Bongi Mtsweni

Biography

Bongi Mtsweni is a South African actress, director, producer, facilitator and presenter/MC. Classically trained, Bongi has played roles from Clive Morris, Paul Slabolepszy, Bobby Heaney and among others, Gray Hofmeyer.
To some she might be known as the Ndebele woman ‘My dali’ on the former SABC 3 soap opera Isidingo (2019/20). But to many she is known as ‘Sayina Mbonani’ the queen of Komkhulu, Mzansi Magic’s first Ndebele drama, 2023.
Her TV/Movie credits include: Leon Schuster’s blockbuster movie Mad Buddies (2012); Konsternasie Oppie Stasie, 2009 (SABC 2); #Do it Yourself FNB, 2019/20/21 (e TV); Vutha, 2020 (SABC 2); Mzanzi’s movie The Bishop, 2013 and many other main stream and corporate TV and radio educational dramas and adverts. Among a few talents, Bongi is an enthusiastic voice artist and a former freelance radio drama talent for SABC radio SA FM, 2018-2020 and other corporate brand names. As a Mpumalanga native, during 2013 she was selected to be a presenter in IsiNdebele for an episode in a documentary about South Africa’s indigenous languages ‘Omang’ (e TV).
Since 2007 to date, Bongi serves as an industrial theatre specialist in the mining sector and other national corporate institutions heading theatrical awareness campaigns and general entertainment through her supply company, Umhlanga Holdings.
She graduated with a National Drama Diploma from Tshwane University of Technology in 2007. It was during the years at TUT that her talent for comedy was realized by her Acting lecturer, Shelly Sacks. While at TUT, she specialized in Teaching Practice and Children’s Theatre, she is also a graduate of Wits University where she attained a BA Honors in Drama Therapy and Applied Theatre, 2019. She also received a joint academic award at Wits for ‘Outstanding Applied Drama Research in the field of Human Rights’.
Bongi is zealous about the youth and youth development. She is a motivational speaker, very often invited to schools, young women’s conferences and other youth institutions. An avid reader and enjoys collecting plays, spiritual and motivational books. She is fluent in English, IsiNdebele and IsiZulu, she can also speak conversational Afrikaans.
As an actress/theatre practitioner and philanthropist Bongi firmly believes in the transformative power of media as a social, political, emotional and humanistic force. Above all, she is committed to a life of helping/motivating others realize their full potential and purpose.

• ID Number: 8509060554088
• Age: 38
• Date of Birth: 09/06/85
• Gender: Female
• Driving License: Code 08

• David Meyer-Jaffit, Management Agency, 011 885 2829, TV & Radio/Voice work
• Tebogo Radebe, Producer, VOW FM, 083 583 9669
• Zenande Mtimande, 064 6195356, Mpumalanga Arts & Culture (Film Xperience)
• Busisiwe Mlangeni, 064 943 2086, Organizer of Edu-Acting Theater Festival
• Thobile Mogale, MP Arts & Culture, 063 689 7142, Theater festival
• Bandile, Producer, A Media Peace Centre, 082 818 3046, Documentary