MC Luigi de Klerk gets President Jacob Zuma and Helen Zille jiving The Kaapse Klopse community has been plunged into mourning following the death of Luigi de Klerk, a legendary figure in Cape Town’s iconic minstrel tradition. Luigi, known for his showmanship and contributions to the cultural heritage of the Cape, passed away on Saturday. Hailing from Bridgetown, Luigi often filled the Athlone Stadium with his energy and humour and kept fans entertained during the Klopse season.
Sadly, Luigi died on Saturday as a preview of the Kaapse Klopse Karnival Association (KKKA) was held in Kenilworth, casting a shadow on the rest of this year’s build-up to Cape Town Minstrel Carnival on Tweede Nuwejaar (January 2 2026). Luigi’s sister, Sandra de Klerk, said that he died in the early hours of Saturday morning after falling into a diabetic coma last Monday after a long illness and developing hypoxia in the brain. She said: “He wasn’t well this year and his health deteriorated.
“Last Monday he fell into a diabetic coma at home. “After a long wait, the paramedics immediately incubated him and rushed him to hospital. “They admitted him to ICU.
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But the following day, they told the family that things are not looking good and extubated him. He survived until Saturday morning 2.15am.” Sandra added that the family planned to have his funeral next Monday at St Georges Anglican Church in Silvertown.
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