Presley Chweneyagae

1984 – 2025

Who they are

Born: 19 October 1984, Soweto, Transvaal, South Africa
Died: 27 May 2025
Known for: Tsotsi, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Africa United

Presley Chweneyagae (1984–2025) was a South African actor from Soweto. He became widely known as the lead of Gavin Hood's Tsotsi (2005), which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. He later built a strong career in South African film and television, including the telenovela The River.

Where to start

Tsotsi (2005)Full guide
His breakthrough lead role as a township gangster, in a film that won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013)Log in to add it to the library
His most widely seen later film, a major international biopic of Nelson Mandela.
Africa United (2010)Log in to add it to the library
A pan-African feature that kept him in prominent roles after his breakthrough.
Menda City (2009)Log in to add it to the library
A project on which he is credited as both actor and director.
iNumber Number: Jozi Gold (2023)Log in to add it to the library
A later South African crime thriller showing his continued screen presence.

Their films in the library

Tsotsi2005 · Actor

Awards

No major awards are documented here.

The full list · 11

2005TsotsiLog in to add it to the libraryActor as Tsotsi
2007More Than Just a GameLog in to add it to the libraryActor as Mark Shimmers
2009Menda CityLog in to add it to the libraryActor as Don P · Director
2010Africa UnitedLog in to add it to the libraryActor as Egg
2010State of ViolenceLog in to add it to the libraryActor as Boy-Boy
2011The GentlemanLog in to add it to the libraryActor as Sipho
2012Zama ZamaLog in to add it to the libraryActor as Joseph Phiri
2013Mandela: Long Walk to FreedomLog in to add it to the libraryActor as Militant Prisoner
2014AvengedLog in to add it to the libraryActor as Shoes
2017The NumberLog in to add it to the libraryActor as China Boy
2023iNumber Number: Jozi GoldLog in to add it to the libraryActor as Shoes

Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.