From thespian to CEO :The remarkable journey of Sihlangu Dlodlo

“They will step in your shoes and follow your good ways.”

This is what the late Sihlangu Dlodlo would often say to the many artistes who passed through his tutelage in the creative industry.

Dlodlo was found dead at his Nketa 9 home in Bulawayo on October 28 and was laid to rest at Lady Stanley Cemetery on November 2.

Those who had the opportunity to interact with Dlodlo, affectionately referred to by his family totem, Qhube, affirmed that he was a commendable individual, an educator, and a mentor. He is described as more than just a thespian and marketer. He was also widely recognised as the celebrated chief executive of Bulawayo football giants, Highlanders.

Dlodlo was regarded by some as a visionary leader and a national figure. His impact was profound. From conversations with various art practitioners in the city, Dlodlo established a lasting legacy that crossed both geographical and industrial boundaries. They all agree his innovative work in the fields of arts, marketing, karate, and football will motivate future generations, promoting creativity and a pursuit of excellence.

Now, in his demise, the community celebrates a life well lived, honouring his impact and pushing for the continuity of his legacy of innovation and inspiration. As his death was announced, a dark cloud hovered, and the country was robbed. For his contribution to society, Dlodlo was interred at Lady Stanley Cemetery, a revered burial place for people of influence who served Bulawayo well.

His life story is a reminder of the importance of remaining abreast with the values of Ubuntu and letting excelling people smell their flowers while they can still see and feel them too. A giant with a soft heart and open smile depicts a man whose life evolved both from an urban and rural setting.

Dlodlo’s name has been in the circles for over five decades. Starting as a thespian at the age of six in the 1970s, his love for art was immeasurable. His next love was karate, which he trained at Amakhosi, the theatre of dreams under Cont Mhlanga. At Amakhosi, he rose from being a small boy in love with theatre to being a key figure in the day-to-day running of one of the country’s national art treasures.

Dlodlo is one of the prodigious talents that Cont Mhlanga once regarded as “the best to ever grace the cultural centre.” With a love of letting other people gain more knowledge of what he had acquired after studying at Hillside Teachers College, majoring in arts, he went to teach at Manama High School. There, he taught and moulded one of the country’s best poets, Desire “Moyoxide” Moyo, who is now the Member of Parliament for Nkulumane Constituency.

As a jack of all trades and master of all, Dlodlo was also a marketing executive with one of the country’s leading baking industry players, Lobels and Baker’s Inn, who have stood the test of time in providing quality services from all corners of the country’s districts.

Dlodlo’s skills in marketing and arts would be combined at this juncture to appeal to a cross-section of societies. In arts, Dlodlo was a darling who gave artistes a chance to be appreciated and recognised by the corporate world. He held accolades through productions which made many artistes propel to stardom.

Since 1989, Dlodlo wrote many plays which won him awards. Among the plays are Have You Seen Yoyo?, None But Ourselves, Ntombikayise and Hlengiwe Mntanami, Dibhela, Witnesses and Victims, and Pen Pals. He also directed Cont Mhlanga’s Nansi Le Ndoda, Children On Fire, and Raisedon Baya’s Witnesses and Victims, among others.

All these plays were aired at a time when the national broadcaster ZBCtv was a favourite to the local audience as most content was derived from within the Zimbabwean borders.

Dlodlo studied for a Bachelor of Commerce Honours Degree in Entrepreneurship at Lupane State University. He also studied for a Masters in Marketing Strategy at the Midlands State University.

In the past couple of years, he relocated to rural Bubi, where he opened a youthful arts group, Sailor’s Hope Theatre, which he described to this journalist as a “beacon of hope for the future of rural artistes”.

He pushed many times for the recognition of the group, and in its inception year in 2021, it made the cut to perform at the Bulawayo Arts Festival (BAF). Likewise, he groomed determined youngsters who wanted to defy the odds that one’s background determines one’s future. The group that hails from Sailor’s Hope Village in Bubi district was in the spotlight, giving life to traditional dances. The performance was the toast of the day at the Youth and Dance Expo held at the Amphitheatre. Dances showcased included Isitshikitsha, Amabhiza, Amantshomane, and Setapa.

A protégé of Dlodlo, Mandla Moyo, said he is happy to have gone through the hands of Dlodlo as he taught him a lot in society.

“When I got to Amakhosi theatre around 1991, I found him as one of the leaders, and I became one of his English writing and speaking lessons students there. He taught us how to write a formal and an informal letter. He also taught us how to lay out a poem and also taught me karate tactics because I was from the village.

“Sihlangu Dlodlo even helped me with food. I did a few of his plays, like the one on women’s rights, and we did a play with Iyasa written and directed by him,” said Moyo.

Bulawayo’s most loved opaque beer, Ingwebu, managing director Dumisani Mhlanga, said Dlodlo was a unifier par excellence with good working ethics.

“He was a very jovial team player who had great respect for everyone,” said Mhlanga.

Taurai Moyo, co-founding member of Hloseni Arts, said with the dedicated expertise of Dlodlo, he managed to set up Chenhaka Trust, an organisation largely focused on capacity building of creatives.

“I worked with Dlodlo for quite a while, and he would come to Mutare, where we are currently based, to offer free training to my organisation, and this culminated in my growth as I have now put focus on several avenues.

“I used to stay in his apartment in Harare whenever I visited Harare for business, as he would tell me that you are family and nothing counts more than that. His legacy will forever be cherished and should be upheld,” said Moyo.

Legendary poet Albert Nyathi said Dlodlo was someone with a great mind and would be unsurpassed.

“We started to know each other with Sihlangu when he was at Amakhosi doing karate under Cont Mhlanga while I was at Mpopoma and by the Nyathi Centre. There was Vasco, who we trained together, we also had Marco Sibanda, who was the instructor, and Chemist Ncube.

“Both of us happened to be in theatre as well, differently. He went to teach at Manama High School and went back to Amakhosi. He is someone that we used to meet, and we would talk about arts mostly and also Bosso and the club’s challenges, chief among them being the issue of the institution being fined unfairly,” said Nyathi.

He said Dlodlo was a groomer and very supportive.

“In real life, he was ever-smiling and a mentor to many youngsters in the creative sector. I mean, he himself was mentored by Cont, and we know how Cont was, the greatest of the greatest in art and karate.

“In the creative sector I wouldn’t say he had any common enemy. He was always jovial but didn’t drink beer. I remember him at one of my birthdays when it was combined with Lovemore Majaivana in absentia where the late national hero Tshinga Dube bought us a beast at Ekuphumuleni with Entembeni old people’s homes. MaGee was represented by his mother, and his siblings Peter and Lucia. It was a night of fun and pomp where the corporate sector was very generous and Dlodlo was in attendance. He even brought Sailors Hope Centre,” said Nyathi.