MBABANE – The story of KwaMgogo has finally taken centre stage, 50 years after the events of June 16, 1976, that reshaped South Africa’s history.
In a landmark production for the Kingdom, South African actor Jerry Mofokeng, actress Siyasanga Papu, and Noluthando Buthelezi have collaborated to dramatise the life and sacrifice of Mama Masilela, the woman remembered as 'Magogo Courage'.
The production, staged as a Jerry Mofokeng-Makhetha theatre piece, draws direct inspiration from Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children. Where Brecht’s protagonist navigated a 30-year war to keep her family alive, Magogo Courage endured the 1976 exile era by opening her home, womb, shoulders, and arms to the children of mothers whose sons and daughters had fled into exile. She fed the “underage”, nursed the weary, prayed with the grieving and bore witness to a generation’s loss.
Told through narration, song, poetry and sound, the performance traces one family’s journey and the quiet heroism of women who became shelters during turmoil. It reframes June 16 not only as a date of protest, but as 50 years of resilience carried by mothers who stayed behind.
Mofokeng, who narrates the piece, said he was struck by the calibre of talent involved and the weight of the story itself. “I was told about Magogo, then I was given a book to read. I went and read that book. This 50th year of June 16 and the 18th year of this project is special and we are happy to have been part of the team that produced this beauty,” he said.
For Papu, who portrays Mama Masilela, the role demanded more than acting. She said she set out to embody Magogo completely. “Remember I had not really seen uMaGogo before, so when I received my script, I made it my mission to embody that particular person and live in them to make it real,” Papu explained.
She recalled a moment during the final scenes when props became portals to the character. “I was given a stick and a blanket. There were about three sticks, and I chose one with beautiful carving, and they told me that was her favourite. With the blanket, I just felt that Magogo would blanket all the kids who would come seek refuge at her place,” she said.
By centering a Swazi woman’s experience of a South African tragedy, _Magogo Courage_ bridges borders and generations. It honours the mothers who carried grief without headlines, turning domestic spaces into sanctuaries. In doing so, the production offers audiences a reflection on courage that is quiet, persistent and profoundly human. The drama will be portrayed for the first time with the public tomorrow, June 2, 2026, at the Royal Villas Hotel,secure your space and be a part of this incredible moment in history.
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