South Africans mourn celebrated actor Presley Chweneyagae, dead at 40

South Africans are mourning the death of actor Presley Chweneyagae, who passed away at the age of 40 after experiencing breathing problems. His family confirmed that he died from natural causes, despite efforts by paramedics to assist him.

Family spokesperson Mzwakhe Sigudla said, "Paramedics had attended to him, but he couldn't make it."

Chweneyagae rose to international fame in 2005 when he played the lead role in the film Tsotsi, which won South Africa its first Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

Born in 1984 in the North West Province, he had never acted in a film before being cast in the role.

The movie, which explores gang life in South African townships, was described by film critic Stephen Aspeling as a "landmark film" that arrived at a critical moment for the country’s film industry and international image.

"It’s taking a look at post-apartheid South Africa, the social inequalities, conveying poverty [and] crime in townships," he said.

Director Gavin Hood, who discovered Chweneyagae, once said the actor came from a "tough neighborhood" and had never acted on screen before Tsotsi.

Chweneyagae himself said in a podcast interview that his acting drew deeply from personal experience.

"You need to draw from your own emotional memory to make the scene more believable," he explained.

His career began in 1998 with a professional stage play, and he went on to star in multiple films and TV shows, including iNumber Number, where he played a police officer , a role Aspeling said showed his "versatility".

He also featured in the Nelson Mandela biopic Long Walk to Freedom in 2013, along with numerous theatre productions.

Chweneyagae’s death sparked a wave of tributes from fans, fellow actors, and institutions. His agency called him a “South African icon” and “one of the country’s most gifted and beloved actors”.

The South African government said he was "a gifted storyteller whose talent lit up our screens and hearts".

The Ministry of Sports, Art and Culture highlighted his contributions to television, especially in popular shows like River and Cobrizzi.

"The Department of Sports, Art and Culture mourns the loss of a true trailblazer — a storyteller who held the soul of a nation in his craft," said Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie.

The South African Film and Television Awards described him as a "true legend of South African cinema" and a "powerhouse performer".

In a 2020 interview, Chweneyagae shared what he hoped his legacy would be.

He said, "I just want to be remembered as an actor who loved his work, and who had great respect for others. I think that's about it."