‘Bantu Holomisa does a perfect impersonation of Madiba’ says Carolyn Steyn
Steyn described Holomisa’s visit as a temporary relief from so much pain after losing her sister and husband.
After spending time with UDM leader Bantu Holomisa, Carolyn Steyn said the Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans does a perfect impersonation of Nelson Mandela.
“Holomisa does a perfect impersonation of Madiba,” said Steyn in a post in which she was photographed with Holomisa.
According to Steyn, the UDM leader had come to pay his condolences after Steyn lost her sister and husband this year.
Steyn became a widow earlier this year after her husband, billionaire Douw Steyn, passed away.
Steyn’s younger sister, Sharon, died a few months after that. Steyn described the visit as a temporary relief from so much pain and numbness.
“This is surely the worst time in my entire life losing my husband and sister in the space of just eight months,” she wrote.
“The general came to offer his condolences after the devastating loss of my little sister Sharon. Thank you Bantu Holomisa. Your friendship and support over the years means the world to me,” she wrote.
Douw is thought to have struggled with illness for a few years, while Sharon lost her battle with cancer.
“Your pain and suffering is now over. For that I am relieved. You were planning on beating cancer. We were planning on so many more memories to make. You even put them in the calendar,” wrote Steyn after Sharon’s passing.
Despite Steyn’s heartfelt message, some people criticised Holomisa for dining with her.
The way General has become like a puppy its painful. What happened to our own General Bantu Holomisa mara? pic.twitter.com/8DfiWtLvDy
— Commissioner General Mkhwanazi (@GeneralMkhwanaz) November 13, 2025
“Lamasela” doesn’t even speak in Parliament anymore. Yoooh, what the ANC did to General Bantu Holomisa can never be undone! pic.twitter.com/HoY182ImGK
— 🇿🇦 Apostle Dr D Mekgwe🇹🇼 (@ApostleDeza) November 12, 2025
ALSO READ: Carolyn Steyn surges on with ‘Hugest Happiness Blanket in the World’ after Douwe’s death
Steyn soldiering on
Despite losing her husband and while in mourning, Steyn continued with her philanthropic initiative of knitting blankets for those in need.
“The ethos of 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day has always been about spreading warmth and happiness,” she said a month after Douw’s passing.
“It’s a privilege to bring this initiative to Nelson Mandela University, a place that embodies Madiba’s values of compassion and community upliftment, under the perfect banner of happiness and unity.”
On 20 March, which was also the United Nations International Day of Happiness, Steyn’s 67 Blankets was at Nelson Mandela University.
This year’s anniversary celebrations kicked off the Journey to the Hugest Happiness Blanket initiative, where all collected blankets formed part of the iconic Hugest Happiness Blanket destined for the Eastern Cape.
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