Friday 14 April 2017

Photo: Meet 70-year-old Joyce Ngubane Aiming To be the best script-writer in South Africa


 Joyce Ngubane

After clinching the Against All Odds award for her Quickwave production at the Shashalazi Theatre Awards last month, Joyce Ngubane is now aiming for the stars.
Ngubane, 70, said she started penning scripts in isiZulu in the late 80s after she was inspired by Ugazi, a drama that aired on the then Radio Zulu.
"Radio told wonderful stories which spoke about things that troubled people," said the senior citizen.
The gogo, who has eight children and four grandchildren, said she took writing seriously after she retired as a receptionist in 2004.


"I wanted to preserve our culture as black people and writing scripts in isiZulu is the only way I know how.
"I prefer to write in my mother tongue because I understand very little English.
"I had to leave school in Standard 4 because I had to help my mother provide for my younger siblings," Ngubane said.
Her first successful script was called Indoda Engashadile, which was staged in different schools around Thokoza.

"The story is about a truck driver who kept on making babies with different women. His kids almost marry each other because they did not know they were related," she said.
Since she is unable to use a computer, her creative juices flow on her kitchen table where she pens her scripts. Her daughter Thokozile then types her work and helps her take it to different production houses.
The septuagenarian has also appeared on Ukungazi Kufana Nokungaboni as Gogo Vilakazi which was aired on Mzansi Magic last year.

"My daughter is the one that takes me to all these things, including rehearsals and auditions," Ngubane said.
Her other television appearances include Ses Top La, a sitcom that aired on SABC1.
She said her future plans included writing a movie and being recognised among the best scriptwriters in South Africa.

Source; Sunday World

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