Family, friends, and colleagues gathered at the Soweto Theatre on Thursday to say a heartfelt and emotional goodbye to veteran actor Don Mlangeni. The respected actor, best known for his powerful performances and humble nature, passed away at the age of 65. The cause of his death has not yet been shared publicly.
According to TshisaLIVE, the farewell was a small, intimate gathering filled with touching tributes and emotional moments from those who had worked closely with him. His co-stars described him as a man full of love, laughter, and an energy that lit up every room he entered.
Actress Dineo Langa, who served as the MC for the day, spoke warmly about working with the late actor. She shared how much she learned from him during their time on The Estate.
“I got my chance with Bra Don at The Estate … we lost a library. You could go to Bra Don telling him you wanted to do something and he would give you a back story of his experiences in the early days. Give you context while encouraging you,” she said.
Another co-star, actress Clementine Mosimane, also worked with him on The Estate. She spoke about his incredible talent and how he never allowed his health struggles to affect his work.
“The talent in this man is unexplainable. He was so disciplined. He had integrity. He embraced his talent with so much discipline and so much honour,” she said.
“I saw abuti Don losing weight, I saw abuti Don being sick, but believe you me, he kept the discipline of being a thespian. We started to talk and I said to him can we pray. Every morning I would send him motivational messages.”
Clementine added, “Part of me is saying, why did you have to go so soon? On The Estate, you look at him [and] couldn’t see that he was sick, but the minute they say cut, he would say let me just go take a breath.”
Actress Keke Mphuti, who met Don on the set of The Throne, said he was more than just a co-star — he became like a father to her and even cared for her son.
“He protected me above and beyond. Even when I was unfairly dismissed,” she said.
Actress Asavela Mqhithi was too emotional to hold back her tears. She met Don in 2019 and they became close friends two years later. She revealed that he sent her a message the day before he passed away.
“During the most challenging times last year I called bab’ Don and he said I am here because you’ve been there for me when I needed you most. I’ll forever be grateful for his unwavering support,” she shared.
“I’ve lost a friend and a father. Rest in peace bab Don.”
