Award-winning South African actress Connie Chiume has died.
According to a statement issued by her family, she died at Garden City Hospital in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
On television, she also appeared in Zone 14, Rhythm City, and Gomora. In 2018, Chiume played the Mining Tribe Elder in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Black Panther. Chiume’s latest role was in Black Panther, Black Is King and Blessers.
May her soul rest in peace 🕊Veteran South African actress Connie Chiume has died at the age of 72.
The family announced her death in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.
She died at the Garden City Hospital, in Johannesburg, on Tuesday.
The family said further details would be communicated.
About Connie Chiume
Connie Chiume was born Temweka Gabisile Chiume on 5 June 1952 in Welkom where she also grew up. She was known for her roles in films like 2018’s Black Panther, Black is King and Blessers.After spending time overseas, she returned to South Africa and was cast as Thembi in the 1989 series Inlom’ Edla Yodwa, and also had a role in the 1990 film Warriors from Hell.
In television, she appeared in various SABC1 series from Soul City for which she won the Avanti award in 2000 for Best Actress in a Drama Series, to the second and third seasons of Yizo Yizo, three seasons of Zone 14 as Stella Moloi, as well as in Generations.
It was however her role in e.tv’s Rhythm City where she portrayed Mamokete “Kete” Khuse for almost a decade that solidified Connie Chuime’s persona as a beloved South African television mother.
Connie Chiume’s other TV roles ranged from appearing in four seasons of Gomora on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) to Netflix South Africa’s Queen Sono, SABC1’s Mazinyo Dot Q as Ma Mavuso-September, to SABC2’s drama series 90 Plein Street and Thula’s Vine.
Connie Chiume also had TV roles in Easy Money, Grassroots, in two seasons of SABC2’s Home Affairs, three seasons of Mzansi Magic’s Housekeepers drama series, two seasons of It’s Complicated, the second season of Ring of Lies, SABC1’s Sgudi Snaysi, Soon Comes Night and across three seasons of Khululeka.
She was also in SABC2’s Stokvel sitcom and made a guest appearance on SABC2’s Vetkoekpaleis. She was a celebrity contestant on the first season of e.tv’s game show I Love South Africa.
Connie Chiume’s extensive film career includes movie credits on 1994’s The Air Up There, Chikin Biznis …The Whole Story!, 2000’s I Dreamed of Africa, In My Country, Fanie Fourie’s Lobola, the 2015 short film Lerato, 2019’s Losing Lerato, the 2020 short film What Did You Dream?, Seriously Single and 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
She also starred and directed in the 1998 made-for-TV movie Tierarztin Christine III: Abenteuer in SudAfrika.
In 2000, Connie Chiume won the award for Best Actress in a Drama Series at the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) – one of three Golden Horns she won over her career.
On stage she appeared in Porgy and Bess, Ipi Tombi and toured New Zealand, the United States, Monte Carlo and across South Africa.
Connie Chiume was married from 1985 to 2004 and left behind two adult sons and two daughters.
Connie Chiume’s one son Nongelo Chiume, told Newzroom Afrika (DStv 405) on Tuesday that “we want her to be remembered as someone selfless; someone who always wanted to see the next person doing great things in their God-given talent”.
“My mother was a very ambitious person. She was a hard worker, she was a visionary, and I think one of the things that kept her going was her faith. She had so much faith in terms of how she connected with her spirituality”.
“Very few people know that she also received an honorary award in the United States – Freedom of the City in Houston, Texas.”