Patience Africa
(1938-2007) Singer, songwriter and actress on stage and television.
Contents
Biography
Born in Ladysmith, Natal on 10 December 1928, she was raised in Alexandra Johannesburg and Durban. In 1965 married Simon Ngema and took a break to have four children, only returning to the business in the 1970’s when he left her. She died of cardiac illness in June 2007
Musical career
Primarily a singer, started her recording career at 23 working with Rocky Jila’s Jazz Sledge and went on to work with many of the South African greats including Abigail Kubheka’s The Skylarks (founded by Miriam Makeba), West Nkosi, Jacob "Mpharayana" Radebe, Mathlathini and the Mahotela Queens, Ray Phiri, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and Mac Mathunjwa – with whom she co-wrote a number of songs – and his group: The Peddlers.
She won a number of awards in the late 1970’s, and in 2006 recorded her last album.
Contribution to South African Theatre, Film, Media and Performance
Her stage work included plays such as Dingaka, Burning Embers, Julius Caesar, When the Locusts Come and Night of the Long Wake.
Film work included u'Deliwe (Simon Sabela/1975), Inkedama (Simon Sabela/1975) and Isala Kutshelwa.
For television she did the televised rock opera The Master’s Plan'', Academy, My Home and In the Name of Love.
Sources
De Beer, 1995,
Joyce, 1999,
Barron, 2007
The Star, 22 June 2007.
Go to ESAT Bibliography
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