South African actor Mpho Sebeng has died in a car accident near Klerksdorp in the North West, the country’s entertainment industry confirmed on Sunday. Sebeng was 30 years old.
Born in Soweto and raised in Witpoortie, Randburg, Johannesburg, Sebeng was the eldest in his family and attended West Ridge High, matriculating in 2011. He was first encouraged to pursue acting at age 12 after being spotted in a school production by a family friend.
Sebeng gained recognition for his television roles as Siso Ledwaba in Zero Tolerance (2001–2006) and Slay in Soul Buddyz (2011). He also appeared in Justice for All, Bay of Plenty, and the movie Winnie (2011), where he played Tsietsi Mashini and met singer-actress Jennifer Hudson on set.
Beyond acting, Sebeng had a passion for scriptwriting, photography, and directing, and he aimed to contribute to the growth of South Africa’s entertainment industry. In 2015, he starred as Lebo Ngcobo in the e.tv drama series Z’bondiwe, and in 2016, he played Neo, a bare-knuckle boxing champion, in the telenovela Ring of Lies.
Sebeng’s family confirmed his death in a statement on Sunday afternoon. Oupa Morake, the family spokesperson, said: “While the family appreciates the immense outpouring of love and condolences, the family requests some space to process the news. The details of his home-going celebrations will be communicated in due course, and we request that you continue to hold the Sebeng family in prayer.”
Actor Zola Hashatsi expressed his grief on social media, describing Sebeng as a “young brother, a friend” and noting that the news was deeply painful.
The Klerksdorp police had not provided comments at the time of publication. The story is still developing.
