South African media personality Nonhle Thema has paid a touching tribute to her late mother, the legendary actress and beauty queen Cynthia Shange, on what would have been her 77th birthday.
Taking to social media, Nonhle reflected on her mother’s enduring legacy, sharing a nostalgic photograph of a young Cynthia alongside a deeply personal caption emphasizing the spiritual significance of the date.
“Happy Heavenly Birthday to my Mom, Cynthia Philisiwe Shange,” Nonhle shared. “Today she would be turning 77 on the 27th of the 7th month of the year. 777 being the number of completion—she finished her race strong on earth and is forever in our hearts. Thank you Ma, your legacy lives on. You will forever be remembered.”
Honouring a Trailblazer
Cynthia Shange passed away on April 20, 2026, at the age of 76. Her passing marked the loss of a foundational figure in South Africa’s cultural landscape.
Shange broke barrier after barrier during the apartheid era. After capturing the Miss Natal and Miss Black South Africa titles, she made history as the first Black woman to represent South Africa at the Miss World pageant in 1972. Beyond the runway, she carved out an iconic acting career, starring in South Africa’s first Black feature film, uDeliwe (1975), and later capturing hearts nationwide as MaNkosi on the long-running SABC 2 drama Muvhango.
Refocusing on Family
Nonhle’s tribute comes shortly after her candid interview on radio station 947 with host Thando Thabethe. During the sit-down, the television personality sparked public debate with claims that she single-handedly introduced Twitter (now X) to the South African market and that her family was among the first Black residents to settle in Bryanston in 1990.
However, Nonhle has set aside recent headlines to refocus on her family’s roots, ensuring her mother’s ground-breaking achievements and memory remain firmly in the spotlight.
