Bongani Linda - Revision history

Darryl: /* Awards, etc */

2025-08-04T11:03:51Z

Awards, etc

Darryl: /* Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance */

2025-08-04T11:03:17Z

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

Darryl: /* Biography */

2025-08-04T11:02:08Z

Biography

Darryl: /* =As playwright */

2025-08-04T11:01:27Z

=As playwright

Darryl at 11:01, 4 August 2025

2025-08-04T11:01:11Z

Darryl: /* Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance */

2025-06-03T12:16:10Z

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

Darryl: /* Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance */

2025-06-03T11:40:04Z

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

Miriamt: /* Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance */

2017-11-06T08:24:30Z

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

Miriamt: /* Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance */

2017-06-07T09:59:32Z

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

Johann van Heerden: /* Sources */

2014-02-22T09:28:05Z

Sources

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:03, 4 August 2025
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	== Awards, etc ==		== Awards, etc ==
		+
		+	Bongani Linda was elected to the Ashoka Fellowship in 1997.

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==

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 Linda first came to Alex in 1991, and at the [[Thusong Youth Centre]] first suggested the formation of a theatre company in order to take Alex theatre and its artists to a new pedestal. He formed the [[Victory Sonqoba Theatre Company]] in 1993 with township residents and hostel dwellers in Alexandra township, many of them victims or perpetrators of violence, to encourage a culture of mutual respect and appreciation by providing an opportunity for members of my community to pursue the performing arts as an outlet for misdirected rage and anger. In creating training opportunities and offering professional employment, the Company became part of the professional theatre community, and at the same time strove to improve the living conditions in Alex
-Linda was accredited with the knack of discovering much of the country's finest theatre talent. Among the crop of acclaimed theatre stars that passed through his [[Victory Siyanqoba Theatre Company]] were the likes of [[Meshack Mavuso]] of ''[[Isidingo]]'' fame and [[Mduduzi Mabaso]] of ''[[Rhythm City]]''."
+Linda was accredited with the knack of discovering much of the country's finest theatre talent. Among the crop of acclaimed theatre stars that passed through his [[Victory Siyanqoba Theatre Company]] were the likes of [[Meshack Mavuso]] of ''[[Isidingo]]'' fame and [[Mduduzi Mabaso]] of ''[[Rhythm City]]''.
 ===As playwright===

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 Bongani was born in 1966 in Alexandra Township. At the age of 19, Bongani formed a student cultural ensemble. He authored his first play, ''[[Born to Suffer]]'', to make youth more aware of the role that they could play in the fight against apartheid. Although Bongani won the PIDCO Drama Award, he was eventually arrested and detained because of the play and for his involvement in the Congress of South African Students. After his release, Bongani completed his secondary school qualification exam and registered at the university the following year.
-Linda is a South African man whose girlfriend was gang raped and who subsequently committed suicide. Bongani, in his anger, confronted one of the rapists. "In that anger, I killed him. I was arrested." He was remanded in custody for about 24 months, during which time he started a theatre group to address men directly and help them understand that sexually assaulting women and children is not acceptable. When the trial eventually took place, Bongani was acquitted.
+His girlfriend was gang raped and subsequently committed suicide. Bongani, in his anger, confronted one of the rapists. "In that anger, I killed him. I was arrested." He was remanded in custody for about 24 months, during which time he started a theatre group to address men directly and help them understand that sexually assaulting women and children is not acceptable. When the trial eventually took place, Bongani was acquitted.
 He died at his home in Newcastle, KwaZulu Natal, on 28 April 2013, after a short illness.

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 Linda was accredited with the knack of discovering much of the country's finest theatre talent. Among the crop of acclaimed theatre stars that passed through his [[Victory Siyanqoba Theatre Company]] were the likes of [[Meshack Mavuso]] of ''[[Isidingo]]'' fame and [[Mduduzi Mabaso]] of ''[[Rhythm City]]''."
-===As playwright==
+===As playwright===
 He wrote the play ''[[Born to Suffer]]''.

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 == Biography ==
-== Training ==
+Bongani was born in 1966 in Alexandra Township. At the age of 19, Bongani formed a student cultural ensemble. He authored his first play, ''[[Born to Suffer]]'', to make youth more aware of the role that they could play in the fight against apartheid. Although Bongani won the PIDCO Drama Award, he was eventually arrested and detained because of the play and for his involvement in the Congress of South African Students. After his release, Bongani completed his secondary school qualification exam and registered at the university the following year.
-Graduate of Wits School of Drama.
-== Career ==
+He died at his home in Newcastle, KwaZulu Natal, on 28 April 2013, after a short illness.
 ==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
-Bongani Linda directed [[Peter Ngwenya]]'s play ''[[The Toilet]]'', starring [[Terry Pheto]].
+Linda first came to Alex in 1991, and at the [[Thusong Youth Centre]] first suggested the formation of a theatre company in order to take Alex theatre and its artists to a new pedestal. He formed the [[Victory Sonqoba Theatre Company]] in 1993 with township residents and hostel dwellers in Alexandra township, many of them victims or perpetrators of violence, to encourage a culture of mutual respect and appreciation by providing an opportunity for members of my community to pursue the performing arts as an outlet for misdirected rage and anger. In creating training opportunities and offering professional employment, the Company became part of the professional theatre community, and at the same time strove to improve the living conditions in Alex
 He wrote and directed ''[[Shaka Zulu (Ushaka Ka Zulu) - The Gaping Wound]]'' (2000).
@@ Line 22: / Line 25: @@
 He wrote the play ''[[Skin Deep]]'' and directed a production of the play at the [[National Arts Festival]] in 2004.
-== Awards, etc ==
+===As director===
 == Sources ==
 Go to [[South African Theatre/Bibliography]]
@@ Line 34: / Line 38: @@
 [Van Heerden (2008)][http://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscholar.sun.ac.za%2Fbitstream%2Fhandle%2F10019.1%2F1443%2Fvanheerden_theatre_2008.pdf%3Fsequence%3D1&ei=_egBU77CNYWJhQeE5oCADQ&usg=AFQjCNEWnD1BzeLnFmOV2tvyGLoMyNeT6Q&bvm=bv.61535280,d.Yms]
 == Return to ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:40, 3 June 2025
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	Bongani Linda directed [[Peter Ngwenya]]'s play ''[[The Toilet]]'', starring [[Terry Pheto]].		Bongani Linda directed [[Peter Ngwenya]]'s play ''[[The Toilet]]'', starring [[Terry Pheto]].
		+
		+	He wrote and reacted ''[[Shaka Zulu (Ushaka Ka Zulu) - The Gaping Wound]]'' (2000).

	He wrote the play ''[[Skin Deep]]'' and directed a production of the play at the [[National Arts Festival]] in 2004.		He wrote the play ''[[Skin Deep]]'' and directed a production of the play at the [[National Arts Festival]] in 2004.

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 ==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
-Formed the [[Victory Songqoba Theatre Company]] in 1993 with township residents and hostel dwellers in Alexandra township, many of them victims or perpetrators of violence. In creating training opportunities and offering professional employment the Company became part of the professional theatre community, and at the same time strove to improve the living conditions in Alex. Linda stated his objective in an interview, “This [the creation of the Company] was to encourage a culture of mutual respect and appreciation by providing an opportunity for members of my community to pursue the performing arts as an outlet for misdirected rage and anger” (Memela, 2000c). [Van Heerden (2008)][http://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscholar.sun.ac.za%2Fbitstream%2Fhandle%2F10019.1%2F1443%2Fvanheerden_theatre_2008.pdf%3Fsequence%3D1&ei=_egBU77CNYWJhQeE5oCADQ&usg=AFQjCNEWnD1BzeLnFmOV2tvyGLoMyNeT6Q&bvm=bv.61535280,d.Yms]
+Formed the [[Victory Sonqoba Theatre Company]] in 1993 with township residents and hostel dwellers in Alexandra township, many of them victims or perpetrators of violence. In creating training opportunities and offering professional employment the Company became part of the professional theatre community, and at the same time strove to improve the living conditions in Alex. Linda stated his objective in an interview, “This [the creation of the Company] was to encourage a culture of mutual respect and appreciation by providing an opportunity for members of my community to pursue the performing arts as an outlet for misdirected rage and anger” (Memela, 2000c). [Van Heerden (2008)][http://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscholar.sun.ac.za%2Fbitstream%2Fhandle%2F10019.1%2F1443%2Fvanheerden_theatre_2008.pdf%3Fsequence%3D1&ei=_egBU77CNYWJhQeE5oCADQ&usg=AFQjCNEWnD1BzeLnFmOV2tvyGLoMyNeT6Q&bvm=bv.61535280,d.Yms]
 Bongani Linda directed ''[[The Toilet]]'', starring [[Terry Pheto]].
 == Awards, etc ==