Tributes started pouring in after the well-known gospel singer and former police officer, Pastor Itani Phineas Randima (67) of Mutshenzheni village near Dziamauli in the Mutale area, died on Saturday (30 January).
The family spokesperson, Nndateni Randima, who is also the younger brother of the deceased, said that Itani started singing gospel songs in 1978. He helped form the group Venda Northern Trumpets, which originally started as the Mutale Venda Band. The first album, Hee inwi dzithavha, was followed by Hee Samuele, which also competed with internationally renowned groups such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Randima developed a love for gospel songs early in his life. He also enjoyed Tshivenda jazz songs and entered these for various competitions that were staged and organized by the then Radio Venda (now PhalaPhala FM). He was a regular winner of such competitions.
He joined the police services in 1984 and worked his way up to the rank of warrant officer. He was later attached to the Limpopo police band, based in Sibasa. He retired from the police services some six years ago, opting to concentrate on the church where he served as a pastor.
His close friend and a former acting commander of the Limpopo police band, Captain Carlton Maluta Nduvheni, described the late Randima as a humble man who respected everybody, even people much younger than him.
"Because of his experience in singing, he helped us when we started the police choir in 1998. He was a singer and played the trumpet. (Together) we have recruited many young and upcoming people interested in singing and some have now started to make a name for themselves in the industry," said Capt Nduvheni.
He leaves behind his wife, Virginia Randima, and five children. He will be laid to rest on Friday, 5 February, at the Mutshenzheni village graveyard under strict Covid-19 regulations.