Renowned South African actresses Thembi Mtshali and Leleti Khumalo were honoured with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 2nd Golden Elephant Lifetime Achievement Awards ceremony.

Word Of Mouth Pictures and Duma Ndlovu Academy held the 2nd Golden Elephant Lifetime Achievement Awards ceremony at the Market Theatre in Newtown on Wednesday.

The esteemed Lifetime Achievement Awards are presented to individuals who have made a profound and lasting impact on the creative industry, both locally and internationally.

This year’s recipients, join the ranks of the first recipient of the award, legendary thespian John Kani.

Mtshali-Jones is widely recognized as one of South Africa's most celebrated actresses, known for her remarkable performances in popular television series such as “Sgudi ‘Snaysi”, “Stokvel”, “Silent Witness", and “Imbewu: The Seed”.

Her influence on South African entertainment is truly remarkable.

“It’s a recognition of our years of dedication to the arts, and we hope to continue inspiring others through our work,” said Mtshali-Jones.

Khumalo, equally lauded for her outstanding talent, is best known for her iconic role in the movie and stage play “Sarafina!”

She has also captivated audiences in films like “Hotel Rwanda”, “Yesterday”, and “Invictus”, as well as in television series like “Imbewu: The Seed” and “Uzalo”.

Khumalo recently joined long-running soapie “Muvhango”.

“This recognition motivates us to keep pushing boundaries and telling meaningful stories through our art,” said Khumalo.

Duma Ndlovu, Executive Producer of Word of Mouth Pictures and DNA Academy,emphasised that the purpose of the award is to sustain and invigorate the creative industry.

“Creativity is the heartbeat of the industry, and we must recognize and celebrate those who make extraordinary contributions to keep it alive," said Ndlovu.

IOL Entertainment