Minister Mutsvangwa mourns Cont Mhlanga

Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa has described the late veteran film writer/producer Cont Mdladla Mhlanga as an individual who used arts to break every form of barrier be it creed, tribe, colour, religion, gender or racial.

Cont reportedly succumbed to pneumonia on Monday morning at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) after being admitted for 10 days.

He was 64.

In a statement, Minister Mutsvangwa said that Cont knew the value of the arts to humanity, nation building and civilization.

“Arts are the thread that knits together the soul of humanity in time from one generation to another. Concurrently in space across regions and continents.

“He knew arts reside in human creativity. He tirelessly, methodically and meticulously worked hard.

He mined gems in human creative endowment and polished them for the delights and anguishes of the soul as society moves along,” she said.

Cont is credited for establishing Amakhosi Theatre in 1981 where a number of artistswho passed through his hands became household names in Zimbabwe.

The legend wrote more than 20 plays among them The Good President, The End, Sinjalo, Children on Fire, Games and Bombs. – The Herald