Presley Chweneyagae, the South African actor who came to international prominence as the star of the Academy Award-winning feature Tsotsi, has died. He was 40.
“It is with profound sadness that we confirm the untimely passing of one of South Africa’s most gifted and beloved actors,” Chweneyagae’s long-time agency MLA announced in a statement on Tuesday. No details or cause of death were provided.
“The nation mourns the loss of a gifted storyteller whose talent lit up our screens and hearts,” the official X account of the South African government tweeted. “Your legacy will live on through the powerful stories you told.”
Fikile Mbalula, the secretary-general of the African National Congress also paid tribute to the actor on X. “Heartbroken to hear of the passing of Presley Chweneyagae. A true giant of South African film and theatre, his legacy in Tsotsi, The River, and beyond will live on. Condolences to his family, friends, and all who were touched by his brilliance.”
Born on Oct. 19, 1984, in Mafikeng, South Africa, Chweneyagae went into acting at an early age, taking acting classes from the age of 10. His breakthrough role proved to be a history-making one too, securing the part of David, aka Tsotsi, in Gavin Hood’s searing 2005 crime drama Tsotsi. In the film, set in a Johannesburg township, Chweneyagae plays a small-time hoodlum who steals a car only to discover a baby in the back seat that causes him to change his ways.
Presley Chweneyagae in ‘Tsotsi.’
Everett Collection
Tsotsi was a huge hit with critics, with praise especially for Chweneyagae’s performance. The film was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for best foreign language film, winning the latter and becoming the first South African film to win an Oscar. The success of Tsotsi secured Chweneyagae place as one of the best known South African actors.
As well as features, Chweneyagae’s found great success on domestic television, and was arguably better known in South Africa for his leading role in the popular telenovela The River. In the Pretoria-set show, which takes place in the diamond mining industry, Chweneyagae’s scheming, villainous and charismatic Thuso ‘Cobra’ Mokoena became a firm fan favorite character, and he got his own spin-off series Cobrizi.
The River, which ran from 2018 to 2024, won Chweneyagae a South African Film and Television Award in 2019, and helped him become a streaming star outside South Africa as the show became popular in other parts of Africa.
As well as film and TV, Chweneyagae was deeply involved in theater, boasting extensive credits and starring in several Shakespeare productions. Chweneyagae also wrote and directed plays. He co-wrote with Paul Grootboom the acclaimed stage play Relativity and directed the award-winning production CELL NO 4.