ABOUT two years ago, the arts fraternity and nation at large were plunged into mourning after the celebrated theatre doyen Continueloving “Cont” Mhlanga breathed his last on August 1.
He succumbed to a pneumonia-related illness at United Bulawayo Hospitals, aged 64.Mhlanga’s remains were interred at his Lupane home. He was survived by wife Thembi Ngwabi and six children (three boys and three girls).
Born on March 16, 1958, the award-winning playwright and founder of Amakhosi Theatre had a successful career in the creative sector where he mentored several artists in dance, music, film and theatre who are making it in their careers locally and beyond the borders.
Cont, who came from Mqoqi village, Shabula area in Lupane district, Matabeleland North province, was described as an arts guru par excellence who deserved a hero status, at least according to some creatives who spoke to NewsDay Life & Style after his death.
As the hero’s status was not bestowed on Cont in recognition of his vast contribution to the creative industry, he was, however, accorded a State-assisted funeral, an honour that raised the ire of creatives and followers of showbiz matters questioning the criteria used in bestowing the hero status.
At the time of his death, Cont had been appointed a member of the national team for the creation of a national strategy for the Zimbabwe film sector where he was expected to provide leadership and useful insights into the development trajectory of the film sector which is being re-engineered to contribute significantly to the economy.
To keep Cont’s legacy alive, the Cont Mhlanga Foundation in partnership with Amakhosi Cultural Centre and the Development Literacy Institute is launching the Cont Mhlanga Amateur Arts Development Programme.
The call for interested applicants aged between 14 and 35 years to be part of the Cont Mhlanga Amateur Arts Development Programme (February 2024 to July 2024 cycle) is open.One of the Cont Mhlanga Foundation Trustees Gcina Mhlanga said the Cont Mhlanga Amateur Arts Development Programme was piloted in August 2023 and offers rehearsal space in three-to-six-month cycles to amateur arts groups for free for a limited amount of time and days per week.
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“The Cont Mhlanga Amateur Arts Development Programme has been created in honour of the legendary Cont Mhlanga, who was passionate about the development of the arts and entertainment sector. He had dedicated his life’s work to creating endless opportunities for creatives across different disciplines,” Mhlanga said.
“The official launch of the programme will see performing arts groups across different disciplines being selected on the basis of their potential for growth and overall impact on the arts and entertainment industry as a whole.”
Mhlanga said the current beneficiaries included the Deaf Arts National Culture Entertainment, a dance group that champions disability inclusion in the arts and addresses a huge gap of underwhelming disability representation in the arts and entertainment sector.
“This year, the programme has added a training component and all selected groups will undergo a series of free training seminars in intellectual property rights for creatives, introduction to contract law for creative, artificial intelligence and its impact on intellectual property rights.
“Introduction to finance and budgeting for creatives, project proposal writing, taxation, royalties and residual income for creatives, how to register a non-profit organisation, trust or business for creatives and brand development for creatives.”
To be considered for the programme, one must be in a group of two or more, be a performance arts group/band/ensemble, the group/band/ensemble members must be between 14 and 35 years.
Also, the group/band/ensemble must not have any existing legal registration status. The group/band/ensemble must have been in existence for more than one year, but for five years or less.
“To those who meet the designated criteria, they must send a completed application form attached to this call for applications with a motivation letter, a brief half to one page description of the type of performance the group does which includes the inspiration behind the creation of the group,” Mhlanga noted.
“Applications should be scanned and sent to +263 771 030 187 or copies can be dropped at Amakhosi Cultural Centre between Basch Street and Old Falls Road.”
When Cont established Amakhosi Cultural Centre in 1982, the centre started off as a youth karate club and turned semi-professional in 1988.
It created the first pilot centre, the Amakhosi Performing Arts Workshop, which produced and toured with theatre plays he both wrote and directed.In 1995 Amakhosi established the country’s first privately-owned cultural centre located within the boundaries of high-density suburbs, now popularly known as the Township Square Cultural Centre.
Cont and partners founded Skyz Metro FM, one of the first independent radio stations in Zimbabwe.
Away from theatre, the decorated Godfather of arts, Cont published three books and wrote more than 20 plays.
Among the plays written by the international art and cultural icon are The Good President, The End, Vikela, Sinjalo, Children On Fire, Games and Bombs and The Members.
He directed Bamqgibela Ephila and Omunye Umngcwabo.
Cont’s politically-charged play The Good President won him an Art Venture Freedom to Create award, shrugging off challenges from nearly 1 000 entrants from 86 countries.Although presented as a fictional account, The Good President’s depiction of an African dictator who had ruled his country since 1980 closely mirrored the country’s status quo before the death of Mugabe.
The play was, however, banned in the country.
Cont also adapted the popular play Stitsha to a television series that featured the late celebrated songbird Beatar Mangethe.
He also adapted the popular Amakorokoza and Sinjalo for national broadcaster Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation and he starred as Mtutureli Niekwu in an anti-apartheid movie titled A World Apart which was released in 1988.
His contribution to the creative sector did not go unnoticed.
Together with his Amakhosi Cultural Centre, he received several awards in honour of his outstanding achievements in the field of culture and development.
In 2015, Cont and Amakhosi received the Prince Claus award, named after Prince Claus of The Netherlands.
In 2021, he was one of the National Arts Merit Awards (Nama) 40 Legends who were given honorary awards as part of Zimbabwe’s 40th independence anniversary celebrations.
At the time of his death, he had retired in the creative business after 36 years to focus on agribusiness in his Lupane rural home.
