Fana Mokoena

Fana Mokoena (wey dem born on 13 May 1971) be South African actor plus political activist. E serve as Member of Parliament — first as delegate go de National Council of Provinces from May 2014 to August 2016, represent ein home province Free State. After dat, dem move am go National Assembly wey e serve from August 2016 till e resign for October 2020. But for 2024, after de National and Provincial Elections, Mokoena return back go parliament. Mokoena be one of de founding members of de Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, den e serve too for de party ein central command team.

 Early life den education 
Dem born Fana Mokoena on 13 May 1971 insyd Kroonstad insyd Free State, South Africa. E grow insyd Kroonstad, but later ein mommie plus ein step-poppie carry am go Johannesburg where dem raise am plus ein three siblings. De last three years of ein high school, e go Woodmead School — de first fully multi-racial school for de country — na there ein love for de arts start. Mokoena later go study Theatre and Performance for University of Cape Town, wey e later qualify too for Media Studies.

 Acting career 
E start ein acting career as full member of Playhouse Theatre company for 1993, den for 1994 e make ein first TV appearance for South African TV film The Line. For 1997, Mokoena act small role insyd thriller Dangerous Ground. Insyd 1999, e play Thula for popular South African TV drama Yizo Yizo. Insyd 2004, e act de role of Rwandan general Augustin Bizimungu for de film Hotel Rwanda. From 2006 go 2009, e play de role of Jaws Bengu for South African series The LAB. Then for 2008, e appear small for series Silent Witness. Insyd 2010, Mokoena act Capt. James Sikobi for South African drama A Small Town Called Descent. Then for 2011, e appear for action-biography film Machine Gun Preacher, wey e act as John Garang plus Gerard Butler.

Insyd 2012, e play small role insyd thriller Safe House wey get Denzel Washington. Insyd 2013, Mokoena act Thierry Umutoni alongside Brad Pitt for zombie blockbuster World War Z. Still that year, e play anti-apartheid fighter Govan Mbeki for de film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom plus Idris Elba.

 Accolades den awards 
Mokoena dey receive plenty awards insyd de entertainment industry both insyd South Africa and abroad. E win Best Actor Award for South African Film den Television Awards (SAFTA) for ein role insyd The LAB. E sana win Best Actor in Supporting Role for African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) wey dem do insyd Lagos, Nigeria, for ein role insyd Man On Ground.

 Ein life matter 
Insyd 1976, Mokoena ein mommie, Arcillia Mekodi Mokoena, dem detain am plus put am for solitary confinement under de Apartheid regime sake of political activism. Dem arrest am say she incite student protest for one school inside Kroonstad wey she dey teach, wey be solidarity protest to support de 1976 Soweto Student Uprising. Dis uprising lead to plenty student demma death under de Apartheid regime. Dis happen as violent protests break out across de country against de oppressive use of Afrikaans as language for teaching, plus many other issues. Dem torture Mokoena ein mommie both physically and emotionally, wey leave am scarred, but she dey alive den dey well insyd QwaQwa. She be political veteran by ein own right, den her son, Fana Mokoena, follow her footsteps for political activism.

Mokoena be de senior brother to de late Karabelo Israel Mokoena, Tlotlisang Dipallo Charity Pigou (née Mokoena), den Mamello Blessings Relebohile Mokoena.

Mokoena ein step-poppie, Elias Bhuti Mokoena, dey late, den ein mommie ein senior sister, Khasiane Alrina Ntloko, too dey late. Mokoena regard dis ein aunty like ein real mommie, because she raise am while ein real mommie dey incarceration, den later go school den work for other places. Mokoena always call Khasiane warmly as "Mada".

 Politics 
Mokoena first join African National Congress (ANC), but later comot from dem because he believe say corruption dey demma system. After dat, he become one of de founding members of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), where he still dey serve as member for de party ein Central Command Team. Between 2014 plus 2016, Mokoena serve insyd de National Council of Provinces (NCOP), wey be South Africa ein upper house of Parliament. Then for 2016, dem appoint am go de National Assembly, de lower house, as one MP from Free State. For de 2019 general elections, Mokoena win ein second term as MP, as EFF nearly double demma seats.

But on 16 October 2020, Mokoena resign from de National Assembly. Still, he remain for de Central Command Team insyd de EFF as part of de War Council, wey be de party ein operational authority. After eight years wey he no dey act because of politics, Mokoena return go de Film plus Television industry as writer plus producer. Ein company, Praise Poet Pictures, dey work on some international productions. He dey back on television too, now dey act lead role as Vukile Kubheka for de popular South African soap opera Scandal!, wey bring am back to de entertainment spotlight.

 Filmography 

 52 Regent East (1993) as Lead
 The Line (1994) as Tebogo
 Inside (1996) as Prisoner (voice)
 Dangerous Ground (1997) as Youth
 Generations (1999) as Dr. Mandla Sithole
 Jump the Gun (1999) as Man in shacks
 In My Country (2004) as Mandla (uncredited)
 Hotel Rwanda (2004) as General Bizimungu
 Cuppen (2006) as Madoda
 The LAB (2006–2009, South African TV series) as Jaws Bengu
 Silent Witness (2008) as Katembula
 Wild at Heart (2008-2010, TV Series) as Mr Ekotto
 A Small Town Called Descent (2010) as Captain James Sikobi
 State of Violence (2010) as Bobedi
 Hopeville (2010) as Mogapi Khobane
 Machine Gun Preacher (2011) as John Garang
 Man on Ground (2011) as Timothi
 Inside Story (2011) as Goodwill
 Safe House (2012) as Officer in charge
 World War Z (2013) as Thierry Umutoni
 Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013) as Govan Mbeki
 Cold Harbour (2013) as Specialist
 The Call (2015) as Sibongiseni
 The Book of Negroes (2015) as Allasane
 Scandal! (2021-2022) as Vukile Kubheka

 References 
Category:Living people

 External links 
 The stuff soaps are made of, Mail & Guardian, 31 May 2002
 Fana Mokoena at IMDb
 TVSA Actor Profile
 Lehlohonolo Goodwill Mokoena at People's Assembly

Category:Human
Category:1971 births
Category:South African people
Category:People wey komot Kroonstad
Category:South African Sotho people
Category:South African male film actors
Category:South African male television actors
Category:Best Supporting Actor Africa Movie Academy Award winners
Category:Economic Freedom Fighters politicians
Category:University of Cape Town alumni
Category:Members of de National Assembly of South Africa 2014–2019
Category:Members of de National Assembly of South Africa 2019–2024