Soweto’s Theatre of Resistance: 1984–1994: Gibson Kente, Matsemela Manaka and Maishe Maponya

During the period 1984–1994, there was a flowering of the arts in Soweto. The book relays the history of community theatre, which was a popular avenue for artistic expression for township playwrights. Numerous popular community plays were staged, and the book weaves these into a historical narrative informed by the works of Gibson Kente, Matsemela Manaka and Maishe Maponya. The book also provides a social analysis of Soweto as this provided a context for the plays produced. Communicating a message, whether of humanism, or the importance of Black Consciousness as essential for Black solidarity, was balanced by the playwright’s espousal of theatre aesthetics. At the same time Kente, Manaka and Maponya developed distinctive theatrical styles which have informed contemporary playwrights in South Africa. Up until 2012, there were no theatres in the township, but playwrights repurposed community halls as arts venues, and these are discussed in the book.

HSRC Press

Product Information

Format:

229x152mm

Pages:

336pp

ISBN-13:

978-0-7969-2704-0

Publish Year:

March 2026

Rights:

World Rights

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Preface
Chapter 1
Theatre produced in Soweto
The idea of Black Theatre, Kente Manaka and Maponya as main figures of Sowetan community theatre, definition of Soweto community theatre, Memorialising theatre produced in Soweto
Chapter 2
Writing the Elusive Narrative of Soweto-Based Community Theatre, 1984–1994
Memory studies as a strategy to formulate a narrative of Sowetan theatre, The interviewees
Chapter 3
Soweto’s Community Theatre
Sowetan community theatre, The socio-political context, of Soweto 1984 – 1994, Developments since 1994, prominent cultural venues
Chapter 4
Gibson Kente
Writings on Kente, Kente in history: The Sowetan and PACT archive, Kente in memory: interviews with actors, A list of Kente’s plays
Chapter 5
Matsemela Manaka
Writings on Manaka, Manaka in history: (Sowetan, PACT and Ali Hlongwane’s Archive), Manaka in memory: interviews with collaborators, A list of Manaka’s plays
Chapter 6
Maishe Maponya
Writings on Maponya, Maponya in history (Sowetan and Maponya Archive) Maponya in memory: interviews with actors and colleague, A list of Maponya’s creative output
Chapter 7
Conclusion
Socio-political context, Current theatre programme, Record keeping of theatre material
References
About the Author
Index

Andile Xaba is a Soweto-born writer, scholar and a chronicler of the creative life originating from the twinship. His research interests are South African literature and plays, particularly those produced bySoweto-based playwrights. He is involved in an archival project, The South African Drama and Theatre Heritage Project, which is concerned with the preservation of scripts, theatre programmes and related materials. Through this project he developed the archives of the Maishe Maponya Collection and the Mamelodi Theatre Organisation Collection, both of which are kept at the University of South Africa’s library. Andile was also the chief director of communications at the national Department of Arts and Culture. While there, he worked on a number of projects, including the first launch of the White Paper on arts, culture and heritage, the opening of the Robben Island Museum as well as the repatriation of the remains of Sarah Baartman. Prior to being a public servant, Andile worked as an arts writer on the Star Tonight. He wrote several feature articles and reviews on theatre, music and fine arts. One his columns was called ‘What’s on in Soweto’, where wrote about arts personalities, choral music groups, dance and theatre companies of the early 1990s.

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