By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has granted legendary playwright and artist Mbongeni Ngema a Special Provincial Official Funeral Category Two.
The 68-year-old composer died on Wednesday in a car crash while returning to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) from a funeral in the Eastern Cape.
Since news of his passing broke, tributes have poured in for Ngema, whose contributions span theatre, film, and music, including from Ramaphosa, who lauded the artist’s work for how much it has “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.”
Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Zizi Kodwa, emphasised that Ngema’s creations have resonated with global audiences, significantly contributing to narrating the South African story.
The category is reserved for distinguished persons specifically designated by the President.
KZN Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has thanked Ramaphosa for granting Ngema this honour, after she wrote to the president requesting an official funeral for the anti-apartheid activist.
Dube-Ncube said Ngema was a true South African icon who used the creative arts to fight for the freedom the country is enjoying today.
Ngema’s artistic journey started in the 1970s, joining Gibson Kente’s theatre company as a singer and trainee actor. Immersed in the techniques of Stanislavsky, Peter Brook, and Jerzy Grotowski, he later transitioned to playwriting, screenwriting, and libretto composition, gaining prominence in the 1980s.
Teaming up with Percy Mtwa, Ngema co-wrote the acclaimed Woza Albert! (1981) and Sarafina! (1988), capturing the essence of Black South Africans during apartheid. Following its Broadway debut, Sarafina! was transformed into a musical drama featuring famed American actress Whoopi Goldberg in 1992, achieving international acclaim with Tony and Grammy award nominations. Ngema’s other notable efforts include 1983’s Tony-nominated Asinamali, based on a Durban rent strike. In 1994, Ngema also served as a vocal arranger for Disney’s The Lion King.