Mbongeni Ngema
Encyclopedia
Mbongeni Ngema a South Africa
n writer, lyricist, composer and director was born in Verulam
, KwaZulu-Natal
(near Durban
). He started his career as a theatre backing guitarist.
He is married to actress Leleti Khumalo
. Leleti who received a 1988 Tony Award nomination
for Best Actress in a Musical for Sarafina!; as well as starring as the leading role in South Africa's first Oscar-nominated film/move, Yesterday.
He co-wrote the multi-award winning Woza Albert!
. In some sectors of South African society, Ngema is considered a racist because of his controversial song, AmaNdiya (about racism that Blacks in KwaZulu-Natal have suffered at the hands of Indians
). It was banned in the country soon after it was released in 2002, and even Nelson Mandela
had asked Ngema to apologize but Ngema refused.
.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n writer, lyricist, composer and director was born in Verulam
Verulam
-Places:* Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal* Verulam Township, Ontario* Common abbreviation of Verulamium, third-largest city in Roman Britain, near modern-day St Albans-Other:* HMS Verulam * Verulam School, state secondary school in St Albans, England...
, KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
(near Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
). He started his career as a theatre backing guitarist.
He is married to actress Leleti Khumalo
Leleti Khumalo
Leleti Khumalo is a Zulu South African actress who played the leading role in the movie Sarafina! alongside Whoopi Goldberg and who starred in the films Hotel Rwanda and Yesterday.-Early life and Sarafina!:...
. Leleti who received a 1988 Tony Award nomination
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
for Best Actress in a Musical for Sarafina!; as well as starring as the leading role in South Africa's first Oscar-nominated film/move, Yesterday.
He co-wrote the multi-award winning Woza Albert!
Woza Albert!
Woza Albert! is a political satire that imagines the second coming of Christ in apartheid-ridden South Africa.-The play:The play opened at Johannesburg's Market Theater and toured in Europe and America as the most successful play to come out of South Africa, winning more than 20 prestigious awards...
. In some sectors of South African society, Ngema is considered a racist because of his controversial song, AmaNdiya (about racism that Blacks in KwaZulu-Natal have suffered at the hands of Indians
Asians in South Africa
The majority of the Asian South African population is Indian in origin, most of them descended from indentured workers transported to work in the 19th century on the sugar plantations of the eastern coastal area, then known as Natal. They are largely English speaking, although many also retain the...
). It was banned in the country soon after it was released in 2002, and even Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
had asked Ngema to apologize but Ngema refused.
Featuring
Mbongeni Ngema has participated in a song called Take this song, recorded in featuring with the Reggae band Third WorldThird World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
.
Productions
- Asinamali (1987)
- Sarafina! (1988)
- Magic at 4 AM (1993)
- Circle Of Life (African voices) (1995)
- Mama (1996)
- Sarafina! 2 (1997)
- Nikeziwe (2005)
- The House of Shaka (2006)
- Lion of the East (2009)
- Take this song in collaboration with the Reggae Band Third WorldThird WorldThe term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
Honors and awards
- 1987 Tony Award - Asinamali! was nominated for Best Direction of a Play
- 1988 Tony Award - Sarafina! was nominated 3 times for Best Choreography, Best Direction of a Musical, Best Original Score
- In 2004 he was voted 92nd in the Top 100 Great South AfricansSABC3's Great South AfricansGreat South Africans was a South African television series that aired on SABC3 and hosted by Noeleen Maholwana Sangqu and Denis Beckett. In September 2004, thousands of South Africans took part in an informal nationwide poll to determine the "100 Greatest South Africans" of all time...
.