BY WINSTONE ANTONIO RECENTLY IN LUPANE ABOUT 150km from Zimbabwe’s second largest city, Bulawayo, along the Victoria Falls highway, is where the late celebrated theatre doyen Continueloving “Cont” Mhlanga was laid to rest on Saturday.
An arts guru par excellence, Mhlanga, came from Mqoqi village, Shabula area, Lupane district, Matabeleland North province.
The award-winning playwright and founder of Amakhosi Theatre succumbed to pneumonia on August 1 at United Bulawayo Hospitals.
He was 64.
The creative industry and the nation at large plunged into mourning as the news of Mhlanga’s death spread across digital platforms.
#RIPContMhlanga🔴HUNDREDS of people among them artists, friends and government officials converge this morning for theatre doyen Continueloving “Cont” Mhlanga’s send-off memorial services at Bulawayo Amphitheatre and Amakhosi Township Square.📸📹 @widzoanto pic.twitter.com/eug8nsxmGi
— NewsDay Zimbabwe (@NewsDayZimbabwe) August 5, 2022
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Sadly, it came after Mhlanga’s family had asked the nation to pray for the award-winning playwright to recover, but God had it otherwise.
To show respect for the theatre doyen, hundreds of people, who included artists, friends and government officials, converged at Mhlanga’s three send-off memorial services on Friday morning at the family’s Nguboyenja home in Bulawayo, Amakhosi Culture Centre and Bulawayo Amphitheatre.
A Bulawayo central business district drive through almost brought business to a halt as many wanted to catch a glimpse of the funeral cortege before Mhlanga’s body left for rural Lupane for burial.
From Amakhosi Culture Centre, the hearse carrying Mhlanga’s body passed through Joshua Nkomo Street, to the hanging tree, Joshua Nkomo Statue, Skyz Metro then Bulawayo City Hall to the Amphitheatre and later back to Amakhosi Culture Centre.
Late on Friday evening, the body was taken to Mqoqi village to lie in state.
As early as 0700 hours, some villagers were already packing Mhlanga’s rural homestead to pay their last respects to the man of many jackets they described as an arts and community developer.
For those, who were not familiar with Mhlanga’s final resting place, different cars that were packed along the Victoria Falls Highway was the signal.
Ko Cont sign posts at the homestead entrance made it even easier to reach the burial place.
A sandy road leads to the homestead where the tents were already erected with Mhlangas’ banners hanging.
This was the homestead where the funeral’s programme was concluded and before midday, the body had been laid to rest.
A Sombre mood engalfed the villagers as speaker after speaker spoke growingly about how Mhlanga changed lives in both rural Lupane and Bulawayo.
Cont’s brother Styx said the other name of the theatre doyen many did not know was Nicholas, he was given after his baptism at Fatima Mission.
“He (Mhlanga) showed signs of artistic creativity at an early stage, through the way he loved poetry. We looked forward to him coming back from school as he knew how to gather everyone home with his creative way of telling stories,” he said.
“Some of the memories still linger in my mind. After Fatima High, he (Mhlanga) furthered his studies and did agriculture at Mlezu Agricultural College. But later on, our parents felt the need to take him out of the college, after the college had indicated he was still too young.”
He added: “In the 70s, he worked for Monarch Industries. Just before independence, he trained for martial arts and became an instructor. After independence, he (Mhlanga) then started his journey to theatre. He had a passion for everything that involved arts. He had the ability to see talent in other people and nurture it. His love for the arts was unmatched.”
Speaking to NewsDay Life & Style at the graveyard both artistes and villagers shared the same sentiment that Mhlanga was a legend who, indeed, played a pivotal role in grooming a lot of artists across genres.
Khabinotsho Tshuma, who worked with Mhlanga for a long time as production manager in some of the programmes, said the arts doyen was a fountain of wisdom.
“We did a lot of projects together with Mhlanga that include historical and culture programmes,” he said, adding that he got to know a lot of things because of Mhlanga’s wisdom.
#𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐓𝐨𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐞🔵BULAWAYO and Lupane hosted arts doyen Cont Mhlanga’s last stage act, as hundreds of people celebrated and paid respect to his illustrious life and career, which started off in 1982.https://t.co/TX1O6drqPo @kholwaninyathi
— The Standard Zim (@thestandardzim) August 7, 2022
“I played many roles as Mhlanga assisted me as my mentor. I never got an opportunity to go to university, but he (Mhlanga) was my university as he taught and groomed me. I feel sad today that I have lost a great friend,” he added.
Multi-talented Bulawayo artiste and Intwasa festival spokesperson Nkululeko “Khuliyo” Nkala said Mhlanga was a legend who paved the way for a lot of creatives directly and indirectly.
“For most of us who are in the arts industry the death of Mhlanga is a loss, but again, nonetheless, most of us now have arts careers because of what he did,” he said.
“What matters most is the work that he did that he has left us with. He created jobs for us. Some of us did not know anything. Now that he is all gone, the onus is on us and other creatives to make sure that the arts work continues.”
Nkala added that Mhlanga had a purpose and was a professional person in arts.
“We can now say we have a radio station in Bulawayo Skyz Metro FM. He was also the founder of Keyona TV, which should be coming and I hope the guys on the ground continue his work,” he said.
“It is nice to see hundreds of people coming to say goodbye to the legend. We celebrate that a legend has lived among us and we have been lucky.”
Another villager and neighbour, Sibangilizwe Dube said Mhlanga was known for his great works and wise teachings, especially to the youths.
“What a huge loss to us, we have lost a man. We learnt a lot of culture from him. The youths benefited a lot,” he said.
Speaking at the Amakhosi theatre memorial service Zimbabwe International Film and Festival Trust executive director, Nigel Munyati said Mhlanga was more than a Matabeleland, but a Zimbabwe creative.
“We all know how much he contributed to the development of the film industry, not just in Bulawayo, but also in Harare. I know because I worked with him,” he said.
“We went around the country together working on the production of what we call the Hoche Khotshe and he was comfortable working anywhere whether it was Chimanimani or Binga. The last thing he would have wanted was to be known as a representative of Matabeleland.”
Besides filmmaking, Mhlanga was a fantastic athlete who loved sports such as football.
“One thing that I would go away realising is that he always asked me when I was visiting Lupane and always asked me to come do something in Lupane,” he said, adding that it was all about the development of a young person and young mind.
He strongly believes Mhlanga’s legacy will live on.
Lupane district development co-ordinator, Enert Sithole said Mhlanga “opened” many doors for artists, school pupils and the youths because he understood the assignment of nurturing talent.
“He was a leader who understood the assignment of nurturing and producing talent as he worked closely with school pupils and youths making sure they realised their dreams,” she said.
“Indeed, a lot of people benefited from him making sure they realise their arts potential and that they harvest from their God-given creative talents and gifts. Today many schools, especially in Lupane, bask in the glory of a strong foundation in traditional dance, contemporary dances, acting, drama and poem.
“He, indeed, touched the hearts of many and will continue to do so through scripts he wrote and several of his drama series and the plays to mention, but a few Sinjalo, Children of Fire, Stitsha and Bamqibela Ephila, which transformed many across country.”
Minister of State Provincial Affairs and Devolution in Matabeleland North, Richard Moyo said Mhlanga has left a big void in the creative sector.
“As Matabeleland, we have lost a great one. Mhlanga loved arts and was determined to see everyone in the arts industry winning. Mhlanga always wanted to see a change,” he said.
“His play, A World Apart in 1988 left us all with the lesson of being able to stand on our own. The play Usakhamuzi lo Foromani taught us that we can leave well and in peace with others despite our race. We will always remember him for the role he played in the arts Industry.”
- Follow Winstone on Twitter @widzonato
