MASERU — The entertainment industry was this week plunged into mourning following the sudden death of DJ Kennysto, above, one of the country’s finest jockeys.
DJ Kennysto, who was turning 30 on August 23, was pronounced dead on arrival at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital on Tuesday morning.
He complained of running short of breath and collapsed while visiting a friend in town, according to Queens Entertainment manager Halerekoe Moshoeshoe, better known as DJ Hally.
DJ Kennysto was part of Queens Entertainment, run by former radio personality Queen of Denver whose real name is Refiloe Mohlotsane.
Queen told the Lesotho Times they suspected DJ Kennysto could have succumbed to complications linked to injuries he sustained when he was bashed with the butt of a gun by members of the South African Police Service last September.
DJ Kennysto and a colleague were assaulted by the police officers after a misunderstanding at the Maseru Bridge border post, according to Queen.
She said only last week DJ Kennysto and the colleague won an assault case against the South African cops in a Ladybrand court.
Queen said DJ Kennysto had been seeing doctors since then, although he had continued
performing on the entertainment circuit.
The Lesotho Times could neither independently verify the assault incident nor the said court proceedings.
A post-mortem is expected to reveal the cause of the shock death.
DJ Hally said his colleague became unconscious and was rushed to Queen Elizabeth II Hospital on Tuesday.
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He said DJ Kennysto could have died before he even reached the hospital.
“Kennysto died this morning (Tuesday) after he gave people he was with some problems,” DJ Hally told the Lesotho Times.
“He visited his friend at NSS (National Security Services) offices where he ran short of breath and became unconscious.
“After that, he was rushed to hospital but he died on the way.”
DJ Hally, however, said he could not talk much about his colleague’s death because they were yet to meet with DJ Kennysto’s family.
“I cannot talk much about his death until we’ve discussed it with his family,” he said.
Born Kenneth Mosala, DJ Kennysto burst onto the entertainment scene in the 1990s.
DJ Counterforce is credited with grooming DJ Kennysto who rose to stardom by playing kwaito music in clubs and at shows around the country.
DJ Kennysto featured at the popular Vodacom Summa Feva as well as the Morija Arts and Cultural Festival, just to mention a few.
“His death shocked all of us,” Queen said. “We’ll miss him a lot because he was undoubtedly one of the best DJs in the country.”
DJ Kennysto was single and had no children.