BULAWAYO – Culture activist Cont Mdladla Mhlanga died on Monday at the age of 64.
The playwright, who inspired a generation of performing artists, was hospitalised in Bulawayo on July 22 with an undisclosed ailment.
In a statement announcing his death, the National Arts Council: “Whilst his situation seemed to stabilise, it took a different turn in the last three days. Cont passed on this morning.”
Mhlanga, who had retired to focus on farming at his rural home in Lupane, founded Amakhosi Cultural Centre in 1982 as a youth karate club in Makokoba suburb.
In 1988, he changed Amakhosi’s thrust to performing arts.
Mhlanga wrote more than 20 plays among them The Good President, The End, Sinjalo, Amakorokoza, Children on Fire, Games and Bombs, The Members and Vikela. He also adapted the popular play Stitsha into a TV series. He also directed Bamgqibela Ephila and Omunye Umngcwabo.
The Good President was banned in Zimbabwe. Although presented as a fictional account, its depiction of an African dictator who has ruled his country since 1980 closely mirrored events in Zimbabwe under longtime ruler, the late Robert Mugabe.
Mhlanga starred as Mtutureli Niekwu in an anti-apartheid movie A World Apart, which was released in 1988.
In 2006, he was arrested and briefly detained accused of trying to topple the government through his critical plays.
The Good President won Mhlanga an Art Venture Freedom to Create award. In 2015, Mhlanga and Amakhosi Cultural Centre were awarded the Prince Claus award, which is named after Prince Claus of the Netherlands. The accolade was for outstanding achievements in the field of culture and development.
Mhlanga and partners founded Skyz Metro FM, one of the first independent radio stations in Zimbabwe.
Former information minister Jonathan Moyo described Mhlanga as an “inimitable cultural genius, a legendary playwright, filmmaker, creative director and a grounded political activist whose institution-building legacy is epitomised by Amakhosi Theatre and Skyz Metro FM.”
Through the Amakhosi Performing Arts Academy, Mhlanga imparted his knowledge to arts enthusiasts with courses in dance, music, film and theatre.
Former student and photographer Mgcini Nyoni said: “He had a way of getting the best out of people.
“Theatre and film writing classes by the Amakhosi fireplace with Cont were always something to look forward to. He would throw scripts he considered substandard into the fire: You should learn to start again instead of trying to fix something hopelessly broken, he would say.”
