Family, friends and industry colleagues came out in numbers to celebrate the life of actor, Mpho Sebeng, who passed away in a car accident on Sunday while travelling from North West to Johannesburg. The famous Joburg Theatre, where the memorial service was held, was filled to capacity forcing some mourners to watch the proceedings on the screens from outside.
Former Isidingo actor Kagiso Modupe, who was the programme director, emphasised how Mpho respected his craft. "Today we are gathered here to celebrate the life of an actor who respected his talent and work. I know this is painful but as the programme director I am giving you the right to sing and cry because Mpho was a people's person. As we are gathered here, this is the place where Mpho last showcased his talent. This is the last stage where Mpho received a standing ovation. Let's celebrate the art that Mpho showed us," he said.
Actress Rosemary Zimu brought the house to tears when she shared how she met Mpho and the kind of friendship they had.
With tears streaming down her face, Zimu said she regrets not telling Mpho that she loved him when he told her that he loved her. "Ntwana you made a promise that soon and very soon we were going to share a stage together again. Ntwana you made a promise to me that we were going to travel the world together and win Oscars through our God given talent and craft. I'm grateful that our paths did cross. I'm grateful for all the things that you taught me about the industry. What's happening here today is something that we recently talked about during my surprise birthday party. Farewell ntwana and I'll forever love you. My only regret is that I never told you how much I love you too when you told me that you loved me," she said. Zimu also read a message from internationally acclaimed actress, Thuso Mbedu, who could not make it as she is now based in Los Angeles in the USA. In her message, Thuso said it felt like yesterday when she met Mpho and they connected. "I remember that you were looking fly and I said to myself let me befriend this person as you were bubbly as always. I never expected that you will leave us so soon. I'll forever be grateful for all the things you taught me and the time we spent together because of our craft," the message read.
Actor and singer ,Motlatsi Mafatshe, echoed the words of other actors who said Mpho had a bright future in his career. He said wherever they went with Mpho, the late actor would be surrounded by people because of his bubbly personality. "We were groovist with Mpho and when we sat down, he would ask me how I am keeping up in this industry. He was that type of person who wanted to learn even when we were in a club. Rest in peace my brother, I'll forever cherish the time we spent together," he said. Mpho was born in Soweto and excelled in drama at the age of 17 years. He first appeared on TV at 12 years old on Justice for All and Zero Tolerance before he joined the children's show Craze. He has also acted on shows like Bay of Plenty, Khandakulu, Scandal, the film Winnie, Ring of Lies and recently Savage Beauty and BritBox. The award winning Mpho was nominated for Best Supporting Actor Nominee at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) in 2017. In 2018, he was nominated for the South African Film and Television Awards for Best Male Actor in a telenovela. He will be laid to rest on Saturday.
