Renowned South African writer, lyricist, and theatre producer Mbongeni Ngema tragically lost his life in a car accident on December 27, 2023.
Notably acclaimed for creating the award-winning musical ‘Sarafina,’ a poignant portrayal of student revolts during the apartheid era in Soweto, Ngema’s passing occurred in a head-on collision while returning from a funeral in the Eastern Cape province, as announced by his grieving family.
The 1987 musical ‘Sarafina’ earned five nominations at the 1988 Tony Awards and the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards, ultimately winning 11 NAACP Image Awards.
Ngema, born on May 10, 1955, in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal, was not only a prolific writer but also an actor and singer, capturing the essence of black South Africans’ struggles under apartheid in his creative works.
