Cynthia Shange

Shange was born in the township of Lamontville, near Durban, Kwazulu-Natal province of South Africa. She began her career in the early 1970s as a model, participating in local beauty pageants despite the restrictions of the Apartheid era. == Career ==

Pageantry In 1972, Shange won the "Miss Africa South" title (a separate competition for Black South Africans during apartheid). This victory allowed her to compete in the Miss World 1972 pageant held in London, making her the first Black woman to represent South Africa on an international stage. Acting Shange transitioned to acting in the mid-1970s. She gained significant fame for her role in South Africa's first Black feature film, uDeliwe (1975), starring alongside Joe Mafela. She later became a household name for her role as MaNkosi, in the popular Venda-language soap opera Muvhango, a role she played for over two decades. Shange also appeared on Shaka iLembe. == Personal life and death ==

Shange was the mother of four children. Her daughter, Nonhle Thema, is a well-known South African television presenter and actress. Shange died after a short illness at a hospital in Kwazulu-Natal, on 20 April 2026, at the age of 76. == References ==