BY AGATHA CHUMA THE late teacher-cum-actress, Tsitsi Mhlanga, who succumbed to an undisclosed ailment will be buried this afternoon at her rural home in Chivhu.
Famed for her role as Mai Mufundisi Madhuve in Village Secrets that airs on national broadcaster, ZTV, Mhlanga died on Sunday in Chivhu, aged 37.
Her sister Yonny confirmed her death to NewsDay Life & Style.
“Tsitsi died on Sunday due to an illness which we cannot disclose. She will be buried today in Chivhu,” she said.
Writer and director for Village Secrets, Leonard Chibhamu said they had lost a talented actress.
Mhlanga was a teacher at Runyararo Primary School in Chivhu.
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“Mhlanga’s death is a great loss to the Village Secrets series and the vision we had set together. It was the least we could expect as we had long-term plans,” he said.
“As team Village Secrets we have been left with a void that will be difficult to fill. We have lost a dedicated cadre in our vision.”
He added: “We will, however, continue to cherish the good work she did, that will be our source of inspiration.”
“Whenever we are faced with challenges, we hope to find courage in trying to emulate her envisaged goals, that is to see a society that is driven by locals to create opportunities for social emancipation.”
Chibhamu added that Mhlanga, who was also into philanthropic work contributed a lot to Village Secrets since its mission was to embrace local schools and community development.
“The series Village Secrets, currently on Season 9, is a long-term project and we had identified Mhlanga as our key pillar around our administrative side. The series is a community-based project that thrives on a stronger community fabric with schools being the supposed feeder to the project’s posterity,” he said.
“Our developmental plan has been blending theory and practice and cultivating new casts from schools and she was spearheading that function.”
Chibhamu said the late actress’ versatility and commitment to community development and emancipation would be greatly missed.
“She (Mhlanga) was involved in works of philanthropy, empowering the girl child and at one time she was part of the team that fundraised for the famous Mudavanhu Chess Queens, who represented the country abroad,” he said.
- Follow Agatha on Twitter @AgathaChuma