Presley Chweneyagae, the acclaimed South African actor best known for his lead role in the Oscar-winning film Tsotsi, has died at the age of 40, his talent agency confirmed on Tuesday.
In a statement published on its website, the MLASA Artists Agency expressed “profound sadness” over Chweneyagae’s untimely death, calling him “one of South Africa’s most gifted and beloved actors.” The agency did not disclose the cause or exact date of his passing.
Chweneyagae rose to international fame in 2006 when Tsotsi, a gripping drama set in the criminal underworld of Johannesburg’s Soweto township, won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. In the movie, he portrayed a young gangster who finds redemption after unknowingly stealing a car with a baby in the back seat.
The 2005 film was adapted from a novel by legendary South African playwright Athol Fugard, who passed away earlier this year at age 92. Speaking after the Oscar win, Chweneyagae described Tsotsi as a universal story. “It’s a story about hope, it’s a story about forgiveness, and it also deals with the issues that we are facing as South Africans: AIDS, poverty, and crime,” he said. “But at the same time, it could take place anywhere in the world.”
Born in 1984 in Mafikeng, a town in South Africa’s North West Province, Chweneyagae began acting in drama classes at the age of 10. His screen and stage career spanned theatre, film, and television, earning him recognition as a powerful and authentic voice in African cinema.
Beyond Tsotsi, his film credits included a role in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013), a biopic based on Nelson Mandela’s autobiography. He also starred in The River (2018), a popular South African television drama series.
Tributes have been pouring in from across the entertainment industry, with fans and colleagues remembering Chweneyagae for his immense talent, humility, and his contributions to South African storytelling.
