Aids claims young film-maker, Mpumi Njinge

October 15, 2002: Mpumelelo Njinge, known to his friends and colleagues as Mpumi, died from Aids related pneumonia on Saturday, October 12, 2002 at Johannesburg General Hospital after a recent stay at the Sacred Heart Hospice in Kensington, Johannesburg.

The young film-maker from Kwa Thema was extremely active in the lesbian and gay community and in the last year of his life had been instrumental in the research and direction of two significant documentaries. Mpumi directed My Son the Bride, which was made for the M-Net pay channel through their "New Directions" programme, produced by Jill Kruger. My Son the Bride is set in the Mandela Squatter Camp near the Kwa Thema township on the East Rand where Mpumi spent his childhood.
His knowledge of, and empathy with the gay and lesbian community there, is clearly evident in the documentary. This film has been highly successful this year and has been screened at both international and local film festivals and will be screened on MNET on January 20, 2003. Mpumi also co-directed Everything Must Come to Light a controversial documentary focusing on the lives of three same-sex identified sangomas. This film has also been screened both internationally and locally during 2002, including as part of the 13th Annual South African Lesbian and Gay Pride festival at the Goethe Institut, Johannesburg. Mpumi was responsible for the background research in Soweto for this documentary, which took two years to complete. His films are significant in the way in which they illustrate the marriage of same sex behaviour with traditional African values.

Born 20 March, 1976, Mpumelelo Njinge matriculated from Nkumbulo High School before attending Figars College from 1993 to 1996, where he studied modelling, teaching, fashion design and photography. He furthered his studies at Damelin, studying Business Communications in 1997 and participated in the Wits University, Gay and Lesbian Film and Video Development Programme in 1999. It was though his association with the Gay and Lesbian Archives at the Wits University that he came to research and direct his films. As a student he made a short documentary about the Gay Pride March in Johannesburg, later he worked for short periods with documentary film-makers in Amsterdam and Australia

Mpumi also participated in the theatrical production, After Nines! in 1998. This theatrical production, directed by Robert Coleman is based on South African Gay and Lesbian history, the name is derived from the habit of people living double lives - straight by day, but after nine they are gay. The cast, including Mpumi, undertook background research for the play. After Nines! has performed at community and theatre venues in South Africa, including the Johannesburg Civic Theatre and the Standard Bank National Festival of the Arts in Grahamstown. It also performed in Amsterdam as part of the Gay Games cultural festival and more recently at the 2000 Sydney Mardi Gras in Australia.

Mpumi is survived by his partner and family. The funeral will take place in Kwa Thema on Saturday, October 19, 2002 (Kwa Thema Hall 11h00), a memorial service will be held by HUMCC on Thursday, October 17, 2002 at 16h00 at Christ's Church, 1 Park Drive, Mayfair, Johannesburg.