Zuko Komisa

Actor, novelist and playwright Athol Fugard has passed away.
According to reports, Fugard died on Saturday, 8 March at his home in Stellenbosch after a long illness.
He was 92 years old
Athol Fugard stands as a monumental figure in South African and global theatre.
A playwright, novelist, actor, and director, Fugard is renowned for his powerful works that confronted the injustices of apartheid.
His plays, such as The Blood Knot, Boesman and Lena and “Master Harold” …and the Boys laid bare the human cost of racial segregation, earning him international acclaim.
His contributions have been recognised with numerous accolades, including a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievementand the South African government’s Order of Ikhamanga in Silver.
Furthermore, his novel Tsotsi was adapted into an Oscar-winning film.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has paid respects to Athol Fugard, and said he regarded him as one of South Africa’s best playwrights, working with artists from all racial backgrounds during the country’s worst periods and penning plays that addressed the injustices of the Apartheid regime
“Beyond the impressive body of work that he has left behind, Athol Fugard will be remembered for being an outlier amongst the millions of white South Africans who blithely turned a blind eye to the injustices being perpetrated in their name.
“As a country we are grateful that we were able to honour the legendary Athol Fugard during his lifetime with the National Order of Ikhamanga in Silver.“The Fugard Theatre in District Six in Cape Town stands as a fitting tribute to a man whose life and works have left an indelible footprint, and that will continue to inspire generations of creative professionals for time to come,” said President Ramaphosa.
Point of View with Phemelo spoke to Joburg Theatre’s Artistic Director, James Ngcobo on the life and times of Athol Fugard.
Listen to the full conversation here:
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