Acclaimed South African actor Presley Chweneyagae, best known for his lead role in the Oscar-winning film Tsotsi, has died at the age of 40. According to a family spokesperson, Chweneyagae passed away from natural causes following breathing complications. Emergency responders attended to him, but he was declared dead shortly after. Born in 1984 in the North West Province, Chweneyagae rose to global fame in 2005 after starring in Tsotsi, a gritty drama about township gang life. The film, directed by Gavin Hood, won South Africa its first Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and spotlighted the country’s post-apartheid social issues. Hood once noted that Chweneyagae had never acted in a film before being cast, despite coming from a “tough neighborhood.”
Throughout his career, Chweneyagae demonstrated exceptional range, appearing in notable productions like iNumber Number, Long Walk to Freedom (2013), and the popular series The River and Cobrizzi. He began his acting journey in theatre in 1998 and spoke often about drawing on personal experiences to deliver powerful performances. Tributes have poured in from across South Africa. His talent agency called him a “South African icon”, while the government described him as “a gifted storyteller whose talent lit up our screens and hearts.” The South African Film and Television Awards hailed him as a “true legend of South African cinema.”
Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie praised him as a “trailblazer who held the soul of a nation in his craft.” In a 2020 interview on the MacG podcast, Chweneyagae expressed his wish to be remembered as “an actor who loved his work and respected others.” He leaves behind a legacy that helped shape modern South African cinema and brought its stories to a global audience.
