UMbongeni Ngema, ongumbhali womdla wodumo iSarafina owawumayelana nezibhelu zabafundi ngesikhathi sobandlululo eSoweto, ushone engozini yemoto ngoLwesithathu eneminyaka engu-68 ubudala, kusho umndeni wakhe. U-Ngema ushone ngesikhathi ifilimu yango-1992, eyakhiwe nomculi we-jazz odumile u-Hugh Masekela, ibuya kokhonjiswa esigabeni sakudala sefestiveli yamafilimu ye-Cannes.
“Simemezela ngezinhliziyo ezibuhlungu ukudlula emhlabeni kukamfowethu esimthandayo, ubaba, umyeni kanye nesithandwa sezwe, uMbongeni Ngema,” kusho isitatimende somndeni. “UNgema ushone engozini yemoto kade ebuya emngcwabeni esifundazweni sase-Eastern Cape”, kusho isitatimende. Ubengumgibeli emotweni.
ISarafina yenza uNgema isihlabani somculo nombhali wemidlalo i-Afrika yonke. Lomdlalo weshashalazi owabuye waphendulwa ifilimu watshengiswa eBroadway yaseNew York iminyaka emibili. waqokwe kuma-Tony and Grammy Awards. Kwifilimu kwakulingisa phambili uLeleti Khumalo, owake washada naye uNgema. Lomdlalo wawugabe ngabalingisi abadumile okubalwa kuwo noWhoopi Goldberg waphesheya kwezilwandle.
UNgema uphinde wadidiyela umdlalo othi Woza Albert ngo-1981 noPercy Mtwa noBarney Simon. Lomdlalo wawukhuluma ngosizi lwabantu abamnyama eNingizimu Afrika ephethwe abamhlophe, lo mdlalo uvakashele e-Europe naseNyakatho Melika. Imisebenzi yakhe yayikhombisa umoya wokumelana nesikhathi sobandlululo.
UNgema ubephinde abe ngumlingisi, umdidiyeli womculo, umqambi nomculi. Ezingomeni zakhe ezashisa izikhotha okubalwa kuzo ethi “Stimela sa se Zola”