Have You Seen Zandile?

Have You Seen Zandile? is a play by Gcina Mhlope, with Maralin Vanrenen and Thembi Mtshali.

The original text

An autobiographical play that utilises Mhlope’s memories, songs and narratives about her rural youth, to explore the aspirations, secrets and sorrows of young rural women. The stage text was developed in rehearsal with director with Maralin Vanrenen and actress Thembi Mtshali.

First published by Methuen in 1988 and by the University of Natal Press, later anthologised in many collections, inter alia in Black South African Women: An Anthology of Plays by Skotaville and Routledge and in the collection The Distance Remains and Other Plays, compiled by Robin Malan, Oxford University Press, 1996.

The play has long been a prescribed work for schools.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history

Among the various productions over the years there have been:

1986: First performed at at the Market Theatre, directed by Maralin Vanrenen with Gcina Mhlope and Thembi Mtshali.

2014: Performed at the Market Theatre, directed by Khutjo Green with Momo Matsunyane and Zethu Dlomo.

2025: Produced by Joburg City Theatres under their School Setworks programme and performed at the Soweto Theatre in April, the play directed by Momo Matsunyane, with Zevangeli Mampofu and Siseko Velelo.