Busisiwe Lurayi, star of the Netflix series How To Ruin Christmas, has passed away suddenly at the age of 36.
News of Lurayi's passing was shared by her talent agency, Eye Media Artists, in a post on their Instagram account which revealed the cause of death is still unknown.
The agency said it was 'deeply saddened' to share the news about the 'beloved' actor, adding: "Busisiwe passed away suddenly and was pronounced dead at her residence on Sunday 10.07.2022 by medical personnel.
"The reason for her death is still unknown as we await the results of the autopsy report. We humbly request that you allow us as the family to come to terms with this tragic news."
Concluding the statement, Eye Media Artists thanked fans for their support and assured it would 'provide future information as soon as it has been made available'.
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Born in South Africa, Lurayi played the role of Tumi Sello in the 2020 Netflix series How To Ruin Christmas, a follow up of which was released in December 2021.
As well as the Netflix series, the actor is known for playing Phumzile on City Ses'la and lawyer Winnie Molepo in the drama Sokhulu & Partners. She also appeared on the ITV drama series Wild At Heart, Home Affairs, prison drama Lockdown and medical drama series Vutha.
Fans took to social media to pay their respects and express their sadness over the loss of the actor, describing her as 'beautiful' and a 'great actress'.
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One fan wrote: "Noooooooooooo this is the worst news. was not expecting this. How to Ruin Christmas will never be the same without you Busi."
Another commented: "Her smile and excellent talent will be sorely missed on our screen."
The SABC, the national public broadcaster in South Africa, also paid tribute to the late actor in a post on Twitter, writing: "The SABC is saddened by the untimely passing of the stage & screen actress Busisiwe Lurayi. She will be remembered for her talent and commitment to the craft. Condolences to the Lurayi family, friends and fans."
Production company Clive Morris Productions added: "We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate passing of Busisiwe Lurayi who we had the pleasure of working with on Vuthua where she played “Lungile Asumadu”. The industry has lost a great talent."
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Lurayi is survived by her daughter, who was featured in some of the actor's last Instagram posts just a couple of weeks ago.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677
Topics: Netflix, Celebrity, Film and TV
Emily Brown