Tributes are pouring in.
Cynthia Shange. Picture: Instagram
Veteran South African actress and former beauty queen Cynthia Shange has died at the age of 76.
Her family confirmed that she passed away in a hospital in KwaZulu-Natal in the early hours of the morning after an illness.
Shange was a prominent figure in South Africa’s entertainment industry, with a career spanning several decades.
She rose to public attention in the 1970s after being crowned Miss Black South Africa. She later represented South Africa at the Miss World pageant in London in 1972.
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Cynthia Shange’s TV career
Her television career included roles in several local productions. She appeared in the isiZulu drama Udeliwe, and portrayed “Mkabi” in the mini-series Shaka Zulu. She also featured in multiple television productions during the 1990s.
In later years, she joined the SABC2 soapie Muvhango, where she reached a new generation of viewers.
Shange received industry recognition for her work, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) and an honour from the Simon Mabhunu Sabela Film and Television Awards.
She is survived by her children, Sihle and Nonhle, and Ayanda and Benele Thema, as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The family said memorial and funeral arrangements will be announced at a later stage.
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