The actress Leleti Khumalo has expressed her sorrow for her ex-husband, the playwright and musician Mbongeni Ngema. Ngema (68) lost his life on Wednesday in a road accident as he was coming back from a funeral in Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape. Khumalo released her statement this morning.
She said: “We are deeply shocked and grieved by the sudden death of Mbongeni Ngema. He was a trailblazer of protest theatre and has left a lasting legacy in the theatre world. In this difficult time, we offer our heartfelt condolences to his family and in accordance with our culture, we would like to respect their privacy to mourn. May the Lord give them courage as they deal with this enormous loss,”.
The pair met during the production of Sarafina! and got married in 1992. Ngema and Khumalo who did not have any children together parted ways in 2005 after 14 years of marriage amid allegations of abuse. In a chat with Nicky Greenwall, the actress said she was not living a normal life and that she was not permitted to go anywhere she wished to.
“I wanted to do different plays‚ but it was not possible. I don’t know if he was jealous of me‚ I don’t know.’ In another chat with Anele Mdoda on Real Talk, she said: “I lived my 14 years of marriage for people. I wanted to make people happy and I stayed. I woke up one morning and told myself, that’s it. I don’t know what triggered it. I announced that we were divorcing.’
The Eastern Cape Department of Health said that Ngema’s body has been handed over to his family yesterday. “An autopsy was done and his body was given to the family. The body is now on its way to KwaZulu Natal,” the department said.