by Thinus Ferreira
Actor, singer and dancer Mfana-Jones Hlophe (Thembinkosi Phillip Hlophe), known for his role as Bra Nimrod Thabebe on SABC1's Generations - The Legacy had died. He was 55.
Mfana-Jones Hlophe was known to South African viewers for several prominent roles across television, film and theatre throughout his 37-year career.
His most notable roles included the problematic and scheming Bra Nimrod Thabede in Generations - The Legacy who was the father of Swazi Thabede, Jabu in SABC1's Soul City, and Zakgele in SABC1's Uzalo.
He made one of his final television appearances as Uncle Mkhize in the Kwa Baba telenovela on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) earlier this year.
Mfana-Jones Hlophe also had roles in Sarafina! (his involvement in the theatre production led to a role in the 1992 film), Imbewu: The Seed on e.tv, Stokvel on SABC2, SACB1's Emzini Wezinsizwa, Mama's Love, Khululeka, Single Guyz, as well as Mzansi Magic's isiBaya and Zabalaza.
Mfana-Jones Hlophe died on Wednesday night at the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg, where he was rushed to after a health emergency and was pronounced dead upon arrival. The actor has struggled with health complications from Type 1 Diabetes for years.
On Wednesday evening, when his partner returned home, she found him in a bad condition, went and got him Coca-Cola to try and stabilise his "sugar levels" but it didn't help. They then got into an e-hailing car to the hospital but he must have died on the way there.
Neither the SABC nor Morula Pictures that produces Generations - The Legacy bothered to issue any press release to the media as is customary, but on its Facebook page Generations wrote "On behalf of the producers, cast and crew, we are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of Mfana-Jones Hlophe. We would like to send our condolences to the family. We hold you close in our thoughts during this painful time."
Enjay Productions said Mfana-Jones Hlophe's "passion for the arts and the people around him will always live on".
Mfana-Jones Hlophe matriculated in 1987 and joined the Mbongeni Ngema School of Art, where he was selected to join the second company of Sarafina! that toured Europe in 1989.
In1992 he attended the Gibson Kente's School of Art where he started scriptwriting and a year later got a role in Gibson Kente's Mfowethu that was produced by Pacofs in Bloemfontein.
He joined the African Research and Puppetry Programmes (AREPP) in 1994, where he studied puppetry for a year and in 1995 Mfana-Jones Hlophe composed the music and played a lead role at Eurostage, a European company, and toured across Europe with the cast of Isikulu.
In 1997, Mfana-Jones Hlophe got the lead role in Ipi Ntombi.
