The South African entertainment industry is in shock following the death of a talented actor, Mpho Sebeng, who passed away on Sunday, 5 May.
Mpho was 30 when he took his last breath following a car accident around Klerksdorp in the North West. Fondly known for his TV roles as Siso Ledwaba in Zero Tolerance (2001-2006) and as Slay in Soul Buddyz (2011), Mpho was born in Soweto and raised in Witpoortjie, Roodepoort, Joburg.
He is the eldest in the family and attended West Ridge High, where he matriculated in 2011. He was 12 when his mother’s friend spotted him in a school production and encouraged him to pursue acting.
His major roles were in Justice for All, Zero Tolerance, and Bay of Plenty. He got into Soul Buddyz after auditioning for a part as Slay, the gang leader. He also played the role of Tsietsi Mashinini in the movie Winnie, which aired in 2011.
His favourite acting memory was meeting Jennifer Hudson on the production set of Winnie. Mpho’s other interests, besides acting, were scriptwriting, photography and directing.
He had a passion for the arts and wanted to play a big role in growing the country’s entertainment. In 2015, the thespian had a starring role in the e.tv drama series, Z’bondiwe, where he portrayed the role of Lebo Ngcobo, a troubled young man and a brother to Axe and Jackson’s youngest son.
He played Neo, a bare-knuckle boxing champion and a well-known manager spotted him on the streets of rural Limpopo, in the 2016 e.tv telenovela Ring of Lies.
Fellow actor Zola Hashatsi took to social media platform X to express his pain following Mpho’s sudden death.
“It is with a sad, deep, and painful heart to announce the passing of a young brother, a friend I took in to replace us when we exited.”
The police in Klerksdorp had not commented at the time of publication. This is a developing story.
