Renowned playwright Athol Fugard passes away in Cape Town

South African playwright, actor, and novelist Athol Fugard.

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World-famous South African playwright, actor, and novelist Athol Fugard has passed away in Cape Town. He was 92.

Fugard was renowned for his thought-provoking works that explored themes of apartheid, social injustice, and the human condition in theaters worldwide.

Fugard gained international recognition for his groundbreaking contributions to theater, literature, and film. His collaborations with John Kani and Winston Ntshona led to the creation and global success of Sizwe Banzi Is Dead and The Island (1973).

His critically acclaimed play Master Harold… and the Boys (1982), inspired by his childhood, won Best New Play awards in London and New York and earned Zakes Mokae a Tony Award.

Remembering Athol Fugard’s life and times:

Beyond theater, Fugard made notable contributions to film, starring as General Jan Smuts in Gandhi (1982) and Dr. Sundesval in The Killing Fields (1984). His novel Tsotsi (1980), depicting life in apartheid-era Sophiatown, was later adapted into an Oscar-winning film (2005).

In the 1990s, Fugard relocated to California, teaching acting, directing, and playwriting at the University of California, San Diego. He later served as Wells Scholar Professor at Indiana University (2000-01). Despite extensive time in the US, he remained deeply connected to South Africa, where his works continued to premiere.

Fugard’s final stage performance was in The Shadow of the Hummingbird (2014) at The Market Theatre, Johannesburg. He divorced his first wife, Sheila, in 2015 after nearly six decades of marriage and later married Pauline Fourie in 2016.

I am deeply saddened by the passing of my dear friend Athol Fugard. May his soul rest in eternal peace. Elder 🌹 pic.twitter.com/BVrKRczUxB

— JOHN KANI OIS OBE (@KANI_ELDER) March 9, 2025