Gibson Mthuthuzeli Kente was a South African playwright, composer, director, and producer based in Soweto.
17 Facts About Gibson Kente
1.
2.
Gibson Kente was known as the Father of Black Theatre in South Africa, and was one of the first writers to deal with life in the South African black townships.
3.
Gibson Kente produced 23 plays and television dramas between 1963 and 1992.
4.
Gibson Kente is responsible for producing some of South Africa's leading musicians.
5.
Gibson Kente was born on 23 July 1932 in Duncan Village, Eastern Cape raised in Stutterheim by his mother.
6.
Gibson Kente was educated at Bethel Training College Seventh-Day Adventist college in Butterworth until he moved to Lovedale Training College to complete his matric.
7.
In 1956 Kente moved to Johannesburg to study social work at the Jan H Hofmeyr School of Social Work.
8.
Gibson Kente never completed his studies; instead he joined a group known as Union of South African Artists who were based at Dorkay House in central Johannesburg.
9.
In 1963, Kente produced his first play, Manana, The Jazz Prophet, which featured celebrated musicians Caiphus Semenya and Letta Mbulu.
10.
Gibson Kente's plays were popular for using township popular culture, slang, fashion, and topical issue to reflect on daily life.
11.
Gibson Kente trained famous South African artists and entertainers such as Brenda Fassie, Nomsa Nene, and Mbongeni Ngema in the garage of his home in Dube, Soweto.
12.
Gibson Kente wrote music for artists such as Miriam Makeba and Letta Mbulu.
13.
Gibson Kente was jailed for one year in 1976 on conclusion of the filming of his play How Long.
14.
Gibson Kente began his last play, The Call, when he was diagnosed HIV positive.
15.
In 1997, the 30-seater Bra Gibson Kente Theatre was opened in Sharpeville.
16.
Gibson Kente married Drum cover-girl Evelyn Nomathemba Kasi in 1969 and they had three children.
17.
Gibson Kente was admitted into the care of a hospice in Soweto, where he was cared for until he died in his sleep on 7 November 2004.