PEDZISAYI SITHOLE

By Mandla Ncube… posted 09/12/06

The city of Bulawayo is known for its artistic talent. It is the cultural hub of Zimbabwe and the city is known for producing good artistic products. The city is also full of talent and it has produced a lot of actors and actresses. I had a chance to spend an hour at Amakhosi TSC Center with one of the city’s great actor, producer, film director and trainer Pedzisayi Sithole who is on a short break from his work in Swaziland.. His days role back to me during my school days when I first saw him in one of  Zimbabwe’s  television dramas – Stitsha acting as Mopho brother to Thuli played by Beater Mangethe. He played the same role on the stage production of the play, which is an Amakhosi production. Here I am sitting with the man himself, Pedzisayi Sithole who has gone around the world doing what he knows best.

Pedzisayi Sithole started as a street vendor at the city’s Renkini bus terminus in Bulawayo near the township of Makokoba at the early age of 14; He is from a poor family and had to make ends meet through selling freezits so as to pay for his and his young sister’s school fees. At that time the then Rhodesian youth militias were busy confiscating the goods that the vendors sold and Sithole was a victim of that, his freezits that could give him the money to buy food and pay for his fees were taken away from him and Sithole was hurt, devastated and wanted to revenge. He thought of joining a karate club which was based at Stanley hall in Makokoba run by the Zimbabwean arts guru Cont Mhlanga.

When he joined Cont Mhlanga’s Blue Circle Dragons Karate club he wanted to learn all the skills, the tricks and all that could make him stronger and skillful so as to beat and discipline those militias that had taken away from him his hope and source of a decent meal and education. Unfortunately for Sithole the first rule that he was taught at the karate club was to be disciplined and never to fight. He had no option of going against that rule as he was trained day in and day out to be very much disciplined. He had an option though as he had joined a karate club that trained both karate and drama. He thought that he would influence the change of the system and express his feelings through writing plays and showing them to an audience and that is how he joined the Theatre activities of the club. He completed his training at Amakhosi Performing Arts Workshop (now Amakhosi Performing Arts Academy) in 1987.  

Sithole was more of a technical kid and he did a lot of lighting, stage designing for plays that were done at Amakhosi Theatre such as Nansi le Ndoda and Diamond Warriors.  

He was involved in several of Cont Mhlanga’s award winning plays and toured with him around the world. When Mhlanga introduced the video and film training workshop the Happy Valley Film Workshop, Pedzi was one of the first people who jumped at the training program and soon discovered his talent and liking for the screen. Sithole was one of the very lucky guys who were chosen to take part in one of the first early films that were shot in Zimbabwe just after independence, Cry Freedom starring Denziel Washington. Not only did he act but also did a lot of stunts which was fun for him as he was a karate taker. For his stunt roles he was trained by Peter Brace from Stunt Association UK.

Over the years he took part in several stage plays but slowly his focus moved to films than stage drama as he developed a more resounding flavor and love for the camera. To date he has done and participated in a number of films like 1987 – “A Dry White Season, Midday Sun, African Journey, Yellow Card, Patrice Lumumba and a number of documentaries to name but a few.

He also holds numerous awards  like the 2002- NAMA –(National arts council Merit Awards) Best Film and Television Director, 2003- ZIMA – Music Video of The Year – (Director/Camera) for Marabini by Jayz, 2004 – ZIMA-Music Video of The Year- (Director/Camera) for Bump Jive by Iyasa. He has directed and produced several music videos for Bulawayo artists.

Sithole is now based in Swaziland and is a television producer/director. He also participates in capacity building works and is a trainer for television acting and producing with a Swaziland group (SWATCYP). He also participates in many workshops in Zimbabwe and is currently involved with the Zimbabwe International Film Festival (post card) for workshops in film and television production. He has done a short film – The Brown Bottle and numerous music videos and says he is yet to come to Zimbabwe and help the industry grow.

He has not left his roots and is now working on a stage play as he had wanted to write his first stage play when he reaches 40. His first piece of work will be presented in the next coming year and rehearsals for this play will start in January 2007.He will also do a short film before he goes back to Swaziland and we wish him the best of luck and a Merry Christmas at home with his family.

Mandla Ncube is a second year student at Amakhosi Performing Arts Academy and is focusing in Film and Theater Directing. He has produced and directed a short film. For the purposes of his second year study he established his own production house Clock Wise Media with his friend second year student Khulekani Mxotshwa.