HONOURING LEGENDS, INSPIRING GENERATIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AmaXhanti Projects & Services Pty Ltd Announces a Landmark Theatre Festival Honouring South African Legends Bongani Linda and Peter Ngwenya
Johannesburg, South Africa — 13 April 2026
AmaXhanti Projects & Services Pty Ltd proudly announces the “Bongani Linda & Peter Ngwenya Soweto Theatre Festival”, a landmark cultural event dedicated to celebrating the enduring legacies of two of South Africa’s most influential theatre practitioners, Bongani Linda and Peter Ngwenya.
The festival will take place from 23–25 April 2026 at the iconic Uncle Tom’s Hall, bringing together artists, scholars, cultural workers, and audiences in a powerful tribute to South Africa’s theatrical heritage.
This three-day programme seeks not only to honour the lives and work of these theatre legends, but also to reintroduce their artistic contributions to a new generation of practitioners and audiences. By revisiting seminal works and fostering intergenerational dialogue, the festival positions itself as both a commemorative and forward-looking cultural platform.
Festival Programme Highlights
The festival will feature four compelling theatre productions, including revived works from the honourees alongside contemporary productions:
Dramaturgical direction across the productions will be led by Vice Monageng and Matjamela Motloung, ensuring a thoughtful and rigorous engagement with the material.
Programme Structure
• 23 April 2026 (Thursday): Official Festival Launch
The opening day will host an official launch event, welcoming key stakeholders, members of the media, funding partners, and the families of the late legends. Speakers will reflect on the significance of the festival and the lasting impact of Linda and Ngwenya on South African theatre.
• 24–25 April 2026 (Friday & Saturday): Performances & Masterclasses
Audiences will experience two productions per day. Following each staging of works by Linda and Ngwenya, interactive masterclass sessions will be held. These sessions will critically explore selected scenes, inviting theatre practitioners to engage with the artistic methodologies of the legends while interrogating their relevance within the contemporary South African theatre landscape.
A Platform for Reflection and Renewal
The festival is curated to bridge generations by pairing established and emerging voices, notably through directors such as Mxolisi 'The Great' Masilela and Julian Sekoto. This deliberate artistic dialogue underscores the festival’s commitment to continuity, innovation, and the preservation of South Africa’s rich theatrical legacy.
Support and Partnerships
This initiative is made possible through the generous support of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), whose continued investment in the arts enables platforms that honour heritage while nurturing future creative excellence.
A Call to the Community: Share Your Memories & Be Part of the Legacy
In the true spirit of African storytelling and collective memory, we warmly invite the public to share their personal memories, reflections, and moments with Bongani Linda and Peter Ngwenya. These were not only theatre-makers, but community builders who nurtured, mentored, and inspired generations. As the African proverb reminds us, “it takes a village to raise a child,” and in the same way, it takes a community to honour and preserve the legacy of its cultural leaders.
Your voice, your story, and your memory form an important part of this living archive—help us celebrate their lives through the collective lens of those they impacted.
Submit your memories, photos, and participation interest here:
https://forms.gle/uN3nqUPsY8Rubrp86
Media Enquiries:
AmaXhanti Projects & Services Pty Ltd
Ntsikelelo Ngcanga - +27 71 195 6410 / ntsikingcanga@yahoo.com
About the Honourees
Bongani Linda
Born in Alexandra Township in 1966, Linda emerged as a fearless cultural activist and playwright during the apartheid era. His early work, including Born to Suffer, positioned theatre as a tool for political consciousness among the youth. A graduate of University of the Witwatersrand, Linda went on to found the Victory Sonqoba Theatre Company in 1993, creating pathways for township artists and fostering social cohesion through performance. His work remains a testament to the transformative power of theatre in healing communities and confronting injustice.
Peter Ngwenya
A Soweto-born playwright and director, Ngwenya dedicated his life to community and children’s theatre. Following his departure from formal schooling after the Soweto Uprising, he joined grassroots theatre movements and later honed his craft internationally at the Yale Repertory Theatre. Through initiatives such as the Student Youth Drama Society (SYDS), Ngwenya empowered young people to express themselves creatively, using theatre as a vehicle for education, cultural development, and social change.
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