South African Music Legend Mbongeni Ngema dies in car accident at 68

Mbongeni Ngema is best known for creating the musical Sarafina!, which premiered on Broadway in 1988

Mbongeni Ngema, writer of the acclaimed musical Sarafina about student riots in apartheid Soweto, is no more. Ngema was 68. As per Deadline, Mbongeni Ngema died in a car accident. The news of his demise was announced by his family in a statement.

The family shared that he was killed in a head-on collision while returning from a funeral he had attended in Lusikisiki, South Africa. He was a passenger in the vehicle.

Ngema is best known for creating the musical Sarafina, which premiered on Broadway in 1988 and was later adapted into a vehicle for Goldberg in 1992.

Ngema was a writer, lyricist, composer, director, choreographer, and theatre producer. His other major credits include vocal arranging for The Lion King.

Sarafina producer Anant Singh reacted to the unfortunate news.

“We have lost a trailblazing creative talent who fearlessly brought awareness of South Africa under apartheid to a global audience using the theatre as a platform. He has left an indelible mark on South African theatre and the creative industries as a whole. This is clearly demonstrated by the timelessness of Sarafina! the film. Mbongeni was an inspiration and mentored many young artists who are now household names. His passing leaves a deep void but he leaves a rich legacy that will endure for posterity,” Anant Singh said.

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(This article is published under a mutual content partnership arrangement between The Brew News and The Free Press Journal)