Actress and former beauty queen Cynthia Philisiwe Shange has passed away, her daughter, Nonhle Thema, confirmed. She was 76.Shange made history in 1972 when she became the first Black woman to represent South Africa at the Miss World pageant.That same year, she broke barriers by entering the Miss South Africa pageant for Black contestants.
After being crowned Miss Black South Africa, she became the first Black woman to win a national Miss SA title and represent the country on a global stage -decades before the pageant became fully inclusive in 1992.Her trailblazing career extended into film and television.
She starred in South Africa’s first Black feature film, uDeliwe (1975), alongside legends Simon Mabhunu Sabela and Joe Mafela. Mafela was widely known for his role as Sdumo in the sitcom Sgudi Snaysi.Shange also appeared in the iconic series Shaka Zulu and SABC 2’s Muvhango.
According to Thema, Shange passed away in the early hours of Monday at a hospital in KwaZulu-Natal after a period of illness.In recognition of her contribution to the arts, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the South African Film and Television Awards, as well as honours at the Simon Mabhunu Sabela TV and Film Awards.
