DR VUSI SHONGWE
Has the South African literary and cultural establishment become a desert of the kind Thomas Gray imagined in one of his famous poems? How could an artistic genius like Mbongeni Ngema who has produced the fruits for the nation, theatre plays for the world stage, and even food for thought, be pushed into obscurity? Indeed, as Gray aptly puts it:
“Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
The dark unfathom’d caves of ocean bear:
Full many a flower to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.”
In a similar yet disturbing fashion, the illustrious Ngema is left to wither. What’s wrong with our noses or are we putting our noses in the wrong places instead?
These are the questions that immediately came to my mind during my scintillating conversation with the sagacious Dr Irvin “Iron Duke” Khoza, the chairman of the well-oiled Premier Soccer League when he shared with me the erudite and profound words of Thomas Gray’s quote. A good many flowers bloom and fade away in deserted places, seen by no one.
In its context, Thomas Gray’s Ëlegy” is a metaphor for the common folk who do heroic things that are never reported in the news or recorded in history. Like a precious stone unmined at the bottom of the ocean or a beautiful flower blooming in the deep woods, their work may not be seen or known, but it is nevertheless heroic. Rubies and roses are beautiful, Gray would say, whether anyone ever sees them or not.
If there is a penchant that South Africans have adroitly perfected, it is the practice of celebrating a person when he or she dies. They almost all pour out their hearts with a stupendous performance. It is time South Africans began to honour their venerable and outstanding compatriots while they are still alive than to honour them by expressing a veritable avalanche of accolades when they have transitioned this world.
This piece, therefore, is written to recognise and appreciate the prodigiously remarkable milestones that Ngema has accomplished. There is a question about the genius and the contribution Ngema has made to theatre. He is simply a creative genius.
Paying tribute to the famous African American struggle stalwart, Amiri Baraka’s art and politics, the poet Sonia Sanchez said, “at the core of his genius, Baraka sees art as a weapon.”
The same could be said of Ngema, who saw art as the weapon to conscientise his compatriots to agitate for the downfall of the apartheid regime, as well as to mobilise the international community to exert pressure on the apartheid government to end its tyranny. I have no doubt that Ngema now sees art as a weapon that could extricate the downtrodden youths from the quagmire of abject poverty.
Who is Mbongeni Ngema?
The world-renowned Ngema is a playwright of note, musical composer, actor, director, activist, lyricist, choreographer, theatre producer and iconic and committed artist of many layers and persuasions who radically altered our black protest theatre. He composed songs and created plays with a hurricane-like force that prodigiously reverberated across the globe.
Ngema’s orientation and art, especially the Sarafina production, were combative, conscientising and highly political. The production won Ngema a reputation as one of the world-class playwrights.
His plays were mainly about the socio-political situations of black people against the vicious system of apartheid and reactions against the absurdities of racism. His acclaimed plays include Sarafina, Asinamali, Woza Albert, Township Fever and several musical compositions.
Ngema himself leapt into theatrical consciousness and became a formidable force in the realm of the performing arts fraternity after being “discovered” by the godfather of South Africa’s black theatre, Gibson Kente. Ngema sprang into the public eye through being one of the naturally talented students of Kente.
He started his career as a theatre backing guitarist. He wrote the multi-award-winning musical Sarafina! and co-wrote the multi-award-winning Woza Albert.
A renowned actor himself, Ngema’s acting prowess was brilliantly captured by the play he did together with Percy Twa called Woza Albert. He is also a good singer with a velvety smooth, like an expensive cognac, and mellifluous voice. Ngema used his voice to articulate his radical resistance against the apartheid regime. His voice was distinctly his. Ngema is also an amazing and self-taught choreographer.
He is known for plays that reflected the spirit of black South Africans under apartheid. In fact, he became a prominent voice, through his plays, against the dictatorship of the apartheid regime. If ever there is a man who has embodied all the qualities of a conscientious South African black playwright, it is Ngema.
The man is talented and multidimensional, and naturally literate to the bone. Ngema has always been ahead of his time. During his active days in the performing industry, especially during the time of the Sarafina play. Ngema’s eyes burnt with passion and integrity. He was a black who worked, wrote and fought into being a great artist.
Ngema has been a fiercely dedicated and passionate theatre person. He has been adept at mentoring new playwrights. He has been a mentor and teacher to many young artists. Those who have been mentored by Ngema speak of him as having been a demanding teacher who vibrates with amazing energy and often leaves his students quaking in their boots.
At a personal level, he is known for being forthright yet with an extremely empathetic nature. He was also known by his family, friends, and colleagues alike for his warm, wit and creative spark.
A prolific composer whose music is still enjoyed by all and sundry to this day. Whenever Ngema released a song, the insatiably curious, like me, would always want to hear it first. Anyone who knows Ngema’s breathtakingly vibey music knows what a treat his music is, with its irresistible melodies. His technique and intonation are immaculate.
Ngema has come to understand that only through the experiential process of acting could plays like Sarafina be appreciated as our greatest record of human thought. He imparted that insight and knowledge to several actors and directors who benefited from his naturally endowed well of creative artistry. Probably only to be eclipsed by his mentor, Gibson Kente, Ngema could easily be referred to as one of the godfathers of South Africa's theatre. He is the kind of giant with a tremendous ripple effect that will no doubt reverberate for a very long time.
I am sure Ngema would agree with me that of all the oversized accomplishments he has achieved in his life, establishing Sarafina is the feat he is most proud of. Sarafina The Musical became the clarion voice of the disenfranchised in South Africa. It was also the first play performed and directed by black South Africans to appear in Broadway theatre, or Broadway in New York City in the US. Broadway and London’s West End together represent the highest commercial level of live theatre in the English-speaking world. Most Broadway shows are musicals.
Historian Shefter argues that Broadway musicals contributed to making New York City the cultural capital of the world. It is worth mentioning that the most popular Broadway musical is The Lion King which is the highest-grossing Broadway show of all time. Since its opening on November 13, 1997, The Lion King has earned $1 539 318 552 and counting. Interestingly, The Lion King is filled with South African influences, and Disney has routinely hosted auditions in major cities across South Africa when assembling the cast for each new run. The set design is inspired by South African landscapes, and composer Lebo M, who is South African, has added elements of South African music to the soundtrack and the story pulls directly from figures of South African folklore.
Some of the cast members of Sarafina had the luck to enrol at the prestigious The Juilliard School, which is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. The school is widely regarded as one of the best drama, music and dance schools in the world.
It is amazing what talent does. Academically trained playwrights understand the nuance and difficulty of combining art and activism, yet Ngema excelled without formal education in art and theatre. In fact, he wrote, designed, directed and choreographed his work. Ngema has indeed distinguished himself as a griot in a class of his own.
Among Ngema’s many talents are natural organiser and actor. An important figure in world theatre, Ngema, who graduated with a PhD from the University of the Hard Knocks of Life, is not an academic scholar; he is the primary source, not the one using others’ resources.
Ngema’s talent has been the kind of giant talent with a tremendous ripple effect that will no doubt reverberate for a very long time. When Ngema finished his international tour with Sarafina, a Ngema Performing Arts Academy should have been established to ensure that his discoveries and wealth of knowledge are passed on to the emerging directors of today and tomorrow.
I am of the view that, if health permits, Ngema should with the likes of Edmund Mhlongo of the KwaMashu Community Advancement Projects and other playwrights like Duma Ka Ndlovu and Lebo M partner with the government and universities to prevent “many flowers to blush unseen and waste their sweetness in the deserts” of our townships. In that way, countless performing arts talents among our many unemployed youths could be unearthed and unleashed.
At the risk of sounding unpatriotic, if Ngema was living in America, he would (be) the president of a vibrant and world-class performing arts academy churning out world-class performing artists. Similarly, if he was living in Britain, the Queen would have died having bestowed (on) him the honour of being addressed as Sir Mbongeni Ngema.
It is an indictment that a griot like Ngema is neglected and allowed to wither in front of our eyes. Wait until he transitions this earth, suddenly there will be an outpouring of prodigious grief with radio stations playing his music from dawn to sunset. It would be too late. This reminds one of a story of a dying professor who attended the funeral of a colleague who had suddenly died of a heart attack and came home depressed. “What a waste,” talking to his wife, “all those people saying all those wonderful things, and my colleagues never got to hear any of it.”
My silent prayer is that Ngema has saved enough rand to escape the ignominious shame of being buried like a pauper.
Particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, one wishes that the provincial government convene an urgent performing art or creative industry indaba and invite the likes of Ngema, Edmund Mhlongo, Duma kaNdlovu, who is from Bergville lest it be forgotten, Dr Sipho Sithole, who is from Solomon Linda town, Jerry Pooe, Mandla Kheswa, Lebo M of the Lion King and other emerging playwrights to explore ways of unearthing talents and assisting talented youths to fulfil their dreams of becoming world superstars who can also experience the glitz and glamour of walking on the red carpet of Hollywood when award ceremonies are (held). The fact that township theatres are non-existent when we have internationally acclaimed playwrights like Ngema is an indictment on our government.
I am of the view that economic development in areas like KwaMashu, Mgungundlovu and Umlazi could be easily leveraged and sustained by the legion of hidden talent that our youths have. I have always wondered why people from these townships excel in performing arts. Inexplicably, most horizontally challenged people like yours-truly are amazing singers. Yours truly can only sing when taking a shower. The only conclusion I could arrive at regarding the singing prowess of people from these areas is perhaps the sea breeze. But there is a sea breeze in Richards Bay?
In short, the whole of KZN is sitting on its platinum as far as the performing or creative industry is concerned. It is an open secret that most television shows’ actors are from KZN. The province is its worst enemy for failing to think innovatively. One of the hallmarks of the fourth industrial revolution is, undoubtedly, innovative thinking, which the province, and the country in general, appear to be not endowed with.
Ngema’s critical success, however, has not been spared of criticisms and controversies. His song Amandiya from his album Jive Madlokovu caused a huge controversy. The song accuses South Africa’s Indian population of exploitation and resisting change. The detractors of Ngema felt that the song would foment racial hatred. Others would argue that the racially-motivated Phoenix killings in July 2021 vindicated Ngema’s argument that he composed the song Amandiya to open a debate with the view to pave the way for reconciliation between the two race groups. Instead, it is argued, the matter was unfortunately swept under the carpet with serious ramifications as manifested by the July 2021 killings of more than 40 black South Africans.
It cannot be gainsaid that we swept the issue of racial intolerance in Durban and other surrounding areas under the carpet because we do not want to discuss a controversial thing like racism. Perhaps, in hindsight, Ngema should have been listened to. Maybe the racially-motivated Phoenix killings would not have happened.
Ngema was not new to controversy. His populist musical Sarafina was a great hit on Broadway in New York, but its follow-up, Sarafina 2, was performed only twice. Commissioned by the government in 1995 as an Aids-awareness play, it cost the South African taxpayer R14 million. After allegations of corruption, the public protector ruled that the health department, with Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma at its helm, subsidy for the play was an unauthorised expenditure. He also said that the HIV/Aids message the play conveyed was inadequate and questionable and should be revised and improved if the play was to continue.
My take is that the public protector’s take on this matter was equally questionable. How he arrived at the conclusion that the play should be revised beguiles the mind. The public protector was neither a playwright nor a music composer. One does not need to be a rocket scientist to understand why Ngema, besides the corruption allegations, was targeted. Fortunately for Ngema, the public protector’s judgement concluded that the musical was a “worthy exercise”, despite the unjustifiable mismanagement surrounding its staging. Sadly, the damage was done to the reputation of Ngema to date.
Ngema simply becomes anathema in his own country. Do the two controversies explain therefore why the world-class playwright is forgotten and cannot be given gigs by the government? Is he being punished for having penned the song about the Indians? As for the Sarafina fiasco, Ngema did not steal any money. He was paid by the government. For him to have been pilloried by the public protector who knew nothing about the hard work that goes into conceptualising and rehearsing for plays was rather unfair.
Fortunately, the very same public protector was short of exonerating Ngema when he later concluded that the Sarafina 2 musical was a “worthy exercise”. As the lyrics of a popular song put it, “there are more questions than answers”. Let us suppose Ngema is all that bad. My bible says “let him who is without sin cast the first stone (John 8:7).
In conclusion, one of the critical problems facing South African black people’s development is of cultural/historical ignorance. Yet, this deficiency cannot be solved with a didactic sledgehammer. It would take the of playwrights like Ngema, using the language of his community, as an on-sight storyteller, to place us magically into the field of play on the regional and national stages of South Africa and abroad. This is exactly what Mbongeni, which is loosely translated as “thank him”, has done which is part of his abiding legacy.
Given the oversized accomplishments of Ngema in the world of performing arts, undoubtedly, he is one of the creative geniuses to have been produced in KZN, South Africa and Africa. Ngema is a creative genius par excellent.
Ngema, the gem in our ocean, and an unforgettable voice has made his contribution to both free our minds from mental slavery and from the bondage of the apartheid regime. The flamboyantly inimitable Ngema has been a force to be reckoned with. Maybe the time has eased some of Ngema’s passion from his bones. But when he was at his bravura best, he was a firecracker. He was hyperactive. He both transcended and inhabited your body. He made the phrase “differently abled” meaningful and not a euphemism. Notwithstanding all that, Ngema still has so much to offer.
It is still time to appreciate and acknowledge the greatness and genius of Mbongeni Ngema. Madlokovu!
Dr Vusi Shongwe works for the KZN Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. The piece is written in his personal capacity.
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