Legendary playwright Welcome Msomi has died. He was 76.
The Durban-born stalwart ‘s death was confirmed on Saturday by his lawyer Bennito Mangolele. It is not known what actually killed him, but Msomi , who was found guilty of theft and fraud in October 2019 for stealing R8m from the Living Legends Legacy Programme (LLLP) trust account, suffered stroke last year. His sentencing was postponed indefinitely because of his ill-health.
Msomi is globally renowned for writing and directing theatre play Umabatha. The play is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and details how Mabatha overthrows Dingane. It was staged in 2016 by the University of Pretoria.
He also directed Buya Africa and created music for Tamburlaine the Great, a Royal Shakespeare Company production. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award for Theatre from the Arts & Culture Trust in 2012.
Msomi served on several boards, including the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission (KZNFC) and is a former chairman of the Living Legends Legacy.
