SA: Sarafina! cast reunites after 35 years

The performance will form part of Let’s Meet at The Market Theatre, an immersive theatrical experience scheduled to take place from 19 to 21 June 2026. The production is designed to showcase the history, productions and individuals who have contributed to the theatre's development over the past five decades.

According to organisers, the original Sarafina! cast will present a 56-minute commemorative performance during the anniversary programme. The reunion will mark the first time the original cast has performed together since 1991.

Created by the late Mbongeni Ngema, Sarafina! premiered at The Market Theatre in 1987 before gaining international recognition. The musical focused on the experiences of South African youth during apartheid and went on to become one of the country's most successful theatre productions.

Speaking on behalf of the cast, Nhlanhla Ngema described the reunion as both emotional and significant.

“Returning to The Market Theatre with my fellow cast members is both emotional and deeply meaningful,” he said. “Sarafina! is more than a production; it is a movement that gave a voice to a generation and showcased the resilience, courage and talent of South Africans to the world.”

Ngema added that reuniting more than three decades after the cast’s last performance together was a fitting tribute to the legacy of his brother, Mbongeni Ngema, and those involved in the production's success.

“To reunite 35 years after our last performance together, in the very institution that helped launch this historic production, is a fitting tribute to my brother's legacy and to everyone who contributed to making Sarafina! a global phenomenon,” he said.

The original cast members expected to participate include Baby Cele, Ntombikhona Dlamini, Lindiwe Dlamini, Sboniso Khumalo, Thandekile Mqadi, Kipizane Skweyiya, Nandi Ndlovu, Linda Mtolo, Lindiwe Hlengwa, Zandile Hlengwa, Dumisani Dlamini, Pat Mlaba, Nhlanhla Ngema, Congo Hadebe, Nkosingiphile Sithole and Mpume Shelembe.

Organisers said the performance will provide audiences with an opportunity to revisit one of South Africa's most influential theatrical productions while reflecting on the role The Market Theatre has played in nurturing socially conscious and ground-breaking work.

The anniversary programme is expected to celebrate the theatre’s contribution to South African arts and culture since its establishment while highlighting its continued role in the country’s theatre landscape.

Contributor: Quing Torch