[Image: Gencraft /AI]
Death might be the ultimate buzzkill, but clearly, that hasn’t stopped the grieving from pulling out all the stops — and their wallets.
These days, it’s all about the VIP lounge setup under a stretch marquee, canapés in one hand, shots in the other, while the dearly departed get serenaded like A-listers on their way to the pearly gates. Who knew funerals were the new music festivals?
And now, just when you thought the world couldn’t get any weirder, along comes the plot twist: funeral awards are officially a thing. No, really. Durban just hosted what can only be described as the Grammys for grief, and guess who cleaned up? None other than AKA’s send-off, iHarare notes.
Yep, South Africans are still busy clutching their parlemoens over the idea of turning funerals into prize-winning productions.
For the uninitiated, South African rapper Kiernan Forbes, AKA, was gunned down on February 10, 2023, in Durban. His death rocked the nation, and his funeral, in some dystopian effort to match, was no quiet backyard affair. This was a headline-making, industry-stopping, state-attended spectacle.
The guest list looked like the RSVP roster for a government gala, with celebs, politicians, family, friends, and fans all turning up for what was arguably the most star-studded final bow the country’s seen. There were tributes, performances, and tears — the works. And while the burial was kept private, the memorial at the Sandton Convention Centre played out like a live-streamed farewell concert for the masses.
Fast-forward two years, and the whole affair has scored big at the inaugural National Funeral Business Lifetime Achievement Awards because, apparently, we now hand out trophies for the “best buried.”
While funeral parlour owners swear it’s all about “dignity” and definitely not about cashing in, the sheer amount of money flowing through South Africa’s R10 billion funeral industry is enough to raise the dead — or at least a few eyebrows.
According to TimesLIVE, the awards rolled out the red carpet for undertakers and funeral parlour owners who “buried best” — and social media? Well, the internet did what the internet does. Cue the outrage, the side-eyes, and the memes.
IN PICS | AKA sendoff wins big at funeral awardshttps://t.co/JrKgcXwpsJ pic.twitter.com/Mq4qaWMi6I
— Times LIVE (@TimesLIVE) April 13, 2025
Here’s how South Africans are digesting this peak-capitalism plot:
@Keabetswe Thebe-Pilane; Yah neh, when did we arrive here
@Lesiba Morudi; This is some crazy demonic shxxxt
@Sizwe Gatsheni; So this is a thing now? Funerals have become a competition. This entire notion is diabolical
@Yolanda Van Wyk; It must have been a morbid affair Same as saying who died the best. Senseless morons..What’s next?the cutest corpse?
@Thulani Ndinga Mbekeni;We now have competitions for best funerals . South Africa is the only country that stresses God
Sies.
Baroka Funerals wins at the 2025 National Funeral Business Awards!
Honoured for Powerful Visual Identity & Brand Excellence.
Thank you to our team, clients & partners — we share this win with you!#BarokaFunerals #AwardWinning #BlackExcellence #FuneralIndustry pic.twitter.com/KNDBSQx1ZG
— Baroka (@Baroka_Funerals) April 9, 2025
Who knew that resting in peace meant vying for the best trophy cabinet?
[Source: iHarare]
