Tragic, shocking news: Gugu Zulu dies on Kilimanjaro

Written by Tashi from the blog Tashi's TV on 18 Jul 2016
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This is terrible, gut wrenching news sweet readers... racing driver and TV personality Gugu Zulu has died.

He was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with his wife Letshego as part of the Trek4Mandela initiative and experienced breathing problems which he never recovered from.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation released a statement about it this morning saying: "The medical team supporting the trek put him on a drip and they descended the mountain with him. We are informed that the medical teams tried everything possible to save his life."

You'll find their full statement here: Statement on the passing of Gugu Zulu

I'm shocked-shocked-shocked and heartbroken by the news because we've known him so well on TVSA. Gugu was a presenter on the SABC motoring show Car Torque and was on the fifth season of Strictly Come Dancing in 2008.

The whole cast blogged the season on TVSA and Gugu became known as Blogzilla because his blogs were so excellent and caused such drama behind-the-scenes that he was Blogzilla through-and-through.

This is a link to his blog: SCD5: Gugu Zulu.

Over time I got to know both Gugu and Letshego because I often caught up with them at TV events. They were a thrill seeking, reality TV loving combo. They've been on three reality shows between them. Letshego was on Fear Factor in 2006, Gugu did SCD in 2008 and Letshego was on Survivor SA in 2011 where she made the final two.

Their big dream was to race The Amazing Race together. They were team LeGugu. Inseperable, so tight, such soulmates in the very strictest sense of the word. They were together for 13-and-a-half-years before they tied the knot in 2014 and they had their daughter Lelethu in June 2015.

Here are links to two stories about the build-up to their wedding:

Gugu Zulu: the slowest brother in Africa

Gugu pops the question (eventually!)

It's impossible to imagine what it must be like for Letshego - too crushing to even begin to imagine. There are no words that can properly convey how much my heart goes out to her. All I can say is that my deepest and most sincere condolences go out to her and to the rest of Gugu's family.

Gugu was so full of life and energy and an infectious zest for life. He will always be the fastest brother in Africa.

RIP Gugu.

Actors in this post: Gugu Zulu, Letshego Zulu

Shows in this post: Car Torque, Strictly Come Dancing, Survivor South Africa

4 Comments

Timone
18 Jul 2016 14:16

Shocking, unbelievable. I truly have no words. They ascended Kilimanjaro together and not to descend together. Its so hearbreaking to go through his Facebook page. May God grant his wife strength. Rest in peace Gugu, in the words of Maya Angelou, "His day is done".

Scorpio11
18 Jul 2016 14:22

My goodness I'm still shocked. My heart breaks for Letshego and their baby girl. May his soul rest in peace. Condolences to his friends and family

qaqamba
18 Jul 2016 15:34

i cried ladies this morning ,, this is really sad,, Life is too short,, do your BEST NOW.. dont wait for 2mrr.
Lesego still young to be a widow i feel your pain and your heart .. UVE WON THE RACE GUGU.. REST IN PEACE BHUTI..

Ingenuity
19 Jul 2016 13:26

They were interviewing him last week on sunrise and he showed such passion for the cause and he was so excited at the prospect of climbing Kilimanjaro. This makes me very sad indeed.

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