'There will never be another': Acting fraternity honours Don Mlangeni Nawa at memorial

News24

25-04-2025

Renowned South African actor Don Mlangeni Nawa was honoured at a memorial service on Thursday afternoon at the Soweto Theatre.
Mlangeni Nawa's cause of death was not disclosed.
However, several speakers at the memorial service alluded to his battle with ill health over several years.
The indelible mark that revered stage and screen actor Don Mlangeni Nawa left on the South African entertainment industry will never be forgotten. As they spoke at the Soweto Theatre on Thursday afternoon, mourners and speakers at Mlangeni Nawa's memorial service concurred
"The talent in this man was unexplainable," his The Estate co-star Clementine Mosimane said.
"Abuti Don was so disciplined. He embraced his talent with so much discipline, with so much honour."
Mlangeni Nawa died on Wednesday, 16 April. His cause of death was not disclosed, but speakers during the memorial service spoke about the 65-year-old's battle with deteriorating health for a number of years.
"When I started seeing Abuti Don not being well, we were on the set of The Estate, round about 2021, 2022," Mosimane said.
"I saw Abuti Don losing weight. I saw Abuti Don being sick, but believe you me, he kept the discipline of being a thespian. There was not a day when he came to set in that situation where he would say I want to go home. He would rather ask to take a nap, gather his strength and then wake up. That was the Abuti Don I know; that was the passion he had for his art."
Wrapping up, Mosimane said she wished for her dearly departed on-screen husband and colleague to rest in peace, adding his children should "run with his legacy".
"We learned from him. There will never be another Don Mlangeni Nawa. There never will be. We will miss his voice, we will miss him," she said.
Fellow Isidingo actor and now director Krijay Govender also praised the act's talent, speaking about how much more Mlangeni Nawa's career would have blossomed if he had gone international.
"His career would have surpassed any one of the big guys that you know. Denzel Washington could not even touch this man when the camera rolled," she said.
"And I'm not saying this because I'm a friend of his, I'm speaking from the experience of being his director on set."
Govender went on to speak highly of how Mlangeni Nawa portrayed his long-time character on Isidingo, Bra Zeb Matabane.
"He was never a celebrity, he was always an actor - always an actor first and that's why it's so befitting that we're here and this memorial is here, back at the theatre," she said. "He's come full circle, bringing it back to the theatre."
OBITUARY | Remembering Don Mlangeni Nawa, the TV icon beloved by millions of South Africans
Addressing the actor's five children and three grandchildren, he advised them to "go forward and do whatever it is that you want to do".
Other speakers at Mlangeni Nawa's memorial included his co-stars from various shows, namely Keke Mphuthi who spoke fondly about the father and daughter bond they developed both on and off-screen.
Abomama actor Asavela Mngqithi battled tears as she spoke about their relationship, which also developed on the set of the show. She spoke heartily about how she and the actor were there for each other in difficult times.
Veteran actor Magic Hlatshwayo was also in attendance and gave a heartfelt tribute to Mlangeni Nawa whom he acted with previously.
At the height of his career, the actor whose career spanned several decades, starred in multiple stage and screen productions including The Throne, Shaka iLembe, Savage Beauty and many more.
Mlangeni Nawa will be buried on Saturday, 26 April, after a funeral service at the Alberton Civic Theatre.