'FUGARD WAS A GIANT'

TRIBUTES poured in for South African literary giant, Athol Fugard.

The 92-year-old passed away in Stellenbosch after battling a long illness.

Lauded as the greatest active playwright in the English-speaking world by Time magazine in 1989, his works include classics such as Master Harold… and the Boys, The Road to Mecca, and Tsotsi, which was later adapted into an Oscar-winning film.

His work challenged injustice and battled prejudice, especially against the apartheid government.

The Department of Art, Sports and Culture hailed Fugard for his works and activism over the years.

In a statement, department minister Gayton McKenzie says: “South Africa has lost one of its greatest literary and theatrical icons, whose works have shaped the cultural and social landscape of our nation.

“In a world divided by race, Fugard nurtured the careers of acting legends like Dr John Kani and Winston Ntshona, and was one of the founding fathers of the Market Theatre, which is today owned by government through the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.”

SA film producer Anant Singh said Fugard's death leaves a huge void in the South African theatre landscape.

Singh says: “I was inspired by Athol when I started out in the film industry in the 1980s, as he was a role model through his work in protest theatre. 

“As a long-time admirer of his, I was thrilled to collaborate with him on the film adaptation of ‘The Road to Mecca’, in which he also starred alongside Yvonne Bryceland and Academy Award winner Kathy Bates.

"He leaves a rich legacy of thought-provoking works for generations to come. South Africa has truly lost a national treasure.”