On 16 November 2022, Dr Khotso Nkhatho delivered his Inaugural Public Lecture at the Central University of Technology Welkom Campus. TheSouth African Award-winning renowned actor, author, scriptwriter, producer and director, took the audience through his career journey from where it all began, sharing his knowledge, failures and success stories that shaped and nurtured his career to where it is today.

Born and bred in the Free State, Mmamahabane-Ventersburg, Dr Khotso Nkhatho was raised in a family of teachers where reading was part of their past time. His love for literature flourished in his father’s study room full of books, where he would spend time reading Sesotho literature books in the likes of ‘Chaka’, ‘Pitseng’, ‘Arola Naheng Ya Maburu’ etc., which were somehow too documented for a tender boy aged 7-9 years at the time.

“I remember vividly that I was a passionate reader. I would be in that office with him, and interestingly, he would not interfere with my reading. I would sometimes realise that he had been with me in the room all along when he wakes me up after I dozed off. I fell in love with Sesotho books, and I guess this hobby was fueled by my father’s love for history and books,” he said.

His creative arts journey started in 1968 when he was just 15 years old. His teacher adapted the book ‘O Jelwe ke Makgala’ into drama, and he played the lead role of Mmalekhere.   “That was the beginning of my journey. My appreciation for Sesotho and creative arts just blossomed.”

He first learnt about Mopheme in 1969 while he was studying towards his Teacher’s Diploma at Tshiya Teachers Training College, in QwaQwa, and 18 years later, he rose to fame when he played the lead role of Mopheme, a 19-episode TV serial drama, which confirmed his reputation as the finest Sesotho-speaking actor on local television, and won him The Star Tonight Awards in the category- Best Actor in 1990s.

He started his teaching career in 1976 at Phiritona High School in Heilbron, Free State and joined the South African Broadcasting Commission (SABC) the following year in 1977.This after his first radio drama serial was broadcasted on Radio Sesotho (now Lesedi FM), which won him a staggering first prize of R200 during a radio drama competition. “Ironically, my former teacher at Tshiya Teachers Training College got the second prize, and that was a big moment for me.”

When SABC 2 and 3 were launched in the early 1980s, he ensured that the indigenous languages got the recognition they deserved. “I worked in various productions as an Actor, Language Advisor, Screenwriter, Script Evaluator and Executive Producer for SABC 2 drama ‘Ha a Mele Ditshiba’, which I authored and had a cameo role in it.”

“I would like to applaud our emerging and established Sesotho poets, comedians, authors and many others in the cultural creative space. Make Sesotho fashionable and be proud of your language, culture and heritage.”

Dr Khotso Nkhatho Fact File

• He wrote and produced a total of ten dramas (1977-1981) and (2003-2017)   
• He published books- ‘Ke etse Jwang’? (Drama), which won first prize in the Shutter & Shooter Drama competitions in the 90s as well as ‘Dinyane La Tshepe Sebalamakgulowon’, which saw 2^nd prize in the Van Schaik Short Stories Competition, also in the 90s.
• His short story ‘Jwala Ha se Pheko’ (Alcohol is not the remedy) was featured in a Dipalekgutshwe tsa Sejwalejwale and Ha Ba Arabe- collection of short stories.
• He was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award by the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) and Free State Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation.
• He received an Honorary Doctorate in Communication and Language Practice by the Central University of Technology, Free State in 2020
• He is passionate about development of young and upcoming artists, who often include CUT students, as he usually casts them in his Sesotho plays, which are broadcasted on Lesedi FM.
• He has contributed immensely to the conservation and development of Sesotho in the Free State. The industry recognised his efforts with a string of accolades, notably the Astera Awards, bestowed for excellent work in radio presenting and television acting.
• Post Tshiya College of Education Teacher qualification, he further obtained diplomas in Senior Education and Higher Education at the then Vista University.

Caption

The legend, Dr Khotso Nkhatho a.k.a Mopheme Mopheme-o hlatsisitsweng tsa ona ka sehloho ekakgona o phele.