Connie Chiume Biography

 

Connie Chiume was a South African actress with Malawian descent. She was popularly known for playing the role of Mamokete on soapie opera Rhythm City and other television serials and films such as Black panther and many more.

Biography profile

Image of South African actress Connie Chiume
Image of South African actress Connie Chiume

Full name : Connie Temweka Gabisile Chiume
Gender : Female
Date of birth: 5 June 1952
Date of Death:  6 August 2024 aged 72 years old
Place of birth : Welkom, Free State, South Africa
Nationality : South African
Occupation : Actress, Producer
As known as : Mamokete on Rhythm city, Mamsonto on Gomora
Facebook : @Connie Chiume

Early age of Connie Chiume

The actress was a daughter to Wright Tadeyo Chiume (father) from Usisya, Nkhata Bay. Her mother was of a South African descent hailing from KwaZulu-Natal. The father to Connie Chiume died in 1983 in Malawi, his homeland. Having been born in South Africa, Connie laments having been deprived of a chance to enjoy her Malawian culture. She was, however, proud of her mixed-blood identity. [1]

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Education of Connie Chiume

Connie spent her early years at Welkom, where she also attended her school. She later proceeded to East Cape for her Metric. Connie enrolled but did not complete her nursing course, instead went forward to train as a teacher graduating in 1976. She taught for a while after what she resigned and traveled to Israel, then Greece for performances as a cast. It was during this travels that Connie discovered her passion for art and drama.

Acting Career of Connie Chiume

After moving to Greece in 1977, she started to act in her earliest works such as Porgy and Bess, Ipi Ntombi, and Little Shop of Horrors. In 1989, she appeared in the television series Inkom’ Edla Yodwa after returning to South Africa. She played the role of ‘Thembi’ in that series. After the success of the series, she was invited to play in the film Warriors from Hell in 1990, which made her maiden cinema appearance. In 2000, she won the Connie the Avanti award for Best Actress in a Drama Series during South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA) festival.

In 2005, she played the role ‘Stella Moloi’, on SABC1 drama series Zone 14, where she won the Golden Horn award. With the serial became very popular, she continued to play the lead role until 2010. She also received the Award for the Best Supporting Actress in a Drama during the 3rd SAFTA. In 2015, she appeared in the soap opera Rhythm City with a motherly role as ‘Mamokete Khuse’. The show became highly popular in South Africa.

In 2006, she played the lead role in the stage plays such as You Strike The Woman .By  2020, Connie starred in the television drama series Gomora with the role ‘Mam’Sonto Molefe’. Connie also appeared in another television series Black Is King. In the series, she played as a fussy mother.’ By October 2020, she was honored with first Feather Award nomination. In 2018, she appeared in the Hollywood blockbuster film Black Panther renowned South African actor John Kani. She played the role of Mining Tribe Elder in the film.

Personal life

In 1985, Connie got married. After about nineteen years of marriage, the union ended in a divorce. She was a proud mother of four children 2 sons and 2 daughters.
Among her relatives is the Malawian politician Ephraim Mganda Chiume (cousin).

Filmography
Films

. 2018: Black Panther
. 2017: Thula’s Vine TV series
. 2015: Lerato as a pastor
. 2013: Fanie Fourie’s Lobola as Zinzi
. 2005: Zone 14 TV series as Stella Moloi
. 2004: Masinyo Dot Q TV series
. 2004: In My Country as Virginia Tabata
. 2000: I Dreamed of Africa as Wanjiku
. 1994: The Line TV series
. 1994: The Air Up There Mrs.
. 1990: Warriors From Hell

. I Love South Africa (S1): Contestant – Herself
. It’s Complicated (S1): Mokete
. It’s Complicated (S2): Bathobaile
. Mazinyo dot Q. (S1): Ma Mavuso-September
. Rhythm City (S1): Mamokete Khuse
. Ring of Lies (S2): Dumi