Cont Mhlanga

Zimbabwean playwright and actor (died 2022)

Cont Mhlanga
Born	Cont Mdladla Mhlanga 1957/1958
Died	1 August 2022
Nationality	Zimbabwean
Occupation(s)	playwright, actor, and theatre director
Notable work	The Good President

Cont Mdladla Mhlanga (1957/1958 – 1 August 2022)^[1] was a Zimbabwean playwright, actor, and theatre director.^[2] He was also the founder and head of the Amakhosi Theatre Productions company, formed in 1982.^[3]^[4]

Mhlanga was a critic of the government of Robert Mugabe, and was arrested often for public expressions of his views. He, alongside Burmese satirist Zarganar and City of Rhyme – a 14-strong hip-hop group from northern Brazil, whose lyrics condemn violence^[5] – were winners of the inaugural Freedom to Create Prize in 2008.^[6]^[7]

Works

Written

The Good President
The End
Vikela
Sinjalo
Children On Fire
Games and Bombs
The Members

Directed

Bamqgibela Ephila
Omunye Umngcwabo

References

^ "Renowned culture activist and playwright Cont Mhlanga dies". Zimbabwe News Now. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
^ Riemenschneider, Dieter; Frank Schulze-Engler (1993). African literatures in the eighties. Rodopi. p. 113. ISBN 9051835183.
^ Rubin, Don (1997). The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Africa. Taylor & Francis. p. 365. ISBN 0415059313.
^ Smith, David (12 May 2009). "Letter from Africa: 'When you tell a joke in the street, that is political'". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
^ "Shine-A-Light – City of Rhyme". Archived from the original on 28 September 2009. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
^ Iqbal, Nosheen (27 November 2008). "Mhlanga and Zarganar win arts awards for human rights". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
^ "Zimbabwe writer Mhalanga honoured". BBC News. 26 November 2008.