Joe Mafela
Encyclopedia
Joe Mafela "Mbungula, Sdumo" (born 1942, Sibasa
, Limpopo
, South Africa
) is a noted South African actor, writer, producer, director and businessman.
and began acting in the early 1960s, when he joined the South African film company SA Films. Over the following twenty years he worked as a producer and director as well as a film actor, managing the dance troupe Mzumba and the group Sangoma. With the advent of television in South Africa
in 1976, Mafela worked almost continuously, and in 1986 he was cast as the unemployed lodger S'dumo in the Zulu language
comedy series 'Sgudi 'Snaysi
.
The success of 'Sgudi 'Snaysi - which ran to 78 episodes on SABC - led to roles in other series, often produced by Mafela's own production company Penguin Films. It also encouraged Mafela to enter the advertising industry, working as Creative Director of Black Communications at BBDO
South Africa and, since 1992, as a director of Sharrer Advertising in Johannesburg. Since 1995 Mafela has recorded and released a number of albums of Zulu-language songs.
Sibasa
Tshivhase is a town in Limpopo Province, South Africa and the former capital city of the Venda bantustan. When Venda was declared independent in 1979, the capital was moved to Thohoyandou. The corrupted name Sibasa appears a lot in South African media.In fact, the correct Venda word is Tshivhase...
, Limpopo
Limpopo
Limpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. The capital is Polokwane, formerly named Pietersburg. The province was formed from the northern region of Transvaal Province in 1994, and initially named Northern Transvaal...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
) is a noted South African actor, writer, producer, director and businessman.
Career
Mafela was brought up in JohannesburgJohannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
and began acting in the early 1960s, when he joined the South African film company SA Films. Over the following twenty years he worked as a producer and director as well as a film actor, managing the dance troupe Mzumba and the group Sangoma. With the advent of television in South Africa
Television in South Africa
Television in South Africa was first introduced in 1976. Despite being the most economically advanced country in Africa, South Africa was relatively late in introducing television broadcasting to its population.- Opposition to introduction :...
in 1976, Mafela worked almost continuously, and in 1986 he was cast as the unemployed lodger S'dumo in the Zulu language
Zulu language
Zulu is the language of the Zulu people with about 10 million speakers, the vast majority of whom live in South Africa. Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa as well as being understood by over 50% of the population...
comedy series 'Sgudi 'Snaysi
'Sgudi 'Snaysi
Sgudi 'Snaysi is a long-running South African Zulu language television comedy series. Made by Penguin Films and broadcast on SABC, it achieved the highest audience ratings ever for any SABC show....
.
The success of 'Sgudi 'Snaysi - which ran to 78 episodes on SABC - led to roles in other series, often produced by Mafela's own production company Penguin Films. It also encouraged Mafela to enter the advertising industry, working as Creative Director of Black Communications at BBDO
BBDO
BBDO is a worldwide advertising agency network, with its headquarters in New York City. The agency began in 1891 with George Batten's Batten Company, and later in 1928, through a merger of BDO and Batten Co. the agency became BBDO...
South Africa and, since 1992, as a director of Sharrer Advertising in Johannesburg. Since 1995 Mafela has recorded and released a number of albums of Zulu-language songs.
Awards
In 2004 Mafela was awarded a special Duku Duku award for his services to the South African television industry. In 2005 he was awarded a Theatre Management of South Africa Lifetime Achievement award at the Naledi Theatre Awards.Filmography
- ZuluZulu (film)Zulu is a 1964 historical war film depicting the Battle of Rorke's Drift between the British Army and the Zulus in January 1879, during the Anglo-Zulu War....
(1964) - Tokoloshe (1971)
- Shout at the DevilShout at the DevilShout at the Devil is the second album by heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, released on September 26, 1983. "Looks That Kill" and "Too Young to Fall in Love" became huge hits and "Shout at the Devil" became very popular as well.-Reception:...
(1976) - Escape from AngolaAngolaAngola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
(1976) - A Game for Vultures (1979)
- 'Sgudi 'Snaysi (1986) (TV)
- Red Scorpion (1989)
- Khululeka (1993) (TV)
- Madam and Eve (2000) (TV)
- Fela's TV (2004) (TV)