Legendary SA singer, Ray Phiri has died
Raymond Chikapa Enock Phiri, known as Ray Phiri passed away in a hospital in in Mbombela on Wednesday.
Tributes started pouring in for the veteran singer who was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
He was born in Mpumalanga on the 23 March 1947 and the South African jazz and fusion musician became a founding member of the Cannibals in the 1970s.
When the Cannibals disbanded Ray founded Stimela, with whom he conceived gold and platinum-selling albums like Fire, Passion and Ecstacy, Look, Listen and Decide.
Phiri has received many awards in recognition for his contribution in the music industry, one of these is the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver awarded to him by the South African president.
The MEC for Education in Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi also paid tribute to Phiri during a media briefing on Wednesday.