State Of the National DisAster (SONDA)

CREATIVE TEAM

PHILANGEZWI “King SMS” NXUMALO - Creator, Producer & Performer

Philangezwi 'King SMS' Nxumalo is a dynamic storyteller, performer, and visionary whose work bridges art and activism. Emerging from the cultural mosaic of KwaZulu-Natal’s KwaMhlabuyalingana, he draws deeply from the lived experiences of Black South Africans, transforming their stories into powerful performances that echo across generations.

In every pursuit, Philangezwi remains committed to amplifying silenced voices and inspiring change, solidifying his legacy as a visionary storyteller shaping the narratives of our time. Trained at City Varsity, the Market Theatre Laboratory and Duma Ndlovu Academy, Philangezwi has mastered the stage through roles in acclaimed works such as Wake Up South Africa, Woza Albert, Eclipsed, No Easter Sunday for Queers, and My Children! My Africa! His artistry extends beyond performance. He is also a director, writer, musician, and curator dedicated to reshaping South African theatre.

His directorial debut, I Believe Her, staged at The Joburg Theatre, received critical acclaim for its unflinching portrayal of gender and social issues. His celebrated one-man show, SONDA, stands as a defining work in his career - an incisive, humorous, and deeply human reflection on South Africa’s socio-political landscape. The production has captivated audiences at The Market Theatre, The Joburg Theatre, festivals across South Africa, and even in Zimbabwe.

As a cultural curator, Philangezwi leads the Kippies Fringe Programme at The Market Theatre precinct, where he creates platforms for emerging artists to showcase original work and experiment with form. He has also co-created initiatives that nurture creative exchange and artistic growth, including The Creative’s Playground, a weekly space where actors and writers meet to perform, collaborate, and give each other feedback, and The Creative Mastery Lab, a professional development workshop series designed to equip artists with industry skills and creative tools to sustain their practice.

Beyond theatre, Philangezwi explores music through Afrimabona Vision, blending Kwaito rhythms with his distinctive storytelling voice. As an MC and cultural host, he has orchestrated vibrant events like Laughs and Lyrics and hosted the Zwakala Festival’s 30-Year Celebration Open Mic at The Market Theatre.

He is also the co-founder of The Art Cave, a creative hub for emerging voices, and curator of the YES LET’S Experimental Festival, which champions bold, innovative South African theatre.           

AALIYAH ZAMA MATINTELA  - Director

Aalliyah Zama Matintela is an Actress, Theatre Maker, Director, and playwright born in the Eastern Cape and raised in Johannesburg. She is a graduate from the Market Theatre Laboratory, where she got a chance to learn different techniques and grow her skills in the craft. Growing up in the fast-paced City of Gold, where different worlds and cultures meet has heavily inspired her creative work. Physical, Protest, Poor theatre, Juxtapose and Satire are some of the styles that her work carries. She has directed and performed in various Community Theatre festivals and won awards for her work. Highlights of her career include performing in the Africa Day Spectacle in 2017, directed by Omphile Molusi as well as being cast in a supporting role in 21 Wandah directed by Mwenya Kabwe in 2017. In 2018 she was cast in a supporting role in the play Platitudes directed by Nondumiso Msimanga. She co-directed the play Marose, which won Best Student Production in National Arts Festival 2018. She also directed Currently (G)Old!, which won a Standard Back Ovation at the National Arts Festival, and which was nominated for 3 Naledi Awards in 2019. In 2021 she performed in Kgaube written and directed by Thabang Gabogope and also co-created and performed in the Naledi Nominated (2021) Text Me When You Arrive. She’s also done work on television, stirring in Adverts such as Consol and Chicken’Lickin. In 2023, she made her first TV Series debut on Lenyalo Ase Papadi, by Black Brain, directed by Mandla N.  

LETAGO MOLAPO - Stage Manager

Born and bred in the dusty yet well organised streets of Marulaneng, Ga Sekhukhune in the Limpopo province, Letago la ga Molapo is a Johannesburg based actor, storyteller, and stage manager. His love for stage management started in 2020 when he was cast for his first theatre show, Kgoši Sekhukhune - the Musical. Upon going to The Market Theatre Laboratory in 2021, he started learning how to stage manage by assisting on shows such as Mongiwekhaya’s SkullKandy and Nondumiso Msimanga’s Theatre Tink Tank. In his final year at The Lab he was both cast and stage manager for Allistair Mcdowall’s Zero For The Young Dudes directed by the former head of the lab, Clara Vaughn, and that year he was also appointed as the stage manager for the Art Cave’s Yes Let’s Experimental Festival, which is currently in its fourth season.

Letago worked with Standard Bank Young Artists for Theatre: 2023 - Theatre Duo on their production of Khongolose Khommanding Khommissars, and in 2024 on MoMo Matsunyane's Unlearning and Penny. He also stage managed Philangezwi Nxumalo’s one hander, SONDA, which he has been stage managing since 2022. in 2025 he stage managed the Standard Band Gold Ovation Afropocalypse by The Market Theatre Laboratory class of 2025, directed by Daniel Buckland.