South African actor Presley Chweneyagae, star of Oscar-winning 'Tsotsi', dies at 40

Presley Chweneyagae, the South African histrion who gained planetary designation for his starring relation successful the 2005 movie "Tsotsi," has died

JOHANNESBURG -- Presley Chweneyagae, the South African histrion who gained planetary designation for his starring relation successful the 2005 movie "Tsotsi", which won South Africa’s archetypal ever Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, has died. He was 40 years old.

His endowment bureau MLA connected Tuesday confirmed Chweneyagae's decease and said South Africa had mislaid 1 of its “most talented and beloved actors.”

“His passionateness for empowering the adjacent procreation of artists volition stay integral to his legacy,” MLA CEO Nina Morris Lee said successful a statement. She gave nary details astir the origin of death.

Chweneyagae’s three-decade-long vocation spanned theatre, television, and film.

His award-winning show successful “Tsotsi,” based connected the 1961 caller by South Africa’s preeminent playwright Athol Fugard and directed by Gavin Hood, catapulted him to planetary stardom.

Chweneyagae was besides a talented writer and director, co-authoring the internationally acclaimed signifier play “Relativity” with Paul Grootboom.

The South African authorities paid tribute to Chweneyagae, lauding his outstanding publication to the film, tv and theatre fraternity.

“The federation mourns the nonaccomplishment of a talented storyteller whose endowment lit up our screens and hearts,” the authorities said successful a station connected X. “Your bequest volition unrecorded connected done the almighty stories you told.”

The South Africa Film and Television Awards organization, known arsenic SAFTA, paid tribute to Chweneyagae, calling him a “true fable of South African Cinema" connected X.

“Rest successful Power … a powerhouse performer whose endowment near an indelible people connected our screens and successful our hearts,” SAFTA posted.

The caput wide of the ANC, the enactment that dominated South African authorities for 30 years, offered his condolences.

Fikile Mbalula described Chweneyagae arsenic a “giant of South African movie and theatre.”

“His bequest successful ‘Tsotsi,’ ‘The River,’ and beyond volition unrecorded on. Condolences to his family, friends, and each who were touched by his brilliance,” Mbalula said.

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