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26 April 2023 | Story Nonkululeko Nxumalo | Photo Supplied
Drama graduates
Theatre maestros Boitumelo Riet and Lelethu Tshangela. The two friends received their Bachelor of Arts Honours (Drama and Theatre Arts) degrees during the UFS April graduation ceremony.

Among the many exceptional students who received their qualifications during the University of the Free State’s (UFS) April 2023 graduation ceremonies, are theatre maestros Boitumelo Riet and Lelethu Tshangela. The two friends graduated with Bachelor of Arts Honours (Drama and Theatre Arts) degrees during the Faculty of the Humanities graduation ceremony on 22 April 2023. Overcoming considerable struggles, these two graduates’ remarkable talent and hard work have led them to become recognised and acclaimed theatre artists.


During their studies, Riet and Tshangela worked together on a production called Ziyakhala ke Manje, which won the Best New Young Artist Award at the Vrystaat Arts Festival.
 
"Winning the award was unbelievable, considering that rehearsals and scheduling didn't go as planned. We had to start afresh and get the play ready in two weeks," Tshangela said. 

"It was a beautiful surprise. The award felt like a deep acknowledgment, respect, and celebration of the entire cast's artistic investment," Riet added.

Riet and Tshangela were also part of the production team that toured with the Standard Bank Bronze Ovation award-winning SwaRingana to the National Arts Festival. Their work, developed as part of the coursework in the Theatre-Making programme, has been recognised nationally, and has been invited to perform on professional platforms.

Additionally, Riet shared the stage with fellow graduates in The Suit, a contemporary theatre adaptation of Can Themba’s iconic short story, which won the Fresh Vrynge Award at the Vrystaat Arts Festival in 2022.

Tshangela helmed Ukhetho, which won top honours at the Kovsies Multilingual Mokete, and was selected as one of the debut productions at the newly formed Mthonyama Arts Festival in the Eastern Cape. Both artists were recognised by the Department of Drama and Theatre Arts as the Best Theatre Making students at the end of their undergraduate studies.

Passion for performing

According to Riet, she inherited her artistic inclination from her mother. Together they engaged in various playful activities such as singing, dancing, and storytelling. These activities sparked her love for entertaining from a young age, and she always knew that she wanted a career that would allow her to express herself in impactful ways and positively influence her community.

For Tshangela, her passion for performing also started at a young age. She enjoyed singing, but despite initially not considering drama as a career, receiving an acceptance letter from the UFS to study Drama and Theatre Arts reminded her of the joy she had felt during a school play. “It felt natural. It was like I could do this every day, portraying different people and telling stories. That acceptance letter became a sign of my destiny,” she highlighted.

Both suffered the loss of a parent during this time and faced considerable financial challenges due to limited funding. However, these resilient women persevered, excelling, and coming into their own as phenomenal and now award-winning theatre artists and academics.

Plans for the future

Looking ahead, Riet plans to continue creating radical and relevant theatre, writing poetry, and performing on notable stages. Additionally, she aspires to establish a storytelling centre.

“I’m planning to direct, produce, and perform more professional theatre productions. I’m also looking to travel overseas, further my studies to PHD level, but most of all, I plan to open a theatre company where I can introduce the craft to my hometown in the Eastern Cape,” Tshangela said.


News Archive

UFS hikers to Cape Town reflect on their journey
2014-05-26

 

For the four volunteers from the university who are currently on their way to the Cape on foot, every hour of every day is a victory.

It is three weeks since two employees from the University of the Free State (UFS), Adéle van Aswegen and Ntokozo Nkabinde, together with two other Bloemfontein residents, Nico Piedt and Ronel Warner, left Bloemfontein on fóót for the Cape, in order to highlight the problem of food insecurity among students.

On Sunday 18 May they crossed the halfway mark at Beaufort West and will conclude their journey on Tuesday 3 June in Cape Town.

This is what the hikers have to say after three weeks on the road:

Adéle van Aswegen
It isn’t only a physical journey, but rather an emotional journey you undertake. You learn what it means to be truly thankful for basic things like clothes, a place to sleep and food.

Nico Piedt
I know what it feels like to survive on only a glass of water in your stomach – a cup of weak tea if you’re lucky – for the whole day. If I can help (through the hike) to give someone a better chance in life, then it is worthwhile.

Ronel Warner
You think and grow simultaneously. As you plan every stride ahead of you, you also plan your life ahead.

Ntokozo Nkabinde
You don’t walk for yourself. You undertake this journey, maybe because you want to help someone, but this journey is actually in honour of something bigger and you just have to endure.”

These boots are made for walking ... to Cape Town (Article of 02 May 2014)
“Aren’t auntie and them hungry yet?” Country folk worried about NSH hikers (15 May 2014)

Daily updates:
(You can also follow us on @UFSweb for daily tweets)

Day 33: 2 June 2014
13:40
20 km
Sunset Beach, Cape Town

Day 32: 1 June 2014
16:05
26 km
Mervyn and Sanet Wessels, Belville

Day 31: 31 May 2014
16:31
39.6 km
Rhonell and Gavin Julain, Paarl

Day 30: 30 May 2014
14:00
16 km
Monte Rosa, Rawsonville

Day 29: 29 May 2014
13:16
31 km
The Habit, Worcester

Day 28: 28 May 2014
11:00
22.4 km
Monte Roza, De doorns

Day 27: 27 May 2014
17:00
21.1 km
Karoo Hotel

Day 26: 26 May 2014
18:27
43.3 km
Tows river

Day 25: 25 May 2014
12:18
Lord Milner Hotel, Matjiesfontein

Day 24: 24 May 2014
16:30
42 km
Laingsburg Country Lodge

Day 23: 23 May 2014
17:32
41.8 km
Vergenoeg

Day 22: 22 May 2014
16:42
43 km
Assendelft Lodge and Bush Camp, Prins Albert

Day 21: 21 May 2014
15:09
42 km
Leeu Gamka Hotel

Day 20: 20 May 2014
13:39
20 km
Alida, Springfontein

Day 19: 19 May 2014
12:31
27.6 km
Teri Moja Game Lodge

Day 18: 18 May 2014
First rest day
Nagenoeg Guesthouse, Beaufort West

Day 17: 17 May 2014
19:30
62.3 km
Nagenoeg Guesthouse, Beaufort West

Day 16: 16 May 2014
13:00
14 km
Taaibochfontein

Day 15: 15 May 2014
16:03
32 km
Travalia, Three Sisters

Day 14: 14 May 2014
18:33
43 km
Joalani Guest Farm

Day 13: 13 May 2014
17:30
33 km
Die Rondawels

Day 12: 12 May 2014
16:49
40 km
Aandrus B&B in Richmond

Day 11: 11 May 2014
39 km
Wortelfontein (Magdel and Christiaan)

Day 10: 10 May 2014
15:44
34 km
Hanover Lodge

Day 9: 09 May 2014
40.8 km
Camping between Colesberg and Hanover

Day 8: 08 May 2014
15:25
33.7 km
Colesberg, The Lighthouse Guesthouse

Day 7: 07 May 2014
15:08
23 km
Orange River Lodge

Day 6: 06 May 2014
15:57
51.06 km
Gariep Forever Resort

Day 5: 05 May 2014
12:18
28 km
Rondefontein

Day 4: 04 May 2014
15:27
35 km
Trompsburg: Fox Den

Day 3: 03 May 2014
17:30
46.74 km
Edenburg Country Lodge (Hotel)

Day 2: 02 May 2014
11:44 am
15.3 km
Tom's Place

Day 1: 01 May 2014
32 km
Leeuwberg

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