The creative community joined relatives and friends at the Joburg Theatre in Braamfontein on Wednesday to honour the life and legacy of late cultural icon Maria McCloy.
Family, friends and creative community gather at Joburg Theatre to bid farewell to publicist, artist died last week at a Johannesburg hospital due to heart failure.
Author and poet Lebo Mashile opened proceedings with a heartfelt tribute reflecting on McCloy’s life, while parish minister Mpumi Nkosi-Stevens followed with prayer.
Family representatives Neo Makhake and Patricia Harrison shared touching memories of McCloy, painting a portrait of someone who carried both immense vision and deep compassion. They added that she was someone who made people feel seen, whether they were family, collaborators or strangers finding their footing in Joburg’s demanding creative industries.
Veteran musician Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse echoed the same sentiment, describing McCloy as “an angel” and “the most loving person”. But even those words, he admitted, felt too small for someone whose influence stretched far beyond SA’s borders.
“Maria was a global figure,” he said. “She took SA to the rest of the world, and the rest of the world recognised our country because of Maria.”
The emotional weight of the gathering deepened when Thandiswa Mazwai and iComplete took to the stage for a moving tribute performance. Their music filled the theatre with both sorrow and celebration, honouring a woman whose life was devoted to culture, storytelling and creative expression.
For makeup artist and close friend Bongi Mlotshwa, McCloy’s kindness lived in the quieter gestures, the moments many people overlook.
“Maria would always ask if we were okay,” she said tearfully. “People don’t think about makeup artists, but she did. She gave me so much love and work when I needed it.”
Mlotshwa recalled how McCloy constantly connected creatives to opportunities, opening doors without expecting anything in return.
Their final photograph together, taken in August at McCloy’s request, now carries a heartbreaking significance. “Little did I know it was going to be our first and last picture,” she said.
Fashion designer Thula Sindi offered one of the most layered reflections, describing McCloy as both visionary and bridge-builder – someone who understood fashion, art and culture as living archives of African identity.
“Maria was a genius in the real sense,” Sindi said.
“She knew how to apply herself. She had taste, instinct and curiosity. She was passionate about championing craftspeople, textile workers and young creatives, especially in the difficult years following the Covid-19 pandemic.
“While many industries struggled to recover, Maria didn’t despair, she continued to connect people, introducing artists to collaborators and reminding creatives of the value in African craftsmanship. She kept us together. Creativity can be isolating, but Maria created a community.”
As the memorial service drew to a close, one truth lingered – McCloy was more than a cultural figure. She left a long-lasting legacy as a connector, storyteller, mentor and an eternal believer in Johannesburg’s creative spirit.
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