Current:Home > InvestMbongeni Ngema, South African playwright and creator of 'Sarafina!,' has died at 68 -ProfitLogic
Mbongeni Ngema, South African playwright and creator of 'Sarafina!,' has died at 68
View
Date:2025-04-17 07:08:12
JOHANNESBURG — Renowned South African playwright, producer and composer Mbongeni Ngema has died in a car crash at the age of 68, his family said.
"Ngema was killed in a head-on car accident while returning from a funeral he was attending in Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape this evening," his family said in a statement Wednesday. The celebrated playwright was a passenger in the vehicle involved in the crash.
He was best known for creating the hit Sarafina! which first premiered on Broadway in 1988. It was adapted into a musical drama starring Whoopi Goldberg in 1992, becoming an international success and was nominated for the Tony and Grammy Awards.
Sarafina! told the story of a young student and how she inspired her peers to fight against racial segregation in apartheid South Africa after her teacher was thrown in jail.
Apartheid was an institutionalized system that discriminated against non-whites and ensured South Africa was ruled by the minority white population from 1948 till the early 1990s.
Ngema's body of work included the lauded theatre production Woza Albert, which first showed in 1981 and went on to win more than 20 awards across the world. The political satire explored the second coming of Jesus Christ as a black man, returning to South Africa as a black man.
Tributes to the noted playwright have been pouring in.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa praised the late Ngema in a statement.
"The many productions he created or to which he contributed inspired resilience and pride among us as fellow South Africans and took South Africa and our continent into the theatres, homes and consciousness of millions of people around the world," Ramaphosa said Thursday.
South Africa's ruling African National Congress party and one of its biggest rivals, the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters both conveyed their condolences.
The ANC said in a statement: "He was a globally acclaimed playwright, composer and producer. We have lost a true legend, a doyen, and a genuine ambassador of theatre."
The Leftist party described him as "more than just an artist; he was a cultural icon, and a beacon of hope during some of our darkest times".
Zizi Kodwa, South African minister of sports, arts and culture Zizi Kodwa said in a tweet Negma's loss was significant to the South African art scene adding that his work "touched and moved audiences around the world and made an important contribution in telling the South African story."
veryGood! (55)
Related
- B.A. Parker is learning the banjo
- Celine Dion talks stiff-person syndrome impact on voice: 'Like somebody is strangling you'
- United States men's national soccer team friendly vs. Colombia: How to watch, rosters
- Demand for food delivery has skyrocketed. So have complaints about some drivers
- Hackers hit Rhode Island benefits system in major cyberattack. Personal data could be released soon
- Who are the highest-paid players in the WNBA? A list of the top 10 salaries in 2024.
- Ariana Grande's The Boy Is Mine Video Features Cameos From Brandy, Monica and More
- Wisconsin Republican leader Robin Vos says recall petition effort against him failed
- Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
- Score $98 Worth of Peter Thomas Skincare for Just $38, Plus More Flash Deals You Don’t Want To Miss
Ranking
- Federal hiring is about to get the Trump treatment
- Real Housewives of Dubai's Caroline Stanbury Shares Reality Of Having a Baby at 48
- 2024 cicada map: Where to find Brood XIII, Brood XIX around the Midwest and Southeast
- Lionel Messi won't close door on playing in 2026 World Cup with Argentina
- Woman dies after Singapore family of 3 gets into accident in Taiwan
- National Doughnut (or Donut) Day: Which spelling is right? Dictionaries have an answer.
- Ford recalls more than 8,000 Mustangs for increased fire risk due to leaking clutch fluid
- John Stamos talks rocking through Beach Boys stage fails, showtime hair, Bob Saget lessons
Recommendation
Man can't find second winning lottery ticket, sues over $394 million jackpot, lawsuit says
E! Readers Can’t Get Enough of This Red Light Mask That Makes Your Skin Glow: Get It Now
Real Housewives of Dubai's Caroline Stanbury Shares Reality Of Having a Baby at 48
Who will win Stanley Cup? Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers picks, predictions and odds
NHL in ASL returns, delivering American Sign Language analysis for Deaf community at Winter Classic
Score $98 Worth of Peter Thomas Skincare for Just $38, Plus More Flash Deals You Don’t Want To Miss
How Pat Sajak Exited Wheel of Fortune After More Than 40 Years
Gay man says Qatar authorities lured him via dating app, planted drugs and subjected him to unfair trial