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The South African

Yes, Presley Chweneyagae WAS named after Elvis!

Renowned South African actor Presley Chweneyagae unexpectedly passed away on Tuesday, 27 May at the age of 40. Image: Joel Saget / AFP Renowned South African actor Presley Chweneyagae unexpectedly passed away on Tuesday, 27 May at the age of 40. According to a family spokesperson, Chweneyagae's funeral service will take place on Saturday, 7 June. Two memorial services will also take place, the first on Tuesday, 3 June in Mahikeng and the second on Thursday, 5 June in Pretoria. Chweneyagae was best known for his breakout role in the 2005 Oscar-winning film Tsotsi , where he played the title character. Here's a brief overview of his life and career: Tsotsi (2005) : Presley Chweneyagae rose to international fame playing David/Tsotsi , a young gang leader in Johannesburg, in Gavin Hood's adaptation of Athol Fugard's novel. The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film , bringing global attention to South African cinema : Presley Chweneyagae rose to international fame playing , a young gang leader in Johannesburg, in Gavin Hood's adaptation of Athol Fugard's novel. The film won the , bringing global attention to South African cinema Subsequently he appeared in various local TV series and films , including: The River – where he played Cobra , a fan-favourite role Zibondiwe , Task Force , and Hopeville Films such as State of Violence , Africa United and Cobrizi , including: Presley was also active in theatre , having trained at the North West Arts Council Drama School , having trained at the North West Arts Council Drama School His stage work often focused on social and political issues, and he expressed a passion for using theatre to educate and uplift communities Born on 19 October 1984 in Mafikeng, North West province He was named after Elvis Presley because of his mother's admiration for the American singer because of his mother's admiration for the American singer Chweneyagae used his platform to speak on youth development , anti-drug campaigns, and community upliftment , anti-drug campaigns, and In 2022, he made headlines due to an alleged assault charge involving his partner. The case drew mixed reactions and was reportedly resolved. In 2023, he was implicated in the National Lottery scandal that was investigated by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU). It was reported that over R67.5 million was paid to the Southern African Youth Movement (SAYM), of which he was said to be the ambassador. The money was meant to uplift poor women in Marikana and surrounding areas in the North West province on a chicken farming project. Post your condolences below, by … Leaving a comment below, or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.