Sibusiso Khwinana: Promising young actor able to ‘create magic’ 1994-2018
Stabbed to death soon after his breakthrough role in film ‘Matwetwe’
● Sibusiso Khwinana, who has died at the age of 25 after being stabbed in Arcadia, Pretoria, was a multi-talented actor, director, writer and poet.
He was murdered on Friday March 1, after attending a screening of Matwetwe, a coming-ofage film in which he played the lead role. He was attacked by thieves and stabbed in the stomach outside the Sterland Mall in a struggle for his cellphone.
His death has robbed the industry of a performer who had just been given the biggest break in his career. Matwetwe was directed by comedian and filmmaker Kagiso Lediga, with Black Coffee as its executive producer. The film opened in cinemas in January and has already earned R4m.
Matwetwe, set in Atteridgeville, follows the New Year’s Eve antics of two friends, Lefa and Papi, as they try to score a huge deal, dodge a gangster and his violent minions, get the girl and ultimately save their lives. Khwinana plays the role of Lefa. The actor initially thought he’d be auditioning for an assistant-director spot.
Lediga, who met Khwinana in 2016, said he thought the young actor would be a star because he had a strong work ethic and was able to “create magic”.
Khwinana studied at the Youth in Trust Performing Arts Academy, which is based at the South African State Theatre in Pretoria. Some of the productions he staged include Tit for Tat, for which he was awarded best director at the Hello Festival in 2014. He took the play to the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. He won several other awards for scriptwriting and production.
His play Don’t Start was written after he’d seen the impact of nyaope on communities. The play was performed for primary-school children in Soshanguve and Mamelodi.
Speaking at his memorial service this week, Thabiso Qwabe of the State Theatre said the young actor had been a man of “krag and passion” and a talented hustler who was dedicated to his craft.
Khwinana’s love for theatre started in high school. He would save money during the week to go to the State Theatre on Saturdays.
Since Khwinana had studied mechanical engineering at high school, his parents expected him to continue studying this subject at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). Instead, he lied and told his parents his application had been unsuccessful, forcing him to find an alternative, which was to audition for a spot in the Youth in Trust at the State Theatre.
His role in Matwetwe inspired him to get his diploma in film and television. He was in his second year at TUT and previously said that after starring in Matwetwe he felt “a sense of duty to tell our stories”.
Khwinana would tells his friends and fellow actors that “we are the future”. Tragically, he is no longer part of the journey.