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The University of South Africa (Unisa) bid farewell to its Ombudsman, the late Advocate Sobantu Alexander Mlonzi on 13 January 2010 by hosting a memorial service at the Dr. Miriam Makeba Concert Hall. The venue, packed to capacity with family, friends, Congress men and women, staff and students, reinforced the great impact and stature of the deceased Adv Mlonzi, who tragically passed away on 28 December 2009.
The high-profile speakers who came to pay tribute, included Judge President Somyalo (Judge President of the Eastern Cape), Advocate DB Ntsebeza (National Chair: Advocates for Transformation), Mr MP Giyose, a former friend and comrade and Prof N Barney Pityana (Principal and Vice Chancellor of Unisa) as well as Mr Manqina (family representative).
“At the University of South Africa we have been privileged to work closely with Mr Sobantu Mlonzi in his last years. We never saw him as a fading star but a shining light right through. I always harboured the hope that by having someone like him at our university he would inspire a younger generation of students to become thought leaders for our country at their own time,” said Prof Barney Pityana.
On a lighter and more personal level, Prof Pityana described Adv Mlonzi as a private, though downright persuasive person, who enjoyed a healthy lifestyle. Prof Pityana’s sentiments were echoed by the speakers, who further remembered him as “a man of letters”, discreet in nature and nothing but a “shining star”.
Personal encounters, academic accomplishments and heartfelt sentiments were shared by the Honourable Judge President of the Eastern Cape, Judge President Somyalo who had known Advocate Mlonzi for more 50 years.
“If you have known someone that long, one is never certain how to summarize everything in a limited space of time,” said the Honourable Judge President Somyalo. What commanded his attention had been Advocate Mlonzi’s high standard of opinions which were often very well researched.
Stories form the days at Lovedale School captivated the audience who were told of Advocate Mlonzi’s innate passion for classical music, art, healthy food, studying and politics. Advocate Ntsebeza spoke of how Advocate had not arrived to be a guest speaker at his birthday party, but had arrived the next evening and said to him all of the things that should have been shared the previous evening.. Struggles, commitments and life encounters were presented to the captive audience in arguments, stories and fond memories.
“The word sobantu means ‘a people’s person’. As a family, what we saw during this difficult time was that Sobantu had many sobantus (many people) who carried him up and walked the journey of life with him.
"I am not going to single anyone out because our collective effort is the reason why we are here at this memorial and together we are giving him a dignified farewell. Thank you to Unisa and everyone for wiping our tears; the family shall cry no more. I want to thank you a billion times,” concluded Mr. Manqina on behalf of the family of the deceased. | 
