Online Reporter
Langalakhe Mabena/Mthabisi Tshuma, Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
WHEN the curtain falls on a theatre production, the show is truly over; there are no curtain calls for performers to return to the stage. Both theatre and television have always been sustained by loyal, dignified professionals. One such stalwart was the late South African actor, Presley Chweneyagae.
The Academy Award (Oscar) winner passed away yesterday, at the age of 40. The cause of his death has not been disclosed.
His passing has not only shaken the South African film industry but has also reverberated across the globe, including Zimbabwe, where the late creative collaborated with various local producers and actors throughout his career.
Celebrated Zimbabwean filmmaker Joe Njagu, who worked with Presley on his 2011 production The Gentleman, expressed deep sorrow at the loss of his close friend. He described the late star as an easy-going, humble individual, despite his remarkable achievements in the film industry.
Presley’s grounded nature was evident when Njagu first reached out to him via Facebook with a proposal to collaborate — and he agreed immediately.
“For Presley to be part of The Gentleman, I approached him on Facebook and he agreed to join the cast. I then sent him the script, and the rest is history. We became friends over the years, and he had longed to return to Zimbabwe.
Every time I was in South Africa, I would visit his home. I cherished Presley and the times we shared, including the crazy ones.
“Presley was such a humble character, full of life and energy. He was immensely talented, and it was truly an honour to have worked with him. He’s the one guy who taught me to drink Jameson dashed with Heineken,” Njagu said.
Former Big Brother Africa participant Munya Chidzonga, who also featured in The Gentleman, described Presley as an exceptional actor — a once-in-a-generation talent, who served as a beacon of possibility for the entire industry.
“When I first met him, I was blown away by his humility and dedication to his craft. His respect for the art demanded the same level of commitment from his co-stars and peers. Working with him elevated my performance.
“He was an old soul, and I remember we nicknamed him ‘Sekuru Presley’ because of the gravitas he carried during the making of The Gentleman. I remember him encouraging us as young producers to build the industry we want to see and to keep pushing against all odds,” he said.
Despite all his success, Chidzonga said Presley believed that fame should never overshadow the craft of acting.
“He always reminded me to put acting before fame, as he preached that the main thing remains the main thing. I feel he still had many more stories to tell. He loved Zimbabwe and enjoyed his time working with us.
“I pray that his family may find peace during this time, as the only thing Presley loved more than acting was his family — his wife and children,” he said.
Another Zimbabwean actor based in South Africa, Chrispen Nyathi — who played Raisin in The River spin-off Cobrizi, in which Presley starred as the lead — described the late actor as a master of the craft.
“Presley was a genius. He was a comic and acting mastermind —he understood both sides of the spectrum. He knew how to strike the right comedic tone and where to draw the line, where comedy ends and intensity begins.
“When working with him, considering he was an international award-winner, one might expect him to be selective. But he wasn’t.
“On set, he would help you go through your lines five times until you had perfected them,” said Nyathi.
Chweneyagae was born on October 19, 1984. He rose to prominence for his starring role in the film Tsotsi, which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 78th Academy Awards. Following his debut in Tsotsi, he continued to work across both stage and screen.
He featured in several reimagined productions of William Shakespeare’s plays, including Hamlet, Mark Anthony, Bottom and Puck, Jack in the Box, Silent Voice, The Grandband and many more. On television, he appeared in productions such as iNumber Number (2013), Zama Zama (2013), The Number (2017), The River (2018) and Cobrizi (2025).
A giant has fallen. For a legendary actor like Presley, one can only hope that wherever he has gone, a wardrobe full of costumes awaits — ready for his next character and scene.
