The Free State Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation (DSACR) is saddened by the untimely passing of a celebrated artist from the Free State Province Mr. Itumeleng Marema, who met his untimely death on the 23rd of July 2026 at the young age of 27.
Born on the 7th August 1998 in Theunissen, Mr Marema was an acclaimed gospel singer and songwriter, his work was recognised by his peers and the broader arts community with recent nominations for “Best Afro Pop/Soul”, “Best Styled Artist”, “Best Male Artist” and “Best Newcomer” at the 2026 Annual Central Music Awards. Notably, Mr Marema was scheduled to performance alongside Joyous Celebration this weekend in Bloemfontein and was booked to perform at the 2026 MACUFE Gospel Festival.
Commenting about the passing of this musical maestro, MEC Ntombizanele Sifuba stated that, “On behalf of the cultural sector in the Free State Province, we wish to express our condolences and sympathy to the family, friends, fellow artists and the music fraternity as a whole following the untimely passing of Itumeleng Marema. Itumeleng’s passing is not only a loss for the province, but a loss for the entire entertainment industry as his death has robbed the country of a rising star who still had a significant contribution to make in the industry”
