Lebo Mashile brings magic to the Jomba
LEBO Mashile is in Durban, baby bump and all. This award-winning poet, actress and soon-to-be mother is in the city to perform Threads with the Moving into Dance Mophatong troupe at the much acclaimed Jomba Dance Festival.
The talkative, studious and friendly Mashile waddles to meet Sowetan sporting black tights, pumps with a long white T-shirt and a boy-cut hairstyle. She smiles warmly, wipes the sweat from her brow and immediately announces that her pregnancy has made her tired but that she is enjoying "every minute of it".
Threads, she says, is a cross-cultural and cross-generational artistic collaboration between herself and legendary choreographer and cultural activist Sylvia "Magogo" Glasser.
The Jomba Festival runs at the University of KwaZulu-Natal's Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre until September 12, but Mashile's fans only have tonight to catch her.
Mashile's humbleness belies her many accolades. She made her acting début in the Oscar-nominated film Hotel Rwanda and was named Glamour magazine's Woman of the Year in the category of arts and culture for 2010.
She is considered an icon of modern South African poetry. She produced and presented the television programme L'Atitude, where she introduced viewers to the personal stories of a diverse cross-section of South Africans and their relationships with their surroundings. The series reached an audience of more than two million households. So it was surprising to hear that her unborn son, who is due in late November, was "unplanned".
"I had no idea I was pregnant till the second month. But by the time I had done the home pregnancy test I so wanted to be pregnant."
Not wanting to be drawn into who the baby's daddy is, all Mashile would say is that it's the first boy grandchild on both sides of the family.
Mashile said: "I don't want him exposed as my partner because of me. His life must be personal and so must my baby's. I don't want to make their life public like mine."
Dips
Oh...... that's why she gained weight so, kante she gonna be a mommy soon?congrats girl.
Report Abuse
Mantsu
I think this girl is brilliant - I like her too.Congratulations indeed !!
Report Abuse
Snqawunqawini
Eric Myeni's comments about weighty Lebo now in proper context. But, she is still huge. So, Mashilo doesn't practise Safe Sex!Report Abuse
Kanz
Congrats girl, hope you enjoy motherhood. Next time practice safe sex.Report Abuse
MAKABAZA
@SNQAWUNQAWINI AND KANZ. IF SHE WAS PRACTISING SAFE SEX SHE WOUNDN'T BE PREG. BY NOW AND YOU SAY CONGRATS! AOWA SELO SE MONATE FELA LE WA GAGO.Report Abuse
