Those familiar with the works of the playwright who was as gifted as he was intrepid will say there is no way of estimating the extent of Athol Fugard’s contribution to dismantling apartheid
BONGANI MALUNGA
Renowned playwright, director and apartheid storyteller Athol Fugard has died at the age of 92.
Furgard, best known for chronicling South Africa’s apartheid era through theatrical depictions, died in Stellenbosch, South Africa on Saturday.
Fugard was in staunch opposition of apartheid and used his influence in the theatre industry to advocate for equality.
Produced overseas
At a time when segregation was the order of the day, Fugard called for inclusion as he risked his own career by boycotting South Africa’s segregated audiences to have his plays produced overseas.
The playwright was also instrumental in providing a platform for black South African actors to make a name for themselves in theatre productions in the 1960s.
His unconventional methods of including black people in his plays set the tone for demonstrating that the arts had a unique way of changing perceptions and advocating for equality.
Tsotsi
One of his best works was through the literary offering that is Tsotsi. The film adaption of his Tsotsi book garnered worldwide acclaim as the Gavin Hood directed movie won the Academy Award (Oscar) for the Best Foreign Language in 2006.
Fugard had an accolade-laden career which saw him win internationally acclaimed honours such as a Lifetime Achievement at the 2011 TONY Awards as well as two awards for the Best Play (1981) and Best Foreign Play (1988) at the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards.