Winston Ntshona obit

Theatre doyen Winston Ntshona dies

 

He was not on the list.

South African theatre great and anti-apartheid activist Winston Ntshona has died.

Ntshona’s son Lawula confirmed that the icon had died at 8am on Thursday. 

Lawula said Nthsona, 76, had been ill for the past eight years.

“Thus far we are just reeling in shock but we are coming together as a family,” he said.

Lawula added that the family intended on releasing a statement later on Thursday.

Ntshona started his career in 1965 when he formed the Serpent Players in Port Elizabeth with playwright Athol Fugard and actor John Kani.

Together they created pioneering South African plays.

Ntshona’s work with Kani on the stage achieved global recognition.

Both have won numerous awards for their contribution to theatre, including Broadway’s prestigious Tony Award in 1975 for writing and acting in Sizwe Banzi Is Dead.

In 2010 Ntshona was among the recipients of the National Orders Awards.

Ntshona, who lived in New Brighton, was among the 37 individuals and organisations, including academics, struggle icons, sportsmen and leaders in the arts who received the award from former President Jacob Zuma at the Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria.

Ntshona was honoured in the category of Ikhamanga, together with the late City Press editor Percy Qoboza.

At the time, Zuma said Ntshona used the stage to expose life under apartheid to the world.

In 2012 streets in the arts precinct of Central in Port Elizabeth had their names changed in honour of Ntshona and fellow theatre stalwarts John Kani and Athol Fugard.

Chapel Street was changed to Winston Ntshona Street.

Filmography

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1978      The Wild Geese                President Julius Limbani               

1979      Ashanti                 Ansok   

1980      Marigolds in August        Daan     

1980      The Dogs of War               Dr. Okoye           

1982      Gandhi Porter  

1988      The Stick              The Witchdoctor             

1989      A Dry White Season        Gordon Ngubene            

1990      Night of the Cyclone       Quett   

1992      The Power of One            Mlungisi              

1994      The Air Up There              Urudu  

1998      Tarzan and the Lost City                Mugambe          

2000      I Dreamed of Africa         Old Pokot Chief                

2001      Malunde              Grandfather Khumalo   

2006      Blood Diamond Old Mende Man