Chronicle Editor
Mbulelo Mpofu, [email protected]
Nkululeko Innocent Dube, the director of Inkululeko Yabatsha School of Arts (Iyasa), fondly remembers the late Mbongeni Ngema, a renowned South African musician, dramatist, and choreographer, as a “legend”.
Ngema tragically lost his life in a head-on car crash last week while returning from a funeral in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape. He was 68.
Dube, in an interview, expressed deep admiration for Ngema, revealing that he named his son in honour of the man who significantly influenced his career.
“Ngema played a very huge role in my career. I even named my son after him. Mbongeni’s work and legacy will live on for generations. He was not only an inspiration to me or to Iyasa but, trust me, there are hundreds of careers he gave a chance and ignited into stardom.
“To me, his academy was like a womb that incubated talent in its diversity, from theatre, music, dance, film, and more. He was an icon whose influence and passion will not be replaced easily. He was self-made, demanding his place in the history books of arts in Africa. His music was relevant to the struggles of society and its triumphs thereafter. With ‘Sarafina’, for instance, he showed that not only guns can win a war. That production will outlive him,” shared Dube.
In 2001, Dube founded Iyasa, a renowned artistic group that made waves in the arts industry with remarkable shows, music videos, and enduring hits like “Banolila” and “Bump Jive”.
Dube remembered Ngema as a forward-thinker, always brimming with ideas for future projects.
“I personally have lost a father and source of inspiration. We as Iyasa give him full credit for his contribution to our story. His footprints are all over television in South Africa today, in musicians and theatres worldwide.
“Ngema was a workaholic and always spoke of future projects. Meeting him was always a time to learn and to reflect on culture, music, and the arts. He lived and breathed the arts. May his soul rest in peace. I’m glad to have met him,” he said.
Mbongeni Ngema’s most notable works include “Sarafina” and “Woza Albert,” both of which garnered awards and international acclaim. Musically, “Woza my fohloza” and “Stimela sa se Zola” made him a fan-favorite. He captured the spirit of defiance during the liberation and anti-apartheid movements in the West woods and championed protest theatre. – @MbuleloMpofu
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