Gukurahundi actress dies

ULOYIKO theatre group is mourning the death of Thembakazi Plaatyie who played the role of a “sangoma” (traditional healer) in a play about Gukurahundi titled Uloyiko.

Plaatyie, who was one of the senior actors of Uloyiko, died at 33 on Monday in Cape Town, South Africa.

Uloyiko founding member and writer, Yanga Mhluzi told NewsDay Life & Style that the devastating news came as a huge blow to the theatre group.

“The young talented lady passed on Monday at her home in Cape Town and the cause of her death is still unclear. She leaves the Uloyiko family shocked and paralysed, at a time when Uloyiko was supposed to do a recording sometime this week for the National Arts Virtual Fringe Festival,” he said.

Mhluzi said Thembakazi was a Stutterheim (Cumakala) born actress who was known for her prominent role of a sangoma on Uloyiko.

“She joined Uloyiko in 2017 and set the stage on fire through her powerful voice that carried a lot of emotions. She also featured at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in a play called Curse in the

Womb (2008) where she played as a leading role and Mojo Man (2009),” he said.

“She was a holder of a diploma in performing arts and played many roles in theatre and contributed a lot in the arts industry both in Cape Town and Eastern Cape.”

Mhluzi said Plaatyie had left a void that would never be filled, adding that the deceased “was committed to see justice for (victims of the) Matabeleland genocide through bringing her all on stage”.