Name any groundbreaking, ahead of its time South African production you can think of that he was in, and you will realise that legendary actor Ntate Patrick Ndlovu was a true definition of range.
He died this week at the age of 85.
From the iconic 1986 production of Shaka Zulu to the timeless Sarafina! where he played Victor Gumede in 1992 to when he walked the corridors of Supatsela High School with a cane in Yizo Yizo and he changed the game as funeral parlour owner, Sizwe Moloi on Zone 14, he was versatile.
His other productions also include Cry the Beloved Country, Zulu Love Letter, Kalahari Harry, Jump the Gun, and Knuckle City.
Nandi Nyembe, who was co-star on Zone 14, says over the years they had developed a friendship.
“We have truly lost a legend,” she tells Drum.
“It was great working with loya baba. Intliziyo yami ibuhlungu (I am heartbroken). We used to phone each other and talk about how things in the industry have changed. Things are not easy, we are struggling and he said this was the longest time he had ever spent without work. Nowadays young people are getting roles.
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“There are no longer any roles for oogogo no mkhulu that are actually old. It’s not that production companies are not writing stories that have grandmothers and grandfathers, but they are younger.”
She says roles where they are cast as old people are few and far between. She has recently played great grandmother roles in House of Zwide and Adulting. She was also on How to Ruin Christmas but her character was killed off.
“It’s tricky when you play a great grandmother because they end up killing you off. And unless you come back as a ghost, then its over for you. But when you look at places like America, people act until they die. Not here. Even now, sihleli asisebenzi as abantu abadala (we are unemployed as old people). This was something close to his heart because he was not working for a long time, and that can take a toll on a person because we have given ourselves to this industry and it is our only source of income.”
Mam Nandi says she will miss working with her dear friend.
“He was so fun to work with. When I think about the Zone 14 set, behind the scenes were like a family. He has left a great legacy behind. He was a humble man and even if he was upset about something, we were able to sit down and talk things through.
“Even today, when we look at the young people who were on that show and how they have grown and developed, we are filled with pride. Our hope is that they remember how we treated them when they were just coming into the industry and treat the ones that come after them the same.”
Jerry Mofokeng wa Makhetha says even though he never worked Bro Pat, as he calls him, he learnt a lot from him.
“Near the Hector Pieterson Memorial in Orlando there is Uncle Tom’s Hall and that is where I used to watch him, performing in Gibson Kente plays. He was the generation that I used to watch, the generation that inspired me.
“I consulted him when I was reconstructing Gisbon Kente’s play, Lifa and he gave me great insights. He was the kind of man that would teach you without sitting down for a formal lesson, just sitting down and sharing a meal with him would leave a great impact. He was a well and a reservoir of knowledge and all those around him had the opportunity to drink.
“I am 67 years old, I watched him as a little boy. His inspiration goes for generations in this industry. He was one of the stalwarts of the industry who paid their dues. It had nothing to do with social media followers, but it was about the craft. He was like an encyclopedia. But even with all of that, he called me Bro Jerry even though I was his junior."
Jerry says some people will never know Ntate Patrick’s contribution to theatre in South Africa.
“In theatre there is no second take and there is no edit. You need to go all in. You rehearse for an hour for each minute. You need to be sharp and theatre actors are like a sacrifice that gets put under a fire and he understood that.
“He was a disciplined actor. He would get a script and not only arrive on set having learned his lines, but he would even arrive emotionally prepared for the journey the character was going to take. He was like a chameleon, and he would change for each role. One had no choice but to respect him,” he adds.
She played Nomsa on Yizo Yizo and her scene with Principal Mthembu is unforgettable, but Charmaine Mtinta says what viewers don’t know is that he hit her with his cane for real, she tells Drum.
“It was a well-choreographed scene, and everyone know how it was all going to happen and I had sponges on to insulate me on the upper body. But then he started to hit me on the bum, and I screamed out loud, the directer was shouting ‘cut’ and he did not know what the fuss was about. Then I told him that there were no sponges on my bum. He apologized, but I thanked him because it made the scene real.
“After working with him on Yizo Yizo, I only worked with him again on Igazi and it was great to see him, he was looking great and I even joked about him hitting the gym I said ‘awusemhle uske wayi ou (you look good, like boyfriend material) and we just laughed. He said he had stopped eating junk and was taking walks.
“When I think about our time on Yizo Yizo, he was a father to us. He taught us a lot and had a great sense of humor. Later in life when I saw him and called him Bro Pat he would say ‘ngubani u Bro wakho, nam ndithi uxolo uxolo Tat’ Pat (who is your bro and I would say sorry dad)."
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Charmaine says she cried when she learned of his passing.
“Yes, I am very hurt that we will never see him or hear his voice again, but he was 85 and things are not easy for them at that age. I cannot even say ‘silahlekelwe’ (we have lost) because he has lived and God blessed him with a long time on this earth. His talent and passion for the craft really showed that yi mvelakancane (he was a rare breed).
