South African veteran actor, playwright, drama teacher, and poet Sol Rachilo, who passed away at the age of 94 on 16 August 2026, will be laid to rest today, 26 August 2026.
The presidency honoured Ntate Rachilo with an official state funeral and ordered that the South African flag fly at half-mast in Gauteng.
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Remembering Sol Rachilo
Sol Rachilo was a significant contributor to South Africa’s cultural heritage, with the Market Theatre Foundation describing him as a “living archive.” Ntate Rachilo’s career spanned well over six decades, beginning in theatre when he debuted in Athol Fugard’s No Good Friday. The actor went on to appear in other landmark plays such as Sponono, Sizwe Bansi Is Dead and Maishe Maponya’s Gangsters.
Ntate Rachilo has a rich legacy that endures through his artistic talents and work such as Lakutshona Ilanga, Three in Number, The Township Housewife and Grounded in Mshenguville. His work went beyond the stage, having appeared on film and television.
He also appeared in The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, Joe Bullet, Bullet on the Run, Charlie Steel, Game for Vultures, and the SABC drama Lisenethini, portraying the character Capone.
The state funeral
Ntate Rachilo is still recognised for his cultural activism and contributions to South African heritage and liberation. In his efforts and continuation to empower the youth in Soweto, he was part of raising, mentoring and empowering generations of people who went on to become performers, writers and cultural workers.
In recognising these efforts, Sello Maake-kaNcube wrote a letter to the Presidency. He asked that Ntate Rachilo be afforded a Special Provincial Official Funeral and buried at the Heroes Acre. In his letter, Maake-kaNcube explained the social impact Ntate Rachilo had in his artistic career, describing him as a social worker, teacher, institution builder and community activist.
His request was aptly accepted by the President on 19 August 2026, reports Africa Daily.
The funeral will be held on 26 August 2026, at the Soweto Theatre, where many will pay their last respects and honour the legendary playwright, poet, performer and mentor.
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Beyond the performer
Ntate Rachilo’s legacy extends far beyond the stage. As a cultural activist, he made the conscious decision in 1976, after the traumatic events of June 16th, to use the arts as a tool for healing and empowerment. It was through this decision that the Children of Soweto Action Centre Drama Academy was founded.
The institution trained young people in the arts, including drama, music, photography, and fine arts and was recognised for pioneering a Black-owned drama institution during apartheid.
Through his literature and poetry, he preserved memory. In his work Nostalgic Waves, he documented what transpired during and after the 1976 uprising. This documentation then became a significant cultural record of a defining period in South African history.
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