Bio
Winston Ntshona was a South African playwright and actor best known for his association with Athol Fugard, with whom he created the plays The Island and Sizwe Banzi is Dead. He also starred in both plays for a number of decades, winning Best Actor Tony awards for both.
Ntshona is also known to television viewers for playing the "voice of wisdom" Isaiah, the only recurring character throughout all eight films, in the Heartlines series.
One of South Africa's leading actors, Ntshona gained stardom with the highly acclaimed play The Island, alongside Athol Fugard and John Kani. He received a Tony award for this performance. The production toured Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the National theatre in London.
Ntshona's body of theatrical work includes Sizwe Banzi Is Dead, a one man show which toured the UK and the USA. Another production, The Death of Bessie Smith with Janet Suzman and John Kani, as well as The Island were filmed for the BBC in London and CBS in the USA.
Winston's films include Malunde, I Dreamed of Africa, Power of One, Dry White Season, Ghandi and The Wild Geese.
Ntshona was born in Port Elizabeth. He matriculated from Newell High School where he performed in school plays with John Kani. During the 1960s he worked at the Ford Motor Company plant in Port Elizabeth.
He died on the morning of 2 August, 2018, from a longterm, undisclosed illness. He was 76.