20 August 2020
By Karabo Ntanzi
Mpho Mokalipo’s love for theatre spanned over a period of twenty years: dancing, acting, singing, writing and directing runs through her veins. “Acting is therapeutic for me,” adds Mokalipo. She was born on 8 September 1978 in Kimberley. She began her schooling in Peme Primary School and matriculated in 1998 from Tlhomelang High School, currently known as Valentino High School.
Her mother was not impressed with her choice of arts as a career. The irony is that her parents met as cast members on the set of “Sikhalo”, a play written by the late Gibson Kent. Her mother and aunts are very good singers. Her father loved theatre and acting. Her stepfather is a musician, who owns a keyboard and a piano. “As a child I could hear my parents mimicking people like Harry Belafonte and Mirriam Makeba,” reminisced Mpho.
Although Mpho grew up in an artistic family, she did not see herself following in their footsteps. She wanted to be a Social Worker; however, she fell pregnant whilst in matric and had to seek employment in order to care for her child.
She was part of the Teemaneng Youth Cultural Group (Teemayo) in 1992. Mokalipo was the only rose amongst six boys under the leadership and guidance of Tebogo Selebogo. The group grew to a membership of thirty-five. One of their greatest achievements was in 1998 – 1999, when they went on an international tour to Washington DC, Mexico, Portugal, Sweden and Zimbabwe, performing musicals and dancing.
“Girls are receiving all the attention and a lot of effort is spent on raising the girl child, forgetting the boy child,” said the mother of two boys aged 21 and 12. This inspired her to direct and produce a play called “The Cry of a Boy Child”. In the play, she introduces a topic and invites the children to debate it; thereafter the children have the task of researching the topic and writing a script based on the topic. This develops their writing abilities.
The play will be uploaded on Facebook, which will give it the much-needed exposure.
A true artist indeed, Mokalipo has converted her garage into a theatre set. She bemoans the fact that South Africans rarely watch theatre as compared to other mediums of entertainment.
Her eldest son is studying business at tertiary institution. During his spare time, he helps children with their music at his makeshift studio at home. The youngest, an aspiring actor is already walking in his mother’s shoes.
In 2011 Mpho spent four weeks in hospital with a Brain Lesion, an injury or damage to brain tissue, which left part of her face scarred. “This was a very traumatic experience in my life,” explained Mpho. Her self-esteem took a knock but through her family’s support she managed to get out of the dark hole. She plans to write a play called “I am not my wounds,” to give hope to those who have been through similar experiences.
She is so passionate about the arts that she imparts her knowledge by working with school learners creating projects such as Mayibuye Uprising and will host a High School Literature Drama Festival in future.
She looks up to stage veterans such as Moagi Modise, who is like a big brother to her, Popeye and Spinach, Sakkie Mondela, Tshepo Gaborone and Kholofelo Kola who started an informal school of the Arts called Conservatoir.
She works as a seasonal Supervisor at the Department of Environmental Affairs for a Clearing of Alien Plants Project since the year 2000. Mokapilo also serves as the Acting Treasurer for Cultural and Creatives Industry Federation of South Africa (CCIFSA).
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