Kani (right) with his son Atandwa and his wife Mandi at the world premiere of The Lion King at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, 2019. Reflecting on the craft of voice acting, Kani said it evoked the theatre, as it left much to the imagination.
For over a quarter of a century, Dr John Kani has played a pivotal role in guiding the direction of the Apartheid Museum, an institution whose core mission has overlapped uncannily with the themes of his own seminal plays. His leadership as chairman of the Board of Trustees unfolded alongside his evolution as a playwright, an art form through which the veteran actor began asking searching questions about the shortfalls of democracy and reconciliation in a society that remains profoundly unequal.
From 30 August until 30 November 2026, the Apartheid Museum will honour Dr Kani’s monumental contribution with a major exhibition revisiting key moments in an extraordinary stage and screen career spanning six decades, tracing his journey from Port Elizabeth rehearsal rooms to the heights of Hollywood.
From left to right: Kani, Fugard, and Ntshona in London, 1973.
Drawing on dynamic imagery, text, artefacts, and film, the exhibition showcases the powerful ideas that have occupied Dr Kani both on and off the stage, informing his vision as a mentor and cultural leader.
