‘His humour never left him' – Don Mlangeni honoured for fighting through his illness at memorial

Naughty, disciplined and truly loving.
This is how actors from all walks of life described the legendary Don Mlangeni-Nawa.
Whether they had worked with him in his earlier productions like Sgudi' Snaysi and Hlala kwabafileyo or his later productions such as Isidingo, Uzalo, The River, The Estate, Savage Baeauty and many others, there was one consensus of the remarkable person he was, on and off set.
As an actor, he measured his success by how many people he brought up with him as he rose and how many young actors he groomed.
He was also celebrated for extending himself as a father to some of his colleagues as well. It was clear that the loss was unbearable for not only his family but also the arts fraternity.
Having been one of the notable products of Gibson Kente, it was only fitting to bid farewell to him and celebrate his life at the Gibson Kente Theatre at the Soweto Theatre.
Read more | Veteran Isidingo actor, Don Mlangeni dies at 65
'It's a full circle moment for him to be honoured on stage, where he dedicated most of his life,' said award-winning director, Krijay Govender who first met him on the set of Isidingo back in 1998.
She also confidently asserted that Don would have given Denzel Washington a run for his money, had he been born and established in Hollywood, because of the quality of his work.
Taking to the stage with a smile, Clementine Mosimane who played his wife on the Estate stressed how much Don poured into his craft even in his sick state.
'He had integrity, he embraced his talent with so much discipline and honour. I want to talk about when I started seeing Abuti Don not being well. We were on the set of The Estate back in 2021/22. I saw him losing weight, being sick but believe me, he kept the discipline of being a thespian. Every morning, he'd be the first, if not the second on set, on location.'
Clementine adds that after he opened up about his illness to her, she started sending him motivational message every morning and would pray with him on the phone.
Still commending his strength, she says Don never asked to go home even in his state but would rather soldier on and ask to nap to regain his strength in between takes on set.
Read more | 'There was no sign of sickness' – Chicco Twala speaks at Winnie Khumalo's memorial
'He was a fighter, and the humour never left him. That's the Don I know. On The Estate, you look at him and you could never tell that he was sick but the minute they say 'cut!' he'd ask to go take a breather.'
To continue his legacy of mentoring young actors, the Gauteng MEC of sports, arts, culture and education, Matome Chiloane delivered a eulogy and made an announcement that got everyone applauding.
'We are committing to establish a Don Mlangeni Mentorship Programme. This programme will identify and support emerging artistry in Gauteng and continue his remarkable, significant work.'
On 16 April, Don took his last breath after battling with an undisclosed illness for years.
By the time of his passing at the age of 65, he had already bagged two lifetime achievement awards. He leaves behind five children and his wife Reginah, who was thanked by every speaker at the memorial service for allowing him to pour into their cups and lending him to the world.
The funeral service will be held on 26 April, at the Germiston Civic Centre.
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