His unshakeable joy in living was born of courage and knowledge that his death would be soon.
But one-armed Eastern Cape journalist Simpiwe Piliso, 42, who died in East London last week after having had a heart transplant earlier in the year, was yesterday remembered with deep love, respect, sorrow and humour by his family, friends and journalism colleagues at a memorial service.
About 130 people gathered at the Catholic church of Immaculate Conception in Albany Road, East London, where tales of his energised, vivid journalism were recalled by friends and colleagues Mphumzi Zuzile, Mesuli Zifo, Ayanda Ramncwana and Daily Dispatch editor Sibusiso Ngalwa.
His sisters Kanyiso Piliso and Lucy Brown recalled his favourite advice “Yolo” – you only live once, and: “Rela-a-ax! Take it easy”.
But Piliso’s humour belied an underlying personal story of suffering. The young reporter lost an arm in a car crash on the then-dirt road from Kei Mouth, and had a number of near death experiences when he suffered from heart disease in 2008.
Ngalwa, who worked with Piliso on the Sunday Times, said: “Simpiwe went through so much. He stared death in the face so many times that he cherished every single moment. He took photographs everywhere he went. He looked at life differently. He was not afraid to die, and would talk about his near death experiences with such humour.”
Ngalwa said Piliso had the creative daring to drum up four stories at a time and pitch them like a master salesman at Sunday Times news conferences. He would even have a go at writing his introductions and structuring a story before he’d nailed the interviews, and then he’d work furiously to see if they panned out, always penning his copy on time for deadline.
Zifo described how, when he and Piliso were young reporters-in-training at East Cape News, they were sent to cover a journalism protest at the Daily Dispatch.
Then Dispatch news editor Lew Elias had sent them off saying they should tell their editor to know “which side his bread is buttered on”, but under Piliso’s guidance the pair had filed a story which was published.
“We used it later to get jobs at the Daily Dispatch!”
Ramncwana said Piliso was able to pick up any story and file an insightful piece.
Zuzile said Piliso was a wonderful friend, but when it came to stories, as news editor of the Daily Dispatch, he would say: “Chief, I just want my stories. Go and find them.
However, there was also a sensitive side to Piliso who “kept a whole lot inside”, said sister Kanyiso Piliso.
Among the scores of photographs of Piliso with his four children, and his wife Sange, was one titled: “Introvert: I write before I speak”.
He will be buried in his home village near Ngcobo this weekend.
Former colleagues fondly remember respected reporter
But one-armed Eastern Cape journalist Simpiwe Piliso, 42, who died in East London last week after having had a heart transplant earlier in the year, was yesterday remembered with deep love, respect, sorrow and humour by his family, friends and journalism colleagues at a memorial service.
About 130 people gathered at the Catholic church of Immaculate Conception in Albany Road, East London, where tales of his energised, vivid journalism were recalled by friends and colleagues Mphumzi Zuzile, Mesuli Zifo, Ayanda Ramncwana and Daily Dispatch editor Sibusiso Ngalwa.
His sisters Kanyiso Piliso and Lucy Brown recalled his favourite advice “Yolo” – you only live once, and: “Rela-a-ax! Take it easy”.
But Piliso’s humour belied an underlying personal story of suffering. The young reporter lost an arm in a car crash on the then-dirt road from Kei Mouth, and had a number of near death experiences when he suffered from heart disease in 2008.
Ngalwa, who worked with Piliso on the Sunday Times, said: “Simpiwe went through so much. He stared death in the face so many times that he cherished every single moment. He took photographs everywhere he went. He looked at life differently. He was not afraid to die, and would talk about his near death experiences with such humour.”
Ngalwa said Piliso had the creative daring to drum up four stories at a time and pitch them like a master salesman at Sunday Times news conferences. He would even have a go at writing his introductions and structuring a story before he’d nailed the interviews, and then he’d work furiously to see if they panned out, always penning his copy on time for deadline.
Zifo described how, when he and Piliso were young reporters-in-training at East Cape News, they were sent to cover a journalism protest at the Daily Dispatch.
Then Dispatch news editor Lew Elias had sent them off saying they should tell their editor to know “which side his bread is buttered on”, but under Piliso’s guidance the pair had filed a story which was published.
“We used it later to get jobs at the Daily Dispatch!”
Ramncwana said Piliso was able to pick up any story and file an insightful piece.
Zuzile said Piliso was a wonderful friend, but when it came to stories, as news editor of the Daily Dispatch, he would say: “Chief, I just want my stories. Go and find them.
However, there was also a sensitive side to Piliso who “kept a whole lot inside”, said sister Kanyiso Piliso.
Among the scores of photographs of Piliso with his four children, and his wife Sange, was one titled: “Introvert: I write before I speak”.
He will be buried in his home village near Ngcobo this weekend.
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