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Fana Mokoena

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Fana Mokoena
Member of the National Assembly of South Africa
In office
24 August 2016 – 16 October 2020
Delegate of the National Council of Provinces
In office
22 May 2014 – 24 August 2016
Personal details
Born
Lehlohonolo Goodwill Mokoena

(1971-05-13) 13 May 1971 (age 53)
Kroonstad, Orange Free State, South Africa
Political partyEconomic Freedom Fighters (2013–present)
Other political
affiliations		African National Congress (former)
Children2
ResidenceSouth Africa
Alma materUniversity of Cape Town
ProfessionActor
Politician

Fana Mokoena (born 13 May 1971) is a South African actor and politician who served as a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa between August 2016 and October 2020. He served as a delegate to the National Council of Provinces from May 2014 until August 2016. Mokoena is a member of the Economic Freedom Fighters party and serves on the party's central command team.

Early life and acting career

Fana Mokoena was born on 13 May 1971 in Kroonstad, Free State, South Africa. He was raised in Kroonstad and later schooled in Johannesburg by his mother and stepfather, along with his three siblings. He attended Woodmead School,[1] which was the first fully multi-racial school in the country, where his love of the arts began. He studied a BA degree in Theatre and Performance at the University of Cape Town.[2] He started his acting career in 1994, when he appeared in the South African TV film The Line.[3] Mokoena played a small role in the thriller Dangerous Ground in 1997. In 2004, he portrayed the Rwandan general Augustin Bizimungu in the film Hotel Rwanda.[4] In 2006, he played the role of Jaws Bengu in the South African series The LAB, a role which he played until 2009. In 2008, he appeared in a small role in the series Silent Witness. He played the role of Capt. James Sikobi in the South African drama A Small Town Called Descent in 2010. In 2011, he appeared in the action biography film adaptation of Machine Gun Preacher in the role of John Garang alongside Gerard Butler.[5]

In 2012, he played a small role in the thriller Safe House with Denzel Washington.[6] Mokoena appeared alongside Brad Pitt in the role of Thierry Umutoni in the zombie blockbuster World War Z in 2013.[6] He also portrayed the anti-apartheid fighter Govan Mbeki in the film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom with Idris Elba.[4] He was then to take on a role in Christopher Nolan's 2014 film Interstellar, which he had to decline due to his role in politics.[4]

Personal life

In 1976 Fana Mokoena's mother, Arcillia Mekodi Mokoena was detained in solitary confinement for 3 months awaiting trial.[7] She was incarcerated due to her students in Kroonstad joining in solidarity, as violent protests broke out around the country. She is well and living in QwaQwa. Mokoena's mother is a political veteran in her own right[8][9][10] and inspired Fana into politics.

Mokoena is the eldest brother to the late Karabelo Israel Mokoena, Tlotlisang Dipallo Charity Xulu (née Mokoena) and Mamello Blessings Relebohile Mokoena.

Mokoena's stepfather Elias Bhuti Mokoena is late and so is his mother's eldest sister, Khasiane Alrina Ntloko[11] whom he called his 'mother', because she raised him while his real mother was incarcerated, and later had to study and work elsewhere. Mokoena fondly referred to Khasiane as "Mada".

Politics

Mokoena was initially a member of the African National Congress.[2] He later left the party, because he believed it was corrupt. He then became a member of the Economic Freedom Fighters, where he now serves a member of the party's Central Command Team.[12] Between 2014 and 2016, he was a member of the National Council of Provinces, the upper house of the Parliament of South Africa.[13] In 2016, he was appointed as a member of the lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, as a member from Free State.[14] Mokoena won a second term in the 2019 general election, with the Economic Freedom Fighters almost doubling their number of seats.[15]

Mokoena resigned from the National Assembly with effect from 16 October 2020 but remained in the EFF's Central Command Team as a member of the War Council, the party's operational authority. [16] He has returned back to the Film and Television industry as a writer and producer. His company Praise Poet Pictures is working on several international productions. After 8 years hiatus from the entertainment industry due to his engagements in politics, Mokoena has returned to the small screen in a popular South African soapie Scandal in a lead role as Vukile Kubheka which has thrust him back into the entertainment centre-stage.

Filmography

References

  1. ^ https://www.artefacts.co.za/main/Buildings/bldgframes.php?bldgid=12819
  2. ^ a b Zvomuya, Percy; Moya, Fikile Ntsikelelo (24 October 2013). "Chirping classes: Fighting for freedom in Mokoena's blood". Mail & Guardian. Archived from the original on 14 May 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  3. ^ a b Dyomfana, Bulelani (19 December 2019). "9 'Generations' actors: Where are they now?". City Press. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Harding, Andrew (29 January 2015). "Fana Mokoena's dilemma: Interstellar or revolution in South Africa?". BBC News. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  5. ^ "World War Z's Fana Mokoena joins EFF's celeb supporters". News24 (City Press). 11 July 2013. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Fana Mokoena: Hitting the big time with Pitt". Mail & Guardian. 11 July 2013. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  7. ^ https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/Digitization/48437NCJRS.pdf
  8. ^ https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/39670838.pdf
  9. ^ "The Black Conciousness Movement and student demonstration: Kroonstad 1976". AIDC | Alternative Information & Development Centre. 12 June 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  10. ^ "Bodibeng High School - E-Reserve Needed". StuDocu. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Mother of EFF's Fana Mokoena, Khasiane Ntloko has died". News365.co.za. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  12. ^ "I've had 5 ANC friends who condemned me for joining EFF now apologise, says Fana Mokoena". TimesLIVE. 13 April 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  13. ^ "Hansard: NCOP: Appointment of returning Officers; Election of Chairperson of National Council of Provinces". Parliamentary Monitoring Group. Archived from the original on 25 June 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  14. ^ "Actor Fana Mokoena gets a hot new seat in parliament". TimesLIVE. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  15. ^ Bhengu, Cebelihle (9 December 2019). "MP Fana Mokoena reflects on EFF's growth: 'The party has shown tenacity & resilience'". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  16. ^ "National Assembly Members". Parliamentary Monitoring Group. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
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