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To South Africans he was a budding young star in a breakout role that not only endeared him to the hearts of many, but also told the very relatable story of a young man trying to find and mark his place in this life.
To his family he was a humble, down-to-earth 25-year-old guy, his mother’s pride and joy.
The sudden death of local actor and director Sibusiso Khwinana following an alleged robbery on Friday night sent shock waves across the country.
Members of the public took to social media yesterday to voice their hurt and anger as well as to commiserate with his friends and family.
Khwinana had been widely hailed for his recent leading role in the critically acclaimed kasi film Matwetwe, directed by film industry heavyweight Kagiso Lediga, with DJ Black Coffee (real name Nkosinathi Maphumulo) as its executive producer.
Gauteng provincial SAPS spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo confirmed the incident yesterday, stating that police were investigating a case of murder and robbery but that no suspects had been arrested as yet.
For 23-year-old Lebogang Khwinana, the untimely loss of his cousin’s life robbed not only the country but his entire family of a talent that was still to achieve his ultimate dream of being a big-time director.
“He did say to me that Matwetwe was a big stepping stone for him, but he really wanted to be that guy behind the scenes.
“Even the day he had gone for the auditions, he was there to try his hand at being one of the directors and was shocked when he was chosen for the role,” an audibly emotional Lebogang told City Press yesterday.
“He did a lot of theatre plays and directing at the State Theatre, but had recently sourced his own theatre space with his friends and was excited about that venture.
“He really was one of the most kind and giving people I knew and was always making us proud.
“I can’t help but think it should rather have been me.”
The State Theatre, where Sibusiso spent most of his formative years as actor and director, said in a statement: “Khwinana will be greatly missed in our corridors, rehearsal and dressing rooms and theatres as a hardworking, high-spirited storyteller who never stopped pushing.
“In 2016 he was among a few selected creatives to be given an opportunity to showcase works under our artistic development programme, the Incubator Programme, sponsored by the department of arts and culture, which prepares semi-professional art practitioners for the mainstream industry.
“There he wrote and directed a hard-hitting stage play on homophobia and the rape of lesbians titled Amend.
“Last year he was entrusted with the responsibility of being a stage and production manager for the South African team, curated by the State Theatre at the request of Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa, that was sent to represent the country at the People to People Cultural Exchange Programme hosted in China.”
City Press’s own entertainment reporter, Phumlani S Langa, recently interviewed Khwinana about his role in the local box office hit.
He said he had been struck by and impressed with his quiet yet confident demeanour.
“He was maybe more quiet than the other characters in the room and seemed to be more of a thinker. He really paused to think before he answered. Everything he said had gravity and you could get a sense that he was a true practitioner of theatre with technical knowledge of and passion for it,” Langa said.
City Press reached out to Lediga for comment, but his phone went straight to voicemail.
Black Coffee voiced his anger and despair on Twitter. “What a loss!!!! How long will it take for us to realize (sic) we have a crime problem as a country, how many people must die before we do something. Who must we trust to protect us and our families, who must we vote for?” he tweeted.
Mthethwa also sent his condolences via Twitter.
“We are devastated to learn of the tragic & untimely passing of Celebrated Actor & the pride of Soshanguve Sibusiso Khwinana whose talent was demonstrated in his performance in the box-office hit #Matwetwe. He was also a founding member of the Independent Theatres Makers Movement.”
