Cape Town – Renowned playwright and musician Mbongeni Ngema, who recently passed away in a car crash, had several upcoming projects in the pipeline, as revealed during his memorial service, reports say.
Ngema was working on plays about former President Jacob Zuma, former ANC president OR Tambo, and theater icon Gibson Kente.
Zuma disclosed that Ngema was also writing a play documenting his life, an idea initially declined by the former president but eventually accepted due to Ngema’s persistence.
“When he approached me about the idea I asked ‘what is there to say about me?’ I refused the first time around… I finally agreed when he returned,” Zuma said.
“He told me he would need me to clear my schedule for the whole week just so we could talk. I told him we should do that after Christmas,” Times Live quoted Zuma as saying during Ngema’s memorial service at the Durban Playhouse in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday.
[WATCH] [WATCH] Former president Jacob Zuma pays his tribute to the late #MbongeniNgema whom he describes as a man among men.#Newzroom405
Watch: https://t.co/XKGE6YzgNQ#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/aEXMLAJtFK
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) January 3, 2024
Ngema’s last production, “Imbube,” was performed on December 15 at the Durban Playhouse.
Mourners paid tribute to Ngema, describing him as a genius who played a significant role in the fight for freedom and the recognition of the creative industry.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
