Cal_Vin’s mother described him not just as a son but as a friend who shared everything with her. “When he was alive, I smiled every day. Since he passed, that smile is gone. I lost a part of myself with him.”
The grief deepened last month when Bulawayo also lost Cal_Vin’s close friend, media personality Babongile Sikhonjwa, and arts administrator Desire “Moyoxide” Moyo. “Sikhonjwa was like my son too,” Luphahla said. “He comforted me after Cal_Vin’s death and made sure his friend got a decent tombstone unveiling. It hurts that now both of them are gone.”
While Luphahla prays for closure, the investigation into her son’s death remains painfully stagnant. National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi, confirmed that the case is still open. “Investigations are still ongoing in connection with the hit-and-run that killed the late musician, Kelvin Nhliziyo. We remain in contact with the family and continue to appeal for information that may lead to identifying the suspect,” he said.
But for many in Bulawayo’s arts circles, those words sound all too familiar — the same promise repeated year after year while the city’s brightest star still lies in the cold ground with no justice served.
As candles are lit today in Luveve, one message rings loud: the music lives on, but justice remains silent.
