Playwright and poet Bra Sol Rachilo gets a dignified send off from his own kind
An artist who lived during Nelson Mandela’s young age. Was there when he went to prison. Was there when he came out of prison to become the first President of democratic South Africa. Was there when Mandela, just like him now, passed on.
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor
He is dead. But those who loved him, really appreciated his contribution to this country’sarts and culture sector over the years, and hence, congregated in big numbers on a Tuesday afternoon at the Market Theatre in Newtown, 25 August 2025. They knew exactly why they were there. Honouring a towering creative who has lived for many years as an artist, and was not apologetic for being an artist in a world that does not put much value to art. He was not a celebrity in the current contemporary South African sense of what and who a celebrity is. But those who congregated knew why they had to be there. Maybe for him. Maybe for themselves. Maybe for who they would have loved to be in their lives. Maybe even what they would have loved their friends to be. Maybe even their parents. It did not matter.
They were there in big numbers to honour a man. An artist who lived during Nelson Mandela’s young age. Was there when he went to prison. Was there when he came of out of prison to become the first President of democratic South Africa. Was there when Mandela, just like him now, passed on.
Maybe that is a good start to understand who Sol Rachilo was, and why the interest in his death by the artists in the country. At least those who suspended everything in their lives to be at the memorial service.
They were there to pay their last respects to a giant of theatre, poetry and, a film icon, who ironically, in his late life, died as a struggling artist that everyone one of those who attended the memorial service, would probably, understandably not want to be. And yet, they wanted to be him. In some ways, he was them. An ordinary man. An artist living in modern South Africa so different from the one he saw in Sophiatown in the 1950s. When he first made his name in film and theatre. In Soweto, where his family lived after leaving Alexandra. In Sophiatown.
Bra Sol, was not famous because he was cast in one of the TV soapies, or shows on theatre stages in post-Apartheid South Africa. Or, in one of the films that are being shot in the country at any given time.
He was respected for his artistry. That is the reason and only reason, why all and sundry, congregated to give him good wishes as he transitioned to another world.
Bra Sol in his advanced years of 95, actually died a wretched life. Lived a precarious existence. Everything we do not want to see anybody living. Not someone who left a life of a promising career in social work for art.
It is a complicated matter to really grasp why this artist attracted so much attention. So much love from so many artists. At his memorial service. That is, if you look at it at face value.
Maybe, not that complicated.
Bra Sol is not just another artist who has passed on, that the cultural and creative sector has to mourn as a matter of, of course. Not another one, who died poor. His case was different in many respects from other South African artist who died poor. Go figure out.
I must though say, those who congregated at the John Kani Theatre of the Market Theatre, knew very well what Rachilo represented. In their lives now.
He was what is not working with the architecture of the creative and cultural sector in terms of sustainability, for a sector that contributes more than what agriculture does to the GDP of the country.
However there is something we know about Bra Sol. His love for the arts began in the 1950s. But Bra Sol Rachilo’s standing in the arts sector extended beyond his own selfish needs and wants. We were told at the memorial service. He was a teacher who passed on acting skills to young people through us school COSAC, based first in Newtown, and later in Yeoville, where young people were trained in the arts.
Yes, he was a struggling artist towards the end of his life. Begging for food. Struggling frequently to find a roof to protect himself from the elements. Generally living a rough life in Johannesburg.
But all these things do not take away his contribution to South Africa’s creative and cultural heritage. It is in fact, that those who gathered at the Market Theatre on Tuesday celebrated.
That is why when his time came at the age of 95, all came to say good bye to this giant man of the arts.
Living their suburban houses. Their families. Converged at the Market Theatre. A place that he loved so much that it was so unusual for him not to be seen there regularly. That is according to Simphiwe Mboya of the Market Theatre front of house.
His death in some ways, has united the South African creative an cultural sector, that came together yo assist the family in making sure that Bra Sol had a dignified send off. A dignified send off for an artist the country almost forgot as he struggled to exist. To live. To pass on in dignity. To be buried in dignity.
It was so great to see artists united. What about a great performance by a band led by veteran musician Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse, featuring trumpeter Prince Lengoasa. It was such a lovely experience to feel the music these giants chose to honour Bra Sol, after heart touching speeches by family, those touched by Bra Sol’s life, and generally everyone who was there. It was also cool to witness how an all women ensemble called The spirit of 1956. Inspired by the brave women who marched to the Union Buildings in 1956, protesting against Pass Laws of Apartheid South Africa came on stage intermittently, to perform and sing in honour of a great artist who has fallen.
.The late Sol Rachilo’s funeral service is at Soweto Theatre on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, from 9am. The funeral procession is scheduled to leave for West Park Cemetery at 1pm.