Soweto Theatre keen to meet with disgruntled artists amid mourning

The Soweto Theatre remains determined to find a resolution with the Soweto Creative Movement as it mourns the passing of its marketing manager, Khosi Adeoje (Ndesi).

On the last Friday of March, the Soweto Theatre was embroiled in a stand-off with some artists from the township, who claim that the theatre isn’t offering them space to perform as members of the community.

Speaking to The Citizen, a member of the Soweto Creative Movement — the group behind the protest — expressed that the protesting artists are concerned about the management of the space.

“The theatre has become a white elephant in the view of the Soweto creative artists who have come together and looked at the annual reports from the three Joburg merging theatres,” said Paul Noko of the Soweto Creative Movement.

The Joburg City Theatre comprises Joburg Theatre, Roodepoort Theatre and Soweto Theatre.

“We as Soweto creatives felt like we are being discriminated against at the Soweto Theatre because there are programmes at the Joburg Theatre and there are programmes at the Roodepoort Theatre but at Soweto Theatre there are particular programmes are not happening like they’re supposed to happen,” said Noko.

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Still keen on meeting Soweto Creative Movement

A meeting between the Soweto Creative Movement and Soweto Theatre was held on 13 March 2025, prior to the protest, where key issues impacting the Soweto arts community were addressed.

“As agreed, the Soweto Creative Movement was to meet with their constituency and conduct research on the topics discussed. We also agreed to schedule a follow-up meeting to review progress,” Acting General Manager at the Soweto Theatre Franklin Ngcaba told The Citizen.

However, instead of receiving an update on the research, the theatre received a request for a peaceful protest.

According to Ngcaba, the communication lacked information on the specific channels and procedures followed to ensure that the protesters would be protected, and the prerequisites for a safe space and environment for the protest to take place were not met, which was unexpected.

Ngcaba’s assertions were confirmed by Noko.

The theatre called the police on the peaceful protesters, who were asked to leave the premises.

However, despite the events of late last month, the theatre stated that it valued open dialogue and aimed to maintain a positive relationship with the Soweto Creative Movement.

“We are committed to a collaborative environment supporting local artists and community engagement. We had anticipated a follow-up discussion on the research and progress made rather than a request for a protest approval, which was not compliant with the bylaws,” said Ngcaba.

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Khosi remembered

A statement shared by the theatre described its late marketing manager, Khosi, as a warm and driven individual who made a lasting impact on everyone she worked with.

“Khosi was the face of Soweto Theatre to many. She was a connector, a cultural advocate and a true force behind the scenes,” said Artistic Director at Joburg City Theatres, James Ngcobo.

Khosi joined Soweto Theatre in 2019 and played a key role in growing our presence and championing the stories of Soweto through the arts.  

Khosi’s passion for storytelling shone through in every project she led, most notably in the Celebration of 12 Years in Storytelling, where she helped launch the Soweto Theatre Wall of Fame to honour local legends.

Launched last year, the Soweto Theatre Wall of Fame celebrates South African artistic legends by embedding stars with the names of 40 selected icons on the walls of its theatre.

The late actress Connie Chiume and the deceased choreographer and dancer Dada Masilo were among the first 40 artists honoured last year.

A memorial service was held at the theatre this past Friday, where her life was celebrated through art.

“Her dedication, energy, and insight helped shape our story. She was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic and brought a sense of gravitas to her position at the Theatre. Her passing leaves a huge gap in our team and hearts,” said Ngcobo.

The Soweto Creative Movement also paid their respects to Khosi.

“As Soweto Creative Movement, we would like to express our sincere condolences to the family, friends and thespians who have crossed path with sisKhosi,” read the statement shared on Noko’s Facebook page.

“Her legacy of hard work, kindness, and positivity will continue to inspire us every day. Thank you, sisKhosi Adeoje(Ndesi), for your contributions, your friendship, and your unwavering support. You will be deeply missed but never forgotten. Your memory will live on in our hearts and in the work.”

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